Cotton Cordell Lipless Crank

[Bk4]

Anybody fishes Cotton Cordell lipless crankbait? Are they comparable to Bill Lewis Lipless crankbait? Any differences between the two? Same result?

[rockchalk06]

I've fished them for years. The Rayburn red I think it's called still catches me tons of fish in October/November. As for better or worse, I really can't say. The Lewis traps are noisier and come with KVD elite hooks. Both paint jobs are so so. They kinda flake easy.

The Cordell's are always on sale too. Academy had them in 4 different colors for 33 cents a piece last season so I got about 40 of them. They were nice as I could throw then in the nasty and not be heart broken over loosing a 5-6 dollar crank.

There are better looking lipless cranks out there that have better paint schemes and better components, but for the money they are good cranks.

[Fishes in trees]

Cordell Spots are an old time lure.   I think that they are a better lure overall than the Lewis Rattle Trap.  I keep a few of them in my boat, and I don't keep any Rattle Traps in my boat.  For the record, I think that the old Berkley Frenzy Rattle bait is a better bait than either the Spot or the Rattle Trap.

[Bankbeater]

The rat-l-traps are a little heavier, so they tend to cast a little better into the wind.  The cordell's tend to take a beating a little better, and not lose their paint so fast.

[lavbasser]

I fish these (Cotton Cordells) a lot.  They cast, sink, and feel more like a 3/8 bait than a 1/2 oz. and therefore are easier to fish shallow.  If you need to keep your bait down more than a few feet you might be better off with a different trap, unless you want to fish really slow.  They don't cast as well as other traps either.  I find the paint jobs hold up pretty well but I change the hooks.  I also like that they have two size 4 trebles. 

[airborne_angler]

My experience with the Cotton Cordells has been less than remarkable. I kept them in a Plano box in my Jon boat. One day I went to check them out and discovered they got all bloated and deformed by the sun.Had some SK Red Eye Shads do the same and had a series 4 start splitting along the back. No other brands of Crankbaits had any kind of similar issues. Ive got plenty of Norman,Rapala, Bomber and other misc cranks riding on my boat.I Contacted both SK and Cotton Cordell about this issue.. SK asked me to email them pics...I did and they ended up sending me replacements, with a hat and a catalog, no questions asked and delivery was quick.

Cotton Cordell wanted me to send the baits to them on my dime. I did and got a call, saying that upon inspection, they would replace the baits...2 hours later, got a call saying they WERENT gonna replace them.The fact that they went back on thier word really got me.They asked if they should return them or just throw em away...I requested they return them to me so I could keep the trebles and split rings.They sent me some decals with my baits.

As far as fishing them...I couldn't tell ya...never had a chance to use my brand new spots...Really feel I can't buy the Spots because if I spend the money on them, don't use them and store them on the boat, they can potentially get ruined in storage...all I'm left with then is some trebles, split rings and a useless crank body.For what its worth...Bill Lewis Rattle Traps have not suffered the same heat related issue as the SK and CC baits.

Just my experience.

[TNBassin']

I have a few that I use when I know I'm gonna have a greater chance at getting them snagged and losing them. I'd rather lose them than my RES or Xcaliburs.

[tholmes]

I've used them for years. They're pretty good baits and the price is right, but the factory hooks are not so good. Cotton Cordell used to (maybe still do?) make a suspending version of the Spot that I really liked. I haven't been able to find them for a long time.

 

Tom

[Hyrule Bass]

My experience with the Cotton Cordells has been less than remarkable. I kept them in a Plano box in my Jon boat. One day I went to check them out and discovered they got all bloated and deformed by the sun.Had some SK Red Eye Shads do the same and had a series 4 start splitting along the back. No other brands of Crankbaits had any kind of similar issues. Ive got plenty of Norman,Rapala, Bomber and other misc cranks riding on my boat.I Contacted both SK and Cotton Cordell about this issue.. SK asked me to email them pics...I did and they ended up sending me replacements, with a hat and a catalog, no questions asked and delivery was quick.

Cotton Cordell wanted me to send the baits to them on my dime. I did and got a call, saying that upon inspection, they would replace the baits...2 hours later, got a call saying they WERENT gonna replace them.The fact that they went back on thier word really got me.They asked if they should return them or just throw em away...I requested they return them to me so I could keep the trebles and split rings.They sent me some decals with my baits.

As far as fishing them...I couldn't tell ya...never had a chance to use my brand new spots...Really feel I can't buy the Spots because if I spend the money on them, don't use them and store them on the boat, they can potentially get ruined in storage...all I'm left with then is some trebles, split rings and a useless crank body.For what its worth...Bill Lewis Rattle Traps have not suffered the same heat related issue as the SK and CC baits.

Just my experience.

 

regardless of your satisfaction or dissatisfaction with those companies customer service, it sounds like its all your own fault for leaving them out in the sun and exposed to the heat...

 

 

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i have a couple of the CC lipless cranks, never caught a thing on them...

[Christian M]

I have some Cordells, but honestly they never get used, I have much more sucess with other brands of lipless cranks that come with better hooks, paint & splitrings.

 

 #1- Clackin Raps- I have pretty much every pattern in every size & when its time to break out lipless cranks these are my go to. I catch big bass on these.

 

 #2- Live Target- If I had to choose between these & my Rapalas it would be hard. I've caught trout, LM & SM Bass, Perch, Pike, Bluegills &

sunnys on these. But at $11+ it really hurts when I lose one.

 

 #3- Strike King Red Eyes & One Knockers- They have some nice patterns and I find on certain lakes they do the trick.

[Jigfishn10]

I find that Spots are a little more buoyant than most lipless cranks on the market, so if you're in a situation where you want to tick the top of weeds in fairly shallow water, then the spot is the choice for me. If I want to slow roll along the outside weed line, then I would opt for a different type of lipless crank.

[Bluebasser86]

I use them for white bass or walleye in snaggy rocks so I don't lose my expensive rattle baits. They work just fine for bass too though, just not my preferred bait. 

[Tuckahoe Joe]

I have couple Cotton Cordell Super Spots.  I've caught a couple fish with them but I have bad luck with lipless cranks.  I always get them snagged.  That's why I like the Cordells.  They're nice and cheap.

[Tuckahoe Joe]

My experience with the Cotton Cordells has been less than remarkable. I kept them in a Plano box in my Jon boat. One day I went to check them out and discovered they got all bloated and deformed by the sun.Had some SK Red Eye Shads do the same and had a series 4 start splitting along the back. No other brands of Crankbaits had any kind of similar issues. Ive got plenty of Norman,Rapala, Bomber and other misc cranks riding on my boat.I Contacted both SK and Cotton Cordell about this issue.. SK asked me to email them pics...I did and they ended up sending me replacements, with a hat and a catalog, no questions asked and delivery was quick.

Cotton Cordell wanted me to send the baits to them on my dime. I did and got a call, saying that upon inspection, they would replace the baits...2 hours later, got a call saying they WERENT gonna replace them.The fact that they went back on thier word really got me.They asked if they should return them or just throw em away...I requested they return them to me so I could keep the trebles and split rings.They sent me some decals with my baits.

As far as fishing them...I couldn't tell ya...never had a chance to use my brand new spots...Really feel I can't buy the Spots because if I spend the money on them, don't use them and store them on the boat, they can potentially get ruined in storage...all I'm left with then is some trebles, split rings and a useless crank body.For what its worth...Bill Lewis Rattle Traps have not suffered the same heat related issue as the SK and CC baits.

Just my experience.

That's a little ridiculous.  Especially that they told you one thing and then went back on it.  And I mean, those things retail for like 2 bucks so you know it probably costs them less than a buck a piece to manufacture.  You'd think that a few dollars worth of baits would be worth it to keep a customer satisfied.  Oh well.  You live and learn.  Glad you had some luck with the SK customer service.  I know a lot of people here have had good experiences with them.

[smalljaw67]

I've fished them for years. The Rayburn red I think it's called still catches me tons of fish in October/November. As for better or worse, I really can't say. The Lewis traps are noisier and come with KVD elite hooks. Both paint jobs are so so. They kinda flake easy.

The Cordell's are always on sale too. Academy had them in 4 different colors for 33 cents a piece last season so I got about 40 of them. They were nice as I could throw then in the nasty and not be heart broken over loosing a 5-6 dollar crank.

There are better looking lipless cranks out there that have better paint schemes and better components, but for the money they are good cranks.

 

 

There are 2 different kinds of Cordell spots, there are ones that are packached in a bubble pack on cardboard, those are just the Cordell spots that are always at walmart, Dicks, or Academy sports on sale and then there are the super spots that are in a box and sell for arond 2.99 each. The super spots are denser and sink better than the cheaper spots and they are louder. I prefer the Xcalibur one knockers and the Rapala clackin rap but when I  need the rattles I reach for the super spot, they use few but slightly larger BB's which make it sound different than a rattle trap. For sizes I prefer 1/2oz to 3/4oz for the one knockers and 1/4oz for the super spots, there are a few reasons but the details will bore most here but of you're only familar with the spot sold on the cardboard bubble pack then do yourself a favor and try the super spot sold in a box, royal shad and chrome/black back are the only 2 patterns you'll need.

[rockchalk06]

The ones Academy had on sale were the super spots in the plastic box

[Jigfishn10]

To give you an idea of what's inside, here's 1 of 2 spots I sacrificed while trying a new lure build technique:

http://www.bassresource.com/bass-fishing-forums/topic/118872-lipless-crankbait-build/

 

4 brass bb's in the head for weight and 12 steel bb's in the body for rattle

[airborne_angler]

 regardless of your satisfaction or dissatisfaction with those companies customer service, it sounds like its all your own fault for leaving them out in the sun and exposed to the heat... 

How is a person to know at what conditions/temps thier hardbaits will be affected. Like I said I have lots of different hardbaits and the CC Spots and SK RES and a Series 4 bait were the onls ones affected, strange but other SK cranks werent affected.and they were all under the exact same conditions, in Plano boxes on the floor of my Jon Boat. So my lesson from this is that CC Spots and SK RES baits are sensitive to the heat and care must be taken when storing them. For those reasons they don't have a place on my boat anymore.

[TNBassin']

Not having a RES on your boat? Can't imagine.

[Jigfishn10]

regardless of your satisfaction or dissatisfaction with those companies customer service, it sounds like its all your own fault for leaving them out in the sun and exposed to the heat...

 

 

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i have a couple of the CC lipless cranks, never caught a thing on them...

 

Hey Red Earth, airbourne_angler has been a member here for a long time and I've read a lot of his posts, I don't think he's bashing a product or is at fault in any way, just passing along his experience with the products he mentioned...No need to call him out on this one, Bud. I'm sure there are a lot of other things that can be affected out in the AZ heat.

[Bass Junkie]

As for better or worse, I really can't say. The Lewis traps are noisier and come with KVD elite hooks.

The Bill Lewis Rat L Traps do not come with KVD Elite hooks, they come standard with Set-Lock hooks.

[rockchalk06]

The Bill Lewis Rat L Traps do not come with KVD Elite hooks, they come standard with Set-Lock hooks.

Everyone I have comes with KVD elite hooks. Says so on the website and the package. #4 short shank

[Jigfishn10]

"Welcome to Rat-L-Trap"

All lures come with Bill Lewis Lures' Mustad Triple-Grip hooks. Any lures 1 OZ or larger come with heavy duty split rings. Most orders will ship within one week. However, some can take up to two weeks. Non-stock items may take up to one month.  We thank you for your patience with this process.

http://www.rat-l-trap.com/index.php

[fishking247]

those stock hooks that come on the rat-l-traps are garbage. i had a 4lb fish straighten them out. I always thought they were set-lock hooks too. i change all my hooks to owner st-36

[YakenMax]

I love cotton Cordell's they are awesome and work great. Fish them all day today