Cannon Wins Co-Angler Title
Texas co-angler takes win with 33-6 total
Competing in just his fourth Tour event as a co-angler, Ryan Cannon put together a pair of 16-pound days to take the co-angler crown and $20,000 at the FLW Tour event presented by Costa Sunglasses on the Potomac River. The 38-year-old from Bullard, Texas followed up a 16-pound, 13-ounce day one limit with a 16-9 day two limit. His 33-6 two-day limit was good enough to beat out runner-up Richie Eaves by 3 pounds, 3 ounces.
Top five patterns from day two
Thrift wins Angler of the Year
Haraguchi earns Co-angler of the Year
Dortch earns Rookie of the Year
Cannon, who fished with Des Moines, Iowa pro Pete Cherkas on day one and Prosperity, S.C. pro Anthony Gagliardi on day two, used a single bait and a single tactic both days.
“I was catching my fish on a Texas-rigged Gary Yamamoto Senko with a pegged 1/8-ounce weight, and all I was doing was casting to holes in the grass,” says Cannon. “I’d let the Senko get down in the hole and then I’d work it through the grass clumps, and as it came out of the grass the fish were thumping it on the way down. I did the same thing both days. Other than one fish I caught on a Heddon Zara Spook, all my fish were caught on a Senko.”
Cannon, who runs a steel construction business with his father, attributes part of his new-found success to the influence of fellow Texans Jeff Sprague and Jason Reyes.
“Jeff Sprague and Jason Reyes have kind of taken me under their wing, which has been a great experience for me,” says Cannon. “Both those guys are awesome. They’ve made it such an easy transition for me that if and when I do go pro I think I’ll be prepared just by being around them.”
Cannon plans on using his winnings to help fund his future fishing plans, which may include going pro, sooner or perhaps later.
“I’ve worked with my dad my whole life, and just recently he told me that I should come out here and give this a shot,” says Cannon. “Just to try it out and see what happens. I’m 38, I’ve been fishing my whole life, but it’s a matter of gaining experience on all these varied waters.
“There are some really good fishermen out here. To throw your hat in the ring with them is pretty scary, but, yeah, I’m thinking about it. I haven’t made a decision yet. I may do a full year of co-angling just to get more experience. We’ll see.”