Trying to gain confidence in a Rattle trap style bait

[airborne_angler]

Im trying to gain confidence in using a Rattletrap style bait. Today I threw a Royal Red XCALIBUR XR50.

Water temps(according to my graph) were in the very low 50's. Is this too cold to be throwing this bait?

Whats the best way to presnt this type of bait? Is it best  to do  a "Chuck and wind" type technique,or do I need to count it down to a certain depth and then begin the retrieve?

Im all about throwing this bait but Im looking at getting a good technique down while throwing it.

[Clyde]

I don't think you can throw a rattle trap wrong. You can cast it and retrieve it. You can throw it in grass and rip it loose. You can throw it in wood and bounce it off. It will come through a lot of stuff you think it can't, My dad will fish one everyday of the year some. Try different retrieves slow, fast, yo yo it. Don't get stuck on one thing keep mixing it up.

[roadwarrior]

"Mix up your retrieve" is good advice. However,

what's most important is location...Surprising,

huh? Fish lipless crankbaits in, over, around and

through structure and cover. Bass really cannot

stand this lure swimming by!

8-)

[Uncle Leo]

With cold water I found that using a YoYo type retrieve works the best.

[MALTESE FALCON]

If there is no ice, I'm throwing a lipless crankbait. As stated before, vary your retrieve, and find what works best for the conditions.

Good luck.

Falcon

[Raul]

Chunk and wind is one of the many ways to retrieve a lipless crank, yo-yoing it as suggested can be another form, chunk/wind/rip can be another, and you can chunk/wind/rip and yo-yo in the same cast, vertical jigging is another, man so many ways to fish a lipless crank and so little time to try them all.

[iceintheveins]

My most effective way to fish a lipless crank is a stop and go retrieve, with the simple addition of twitching it forward when you start up your retrieve again. Yo yo type retrieves are best when bass are sluggish or in deep water. When temps are warmer, nothing beats ripping them over grass.

[slonezp]

All the above, and match the hatch.

[Deleted account]

This time of year I like a smallish bait, yoyoed (is that a word?) about a foot or two off the bottom, just fast enough to make it wiggle, (but as always, let the fish tell you what they want).Most bites will happen on the drop, so pay attention.

[BassThumb]

Mix it up but keep it rather steady. Rarely has a strictly Yo Yo retrieve been the best presentation for me. Cast it out, work it with an erratic rod-tip and frequent, short pauses. Sometimes I slow roll it trying to get the lure a little deeper. I let it tick the weedtops in 10' of water and when it hangs up, I rip it free with quick snap of the wrists and let it flutter for a second before I begin again. I've had good luck with just a simple slow and steady retrieve with the rod tip held high, too. This is a very versatile lure.  Don't stick with any retrieve for very long if it's not producing.