lipless crankbaits

[Jacob]

With bass season coming up i was thinking about trying lipless cranks this year, since i haven't really fished them much.

 

My question is, what should i be looking for? Colour? Size?

 

Thanks

 

Jacob

[Harrison]

Cotton Cordell Super Spots, Bill Lewis rattle traps, and Rapala Rattlin Raps have all been great bass lures for me, especially the blue silver for smallies. They will catch anything! Pike love them too. I like the 3"

 

My new favourites are the livetargets golden shiner and gizzards shads. Starting using them last year.

 

Great for all species but also good through the ice

 

Edited June 12, 2012 by Harrison

[Dan668]

Like spro aruku shads. Any colour. Have caught bass pike and even walleye with them

[Garry2Rs]

Live Target also finishes these baits in Crayfish patterns. The rattle is said to sound like the crabs armour clicking as they swim. I've caught fish on Red, Silver/Blue, Silver/Black, Chrome, Green, Orange and many so called natural patterns. I had great luck trolling a Baby Bass Rattlin'Rap for Walleye on the lower Grand River.

 

Here are four easy ways to fish lip less cranks

1:Cast and retriever, with the odd jerk.

 

2:Cast over shallow weeds and allow to settle into the weed tops, then rip out.

Best done with a stout rod.

 

3:Troll.

 

4:Yo-Yo...Cast and allow to sink to the bottom. Rip upwards and allow to sink back to the bottom...It's best if you pick-up slack as the bait sinks because strikes often come on the fall. One caution...Don't yo-yo or rip too close to the boat because the angle of the rod tip can exceed the breaking point.

Edited June 12, 2012 by garry2rs

[OhioFisherman]

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Vintage-Storm-Texas-Shad-Fishing-Lure-/290565813771?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item43a712760b

[Jacob]

Thanks for the advice (as always), i think i'm going to pick up a few of the livetarget crayfish and golden shiner.

 

Jacob

[singingdog]

Aruka Shads are my faves, but plenty of others catch fish. I like to fish them like a jigging spoon: let them settle to the bottom, then rip them a few feet up with the rod tip, repeat. It is a great way to catch smallies that are holding along steep dropoffs. Lakers and 'eyes like them too.

[Jacob]

Aruka Shads are my faves, but plenty of others catch fish. I like to fish them like a jigging spoon: let them settle to the bottom, then rip them a few feet up with the rod tip, repeat. It is a great way to catch smallies that are holding along steep dropoffs. Lakers and 'eyes like them too.

 

Thanks for the info, i'll be looking into to those.

 

Another quick question

What rods should i be using? A crankbait rod? Medium, medium-heavy?

 

Thanks again

 

Jacob

[Luke V.]

For cranks I am running a 7' MH Quantum Tour PT with an Okuma Helios 6:2:1 ratio.

 

 

 

Hope this helps

[bare foot wader]

What rods should i be using? A crankbait rod? Medium, medium-heavy?

 

 

if you're casting or trolling you'd want a crankbait rod, not too stiff of a tip, medium action, M or MH depending on size of lure and fish you're catching....if you're ripping weeds or yo'yo-ing deep water I prefer a fast or xfast mh, stiff tip with help you

[Jacob]

Thanks for all of the responces, i placed an order for some if the lipless livetarget crawfish amd will be looking for a crankbait rod and hopefully some great fishing for the fast aproaching bass season.

 

Jacob.

[johnnyb]

Nice crankbait combo got posted for sale today in the OFC classifieds.....

[Jacob]

Thanks for the info but unfortunetally it's a lefty. I'm thinking about taking the rod, though.

 

Jacob

[singingdog]

A crankbait rod is the only "specialty" rod I own. After losing some real hogs on lipless cranks, I decided to try one and have never looked back. The flexibility is very helpful in keeping big fish hooked. It isn't good for ripping lipless cranks off of the tops of weeds, which can be a deadly technique, but any rod with decent backbone and a fairly fast tip will accomplish that.

[bucktail]

I never seem to have much luck on them.

I have even gone into spots where I know there are fish and fish them a few different ways with no success and then change to a chartreuse and white spinnerbait and proceed to catch largemouth.

I have repeated this at various lakes.

 

Dont know maybe its me, but you watch guys down south killing them on lipless cranks.

 

Maybe they just dont like me.

 

 

Darren

[bare foot wader]

I've always found them to be effective early season and late season in cold water, they have a tight wiggle, somewhat subtle, really good for negative fish...can fish them slow, burn them, jig them...even remove the trebles, slap on a swivel and a 6/0 siwash and downrig them for salmon

[Garry2Rs]

I changed the stock hooks on all of my Rattle baits. The stock hooks are quite small because the bait is very narrow.

My replacement hooks are Mustad KVD elite triple grips. These hooks are 1X strong and 2X short shank. KVD designed these hooks specifically for the these baits. He then used them to win the Bassmaster's Classic in 2010.

By replacing the stock hooks on your rattle type baits you have a much wider gap because you have gone up about two sizes without making the hook any longer. The balance etc. stays the same, but fish can't shake off as easily.

[mattyk]

I have done very well with lipless crankbaits for both small mouth, and large mouth bass, pike, walleye and muskies.I have a lot more luck on lakes that are very stained and murky.

Edited June 15, 2012 by Mattk

[dave524]

Judging by the way you fellas are fishing these, I find Mann's Little George tailspinners work very well in the same situations at a much more wallet friendly price point. Sometimes add a little bit of crawler to the hook, makes it look like a disembowelled minnow

 

http://www.tacklewarehouse.com/Manns_Little_George/descpage-MLG.html

[singingdog]

Judging by the way you fellas are fishing these, I find Mann's Little George tailspinners work very well in the same situations at a much more wallet friendly price point. Sometimes add a little bit of crawler to the hook, makes it look like a disembowelled minnow

 

http://www.tacklewarehouse.com/Manns_Little_George/descpage-MLG.html

 

I will fish tailspins in much the same way as a lipless crank, but they aren't a substitute. Tailspins and jigging spoons seem to really shine when the water is colder, especially late fall. Lipless cranks, for whatever reason, work better for me when the water is warmer.