Do You Use Different Brands And Styles Of Lipless Cranks?

[smalljaw67]

I had to go to Walmart yesterday and while there I noticed they had the discount bin filled up and there to my delight was the Cotton Cordell Super Spots, and not the ones in the blister pack but instead the ones that come in a box. I even was lucky enough that they had them in the right size and color, $1.96, great! Anyway it got me thinking about lipless baits, for me these are like fishing rods, I have them for all kinds of conditions and I was wondering if any of you do this. I love the Cordell super spots but only in 1/4oz and my favorite colors are blue shiner and royal shad, royal chrome is what they normally have at wally world. These are the only lipless baits I use in 1/4oz and they are my shallow baits, the one thing with the super spot is it will make noise and vibrate at a slower speed that others and it is a killer in pressured water situations. Next is the one knockers, I use the Rapala clacking rap and the Xcalibur one knocker, I use the Rapala in the colder months as the water is generally clearer and the purple gold and silver colors are more natural which I think is better for that clear water. The warmer, more stained water I go with the Xcalburs as they work better when you really rip them and the Tilapia and Lemon-Lime are really visible in stained water. My last one is my summer bait and it is a combination, it is a 1/2oz chrome with a black back Bill Lewis rattle trap for the most part and it is just because the one knockers don't always draw strikes. The thing is I have a few more that I will switch out and the fish at times will seem to have a preference for the sound of one bait over another a lot, the Rattlin' Rapala in silver blue works fantastic if they are following or just barely getting the back hook on the rattle trap and then last year I got a gold chrome Rippin Rap and that has quickly taken over, I may experiment with that in other situations but in the warm water it has been a real fish catcher. I know, a lot of different baits but over they years and fishing with other people is what got me to that, but I'm pretty much ready for anything, so ho many have various models for certain situation?

[A-Jay]

No ~ I have 36 of these . . . . .

 

 

A-Jay

 

[Bankbeater]

Normally, the 1/2 ounce size is my go to size.  I will use a 1/4 ounce size when fishing around cover because of the slower sink rate.  I like the blue/chrome Cordell spots for sunny and bright conditions.  The rest of the time I use rat-l-traps. 

[cadman]

I also always throw the 1/2 oz size. However, I have only had luck with Rattlin' Rapala's red craw and chrome shad. I throw these religiously and don't use anything else and there were some 30 40 fish days in Spring and Fall. I have tried Bill Lewis rattle trap and never did good on them. JMO

[jhoffman]

Ive got a bunch from a bunch of different manufacturers and I wing em but I dont have a ton of confidence in a trap style bait. Maybe its because a lot of my lakes lack grass.

[Avalonjohn44]

The Spot is a good bait, and you just cannot beat that price.  They will definitely catch you fish...

 

I primarily use the Red Eye shad, but also like the Yo Zuri Vibe. I used to swear by the SK Diamond Shad, but they changed it over the years and the current version doesn't get hit like the version from the 90s did...

[Avalonjohn44]

I also always throw the 1/2 oz size. However, I have only had luck with Rattlin' Rapala's red craw and chrome shad. I throw these religiously and don't use anything else and there were some 30 40 fish days in Spring and Fall.

 

I dunno what it is about those doggone Rattlin' Rapala's. I have about eight or ten that I've collected over the years, none of them have ever caught me a fish.  I love almost all Rapala baits except for those. (well scatter raps also, but that's a complaint for another thread...)

[TorqueConverter]

Different makes of lipless cranks have tendency to want to live at certain depths.  They may be rated as simply "sinking" but the baits do generate lift during the retrieve.  Once the weight of the bait and lift balance out, you've found where that bait wants to live given a set reel speed.

 

In my experience, for a given weight, the wider the wobble the shallower the lipless crank wants to run.  Red eyes are the exception to this.  They seem to be countdown lures in that once the retrieve is begun they will live at whatever depth they happen to be.

[WhiteMike1018]

I use the bass pro shops version and have has alot of success with it, I also use the red eyes, and xr50s by xcalibur

[RoLo]

I enjoy working soft-plastics more than winding plugs, but there are many times when catching bass on a lipless crank

can be as easy as taking candy from a baby. For this reason, I always have a lipless plug tied-on and ready to go.

 

In years gone by I threw a slew of different brands, sizes & colors. But since I use them cheifly for aggressive fish,

I've found that I do just as well with one brand, one size & one color.  For many years my staple crank plug has been

the Spro Aruku Shad (a super crank), but now I'm using the Jackall TN/70 exclusively.

Roger

[FishinCop646]

Hoffman, have you fished canoe creek lake? It probably has more weeds come late spring/summer than all our other local lakes combined!

[Jrob78]

I use the Redeye Shad, XCalibur and a few different Lucky Craft lipless baits.  I use 1/4-3/4oz in all 3 and use one knockers in the XCalibur.   I have others from other manufacturers but I rarely use them.

[CWB]

Anything but Rattle Traps. My go to baits are Xcalibur 5/8oz One Knocker (deadly bait) and regular, Red Eye Shads and lately the Rippin' Raps. Clackin Raps are good too but pike have taken a few away from me. Biggest thing is find a couple you have confidence in and use them. Cordell Spots have had a place in my box for many years. Love the suspending model.

[iabass8]

Red eye shad,XCaliber 1 knocker, and aruku shad/jr are the only ones i throw. i really like the 1/4 oz red eye shad.

[mjseverson24]

I have a bunch of lipless cranks that hardly ever get used, not because they don't catch fish, but because they tend to catch more pike than bass...

 

Mitch

[tholmes]

I fish a bunch of different lipless cranks. Bill Lewis, Cordell, Rapala Rattlin' Rap, SK Red Eye Shad, Xcalibur, and probably a few others.

 

I mostly throw 1/2 oz. but I'll go lighter or heavier as the situation warrants.

 

Tom

[cadman]

I dunno what it is about those doggone Rattlin' Rapala's. I have about eight or ten that I've collected over the years, none of them have ever caught me a fish.  I love almost all Rapala baits except for those. (well scatter raps also, but that's a complaint for another thread...)

That's weird, because I've tried a lot of others as well and only get bit on the Rattlin Rapalas. I was fishing with a buddy of mine when we had our 30 and 40 day fish. I think it must be the way I work it because my buddy used my spare, and he wasn't catching anything. He then went to a red eye shad and he started catching his own share of fish. So I don't know?

[Stingray23]

I own a bunch, but throw 2 brands the most. Xcalibur XR50 and Strike King Red eye shad. The Xcaliburs has a louder, tighter, rattle. I also throw the 1/4oz SK red eye.

[ww2farmer]

I have 1/4, 1/2, and 3/4 oz. Red Eye Shads, 1/2 and 3/4 oz. Storm Rocking Shads, all three sizes of the Rippin Raps, a bunch of Xcalibers, some Spots, Rat-L-Traps, Damiki Tremors, and the new Sebile Vibe Machines...................90% of the time I fish about 2 different colors of the 1/2 oz Red Eye Shad LOL.

[papajoe222]

I not only use differnt weights, but different brands for certain situations.  My favorite is the older Diamond Shad from SK, but I'll use the Cordells when I'm looking for a slower retrieve speed and a Red Eye when I'm pumping or stroking the bait.  Although I still have a couple of Rattle Traps, I can't remember the last time I used one.  I did pick up a couple of 7/8oz Clakin'Raps that I'll be experimenting with if the friggin lakes ever thaw out around here.

[plumworm]

Has anyone tried a floating Trap? They are really easy to control shallow and you can slow roll them without hanging up. They really do catch fish.

[Chris186]

Anything but Rattle Traps. My go to baits are Xcalibur 5/8oz One Knocker (deadly bait) and regular, Red Eye Shads and lately the Rippin' Raps. Clackin Raps are good too but pike have taken a few away from me. Biggest thing is find a couple you have confidence in and use them. Cordell Spots have had a place in my box for many years. Love the suspending model.

We must be polar opposites, cause I won't throw anything but a rattle trap. 1/2 oz in 2 very specific colors.

[Wbeadlescomb]

Excalibur xr50's in citrus shad. As a matter of fact 98% of my crankbaits are that color

[RoLo]

We must be polar opposites, cause I won't throw anything but a rattle trap. 1/2 oz in 2 very specific colors.

 

Therein lies the value of a forum, it teaches us that the differences aren't as great as we might think

 

Roger

[tnbassfisher]

It's been Rat-L-Traps and Red Eye Shads for me over the past couple of years, but I've picked up a few Aruku Shads recently that I want to give a try this year.