anyone try the shark cannonballs yet

[RiverRat]

I saw the video on there site. looks like a good product.

I run canon downriggers with positive ion control, and have many buddies that run the black box, and we have agreed we catch 50% more fish with the positive ion control. has anyone run the shark with there positive ion control set up, I asked shark already they think positive ion does not work.

But It's proven it does attaract fish, I think the shark and ion control would a awsome combo .

[HitMan]

We tried the Shark Cannonballs about four-five years ago when they first came out. The creator came to Chinook Pier in Grand Haven and passed them out for boats to try. I know a lot of people like them and swear by them. Personally, I do not like them. I thought the bright silver ones scared the fish and they definitely affected our normal catch rates and spread efficiency. Many of the guys I know use the black coated ones.

We are stuck in a rut and will not use anything but JimBob's Weights. They are a custom designed pancake type weight with an adjustable tail for direction dialing. When you get used to something and have a lot of confidence in it, it is hard to switch to something new and still have confidence in your spread. The Shark Cannonballs definitely messed up our normal spread and consequently our confidence. But that is just my thoughts and opinion.

[CaptLevi]

I actually thought they messed with my spread also. Especially if we got near a beach. they had a tendency to attack swimmers without provocation.

[Satisfaxion_Gauranteed]

I actually thought they messed with my spread also. Especially if we got near a beach. they had a tendency to attack swimmers without provocation.

Ahh, the sharks just thought the swimmers were seals

When I first started fishing, I used cheap lead weights with small fins. I slowly converted to black coated weights with small fins. Toward the end of the year last year, I went to using pancake style weights with black coating and really like them. I think it gives me good 'tune ability' to set up my spread, particularly with my boat that only has an 8' beam. I personally think that downriggers weights is as much a success based on comfort as it is the type of weight you use. I've never used the shark weights, so I don't know much about them.

Any other thoughts on the black box/positive ion control? I have never run one, so I don't have any experience on them. I have always been curious though.

[silver one]

Ive always run the black coated lead balls by cannon with a trailing fin.

What are some of the differences that you guys are seening in the way the pancake weights run vs the cannonballs?

[tbromund]

I haven't used the sharks, mostly I've used the 12 lb black tru-trac finned balls. Last year I got a pair of the 13 lb torpedos from ATOMMIK and those worked fine, significantly less blowback on the probe rigger than with the balls.

I hear the same comments from people about the sharks as I do about the Ridgeback Rattlers, some times they help, some times they hurt, it depends on the mood of the fish. On aggressive fish I believe they will help pull fish in, on neutral/passive fish they may be a negative.

Regarding the black box, I got one a couple of years ago after I used the multi meter and found my boat has a grounding problem somewhere and was throwing (according to the pro-troll documentation) a repelling chage around the boat. I had never given the notion much credence since I didn't believe that non-mineralized fresh water would carry enough charge to make a difference, however, when I first got my current boat, I had a heck of a time taking a fish on the riggers. Divers and cores accounted for 90%+ of my catch, which was absolutely not the case on my previous boat. I decided it was worth the 100 scoots to give it a shot and guess what, my riggers the past two seasons have once again become my hottest setups, espcially with short leads. Since I retired the Fish Hawk and added the Depth Raider this past season (and also took off the old Mag 10s and are just running my 2 Scotty elecs) with the coated cable on my probe rigger, I now only have the BB hooked up to one rigger, but that rigger consistently fires for me.

I think it depends on the boat. If there are no electrical issues on the boat to begin with, a BB or positive ion control will probably have no significant impact, for boats like mine that have grounding gremlins, they are a big asset and are a lot simpler fix than trying to find the ground problem, especially for those of us that are not electrically inclined.

Tim

Tim

[HitMan]

We run two of JimBob's pancake style weights with the adjustable fins on our two outdown riggers. We bend the fins approriately for each side of the boat so they pull away from the boat. The tracking is awesome with these weights and you can bend the fin as far as you so choose. We then use a JimBob's regular round weight on our center downrigger. We only fish with 3 downriggers. All JimBob's downrigger weights we use are Chartreuse in color.

[GLF]

I have not ran any of these yet. I am a tinkerer, and I like to find out what makes something tick.

I spent 4 years in the USN. I have been on 5 different aircraft carriers, 3 nukes and 2 conventionals. I have a good idea on how fast a carrier will go. Ever wonder how fast a submarine will go? You would be surprised at how fast a sub goes. I have an idea, but no one really knows. I do know that they can out run any surface ship! Why? A submarine does not have the friction in the water like a surface ship. Ever wonder why a submarine is shaped the way it is shaped? Minimum drag. If you look at the shape of a shark cannonball, you can tell that it is designed for minimum drag. Less drag, means less blow back.

Chrome cannonballs have been around for a long time. My father use to run some in his spread in the 80's. He did not run the chrome ones all the time. There is a time and place for everything.

[Organized Slime]

I bought a pair of #10 chrome sharks and like them. I always fish very short leads(3-10ft.) flasher & meat or spoons. They have considerable less blow back than my #10 Jim Bob's round weights which is what I like the most. I use the Jim Bobs when fishg up high with longer (40-80ft.) leads. I know it is risky but I am going to experiment with the deep bite this year. #12 sharks and 2nd set of downrigger spools loaded with #80 spiderwire. I know...someone with a wire dipsey is gonna cut me off $70 bucks to the bottom. I can't stand all the blowback...drives me nutts!

[Priority1]

I bought a pair of #10 chrome sharks and like them. I always fish very short leads(3-10ft.) flasher & meat or spoons. They have considerable less blow back than my #10 Jim Bob's round weights which is what I like the most. I use the Jim Bobs when fishg up high with longer (40-80ft.) leads. I know it is risky but I am going to experiment with the deep bite this year. #12 sharks and 2nd set of downrigger spools loaded with #80 spiderwire. I know...someone with a wire dipsey is gonna cut me off $70 bucks to the bottom. I can't stand all the blowback...drives me nutts!

Tim, Welcome to the site. You may want to go to the Welcome and Introduction forum and introduce your self. You will like it here.

http://www.greatlakesfisherman.com/forums/forumdisplay.php?f=59

[1mainiac]

I have been considering the Sharks all winter also hv been looking at the new Ridgeback rattler with the removeable weight so it can be 13 or 20 lbs. I played with the pancake weights years ago and did not like them so went back to finned round weights as they are less effected by underwater currents I have a couple of the fish weights which work ok but are kinda light so I am thinking of trying the 12lb sharks on my out and down riggers as that is about the heaviest they like to work with but most likely will stick with 15 or 20lb round for my back riggers to get deep.

[GLF]

I ran the Stinger(JimBob) pancakes 1/2 of two seasons ago, and all last season. I fished in 3-5' waves, and went every direction in the waves. I have yet to have a tangle. I bent the tails out just a tick.

I fish out of a 27' Amberjack that weighs around 10,000 lbs and does not get blown around like the lighter boats.

[2UNREEL]

I run the 12lb black coated sharks. I have not had an issue with them and the blowback is much less than a roundball. I like the fact that when they hit the water they instantly track strait. I the past with round balls I have had them spin and get my line wrapped around the rigger cable when I used pad releases.

[Yankee Troller]

I have run the sharks for a few years now. If you want to go DEEP there really is no better weight. I have the 13lb Ridgebacks and they have their time and place too. Typically if I am fishing the top 75' its the Ridgeback. When I'm going below that to about 125' its the 15lb shark, and now with the addition of the 20lb Mega Shark we can efficiently fish below 150'! That's where the big guys live on Lake Ontario.

Where pancakes can tangle up your spread these wont even in the roughest stuff. In order to get pancakes to not swim you have to bend the tail some. But that just adds to your "blowback." Not only is it loosing depth becasue of forward momentum its loosing depth from planning out to the side. So your defeating the purpose of the pancake weight.

I'm not sponsored by Shark, but its a product I choose to run. If you want to fish tourneys you need the option to go deep for the big guys.

[Rayman96]

As far as colour of a weight, I can paint mine any colour. Sometimes a selection of different colours is an advantage. Other times it won't make any difference!

The shark is mostly known for tracking true with little blow back. It also has a dimpled surface to imitate a baitfish signature.

By the way, the shark has a tailfin that can be bent, if that is your thing.

http://www.sharkcannonballs.com/product_info.html

Blue/Silver Faceted Shark

Glow in the Dark Faceted Shark

Black Stealth Shark

[medic]

I've got a 12 lb chrome shark that I'll let go for $50 and shipping....

Personally, I prefer the Ridgeback Rattlers.

[anthonyyost]

Does anyone have a web address for the Ridgeback Rattlers?

I would like to see what they look like.

Thanks

[medic]

Here ya go, Tony..

http://www.ridgebackrattler.com/

[Line Dancin]

i run 10 lb sharks and love em. I am about to order 2 15s for may back riggers for a deeper presentation with less blowback.

[Alessandro]

Some people use it here for atlantic salmon, but not many.

Thx for the ridgeback rattle links, oddlooking to say the least?

[Cork Dust]

A fusiform body shape is the most hydrodynamically efficient form moving through water. The attack submarines marine architects stole their hull structure from the Tuna family. Tuna are a fusiform shaped fish. They litterally sail through the water. I have heard speeds of 50 knots for our attack subs when submerged.

I used the Sharks for several years (black vinyl coated). When I went to a speed and temp. at the ball unit, I purchased a heavier set of sharks. Apparently, they moved from a Canadian vendor to an offshore manufacturer. The poor quality control led to air voids in the shark bodies. I ended up with two of the rogues. I ended up cutting the vinyl off and melting them down for decoy weights.

I switched to ATOMIK finned 13lb weights, no track issues and substantially diminished blowback. They now have 15 lb weights in the same body style.

[UNREEL27]

My outside riggers have 10# chrome sharks, I keep high. Centers are still 12# coated finned roundballs, which are usually out of the water by 10am anyhow.

I seldom see deeper than 100' on Lk Huron, and usually 30-60 is my constant depth. I have 100% confidence in Sharks, thats why I use them. I do not feel they spook fish, at all. They catch 75% of fish on my rigger presentation.

May or may not be a factor, who knows. Until I can no longer catch fish, I will use them..

[flywasher]

love them, run 3 black 15#rs and 2 black 20#rs after june 1st. almost no blowback, great tracking. obviously keeps them closer to boat so my 2 thru hull tranducers see them fine.

good fishing

[tray19682005]

my wife drug me to a garage sale friday, i picked up 2 chrome 10lb sharks for $7.00 each and 2 custom molded fish shaped weights 12lbs for $5 each!!cant wait to try them out this week

[Line Dancin]

i now have 4 15's for deeper fishing.