Lipless crankbaits are the most popular among lures that have been developed and carved out their specific niche over the last few decades. Years ago, there were very few brands that focused on manufacturing lipless crankbaits since this lure was just not seen to be worth the effort. After years of experimenting with this unique form of lure, many of the world’s finest fishermen are staunch supporters of lipless crankbaits and even have their favorite brands hammered down.
What is a Lipless Crankbait?
As the name suggests, lipless crankbaits are just that – lipless. Lipless crankbaits are hard-bodied, usually plastic lures. Lipless baits, unlike most crankbaits, lack a bill or lip that regulates the depth at which they run. Lipless crankbaits have a lot of vibration and flash, which makes them look like a wounded baitfish.
Lipless crankbaits can be used at any depth. The angler controls the depth at which the lure is presented by the time it is allowed to sink and the speed of the retrieve. Lipless crankbaits are a great all-around lure. They can be cast and retrieved, trolled, vertically jigged, and even used for ice fishing by fishermen.
Many lipless crankbaits have a somewhat hollow body with weights or specially crafted beads that give them their unique “rattling” sound as they are retrieved through the water. This sound is usually appealing to fish, who bites the bait out of curiosity or hunger. The weights within these lures are placed to keep the minnow-like body balanced and prevent it from tipping over or diving.
When to fish Lipless Crankbaits?
Lipless crankbaits excel when bass relate to shallow water. As a result, tossing a lipless crank is best done in the spring and fall. The tight wobbling of this bait makes it perfect for cold water, and the wheelhouse of a lipless crank is between 45 and 60 degrees. With their deep body profile, lipless cranks efficiently imitate shad, bluegill, and crawfish, depending on the color you’re tossing.
Bass are frequently in the mood to chase down fast-moving lures like lipless crankbaits, and they won’t hesitate to explore one that passes by their spot.
Where and how to fish lipless crankbaits?
The perfect relationship between these types of lures and grass beds is well-known among experienced fishermen and professionals. Long swathes of grass beds in lakes are ideal locations for using this bait to catch large bass that is feeding in preparation for the spawn in the spring. Because baitfish commonly swim a few feet above grass beds, casting a lipless crankbait 2-5 feet above the grass is an excellent way to fill your bag and bend some rods.
In comparison to other lures, fishing a lipless crankbait in deepwater of 15 feet or more is easy, as fishermen merely need to cast their Rat-L-Trap or lipless crankbait into the water and wait for it to sink to the required depth.
You can also employ a yo-yoing technique to catch lipless cranks in cold and deeper waters. Allow your bait to land on a semi-slack line by lifting your rod tip from a 9 o’clock to an 11 o’clock position. This retrieval looks a lot like a dying shad or a fleeing crawfish, and the subtle wobble followed by a fall will catch lethargic bass.
Conclusion:
Because of its simple form and modest profile, this lure may not appear enticing to inexperienced anglers. However, professional anglers all over the world will tell you that a lipless crankbait is one of the most useful lures an angler can have in their arsenal.
