Let's talk Lipless

[reerok]

There have been a few great threads discussing brands of lipless cranks as well as rod/reel setups.  But now I'd like to discuss how and when you fish them.  

 

I assume the #1 answer will be around grass and weeds.  Are there any situations you can name where you fish them without grass or weeds present?  Tell me about what type of situations make you think of fishing the lipless cranks and how you fish them.  

 

Thanks,

 

reerok

[Catt]

Pre-spawn

[reerok]

8 minutes ago, Catt said:

Pre-spawn

 

Thanks Catt.  That's one answer to the when part of the question.  How/where do you fish it during the pre-spawn?  Grass or no grass?

[scaleface]

Most of my fishing with lipless baits is done post spawn through fall in deep water . I use the Red Eye Shad,  let it sink on points or areas where a lot of fish show up on the depth finder . Then work  it on the bottom .  My favorite retrieve is to hop it like a worm . Sometimes I'll reel it  in a bit then kill it . The RES wiggles and makes clicking  noises on the drop and it catches everything . 

[reerok]

7 minutes ago, scaleface said:

Most of my fishing with lipless baits is done post spawn through fall in deep water . I use the Red Eye Shad,  let it sink on points or areas where a lot of fish show up on the depth finder . Then work  it on the bottom .  My favorite retrieve is to hop it like a worm . Sometimes I'll reel it  in a bit then kill it . The RES wiggles and makes clicking  noises on the drop and it catches everything . 

 

Good stuff, here.  When fishing points this way do you tend to fish the RES shallow to deep or vice-versa?  I tend to place the boat on the shallower portion of the point and cast deep and fish it back to me hopping or ripping it off the bottom but I wonder if there's a better approach.

[jbw252]

I often use lipless cranks (Strike King Red Eye Shad), for my search bait.  It could be in the salad or in open water.  The fish will let you know if they want it.

[Catt]

21 minutes ago, reerok said:

 

Thanks Catt.  That's one answer to the when part of the question.  How/where do you fish it during the pre-spawn?  Grass or no grass?

 

Slow roll kneel-n-reel on feeding flats around Buck Brush

[scaleface]

12 minutes ago, reerok said:

 

Good stuff, here.  When fishing points this way do you tend to fish the RES shallow to deep or vice-versa?  I tend to place the boat on the shallower portion of the point and cast deep and fish it back to me hopping or ripping it off the bottom but I wonder if there's a better approach.

 

I do it both ways . I'm often circling the area throwing it both ways .

[NorthwestBasser]

Points, post spawn when the water warms up and I think they are holding on the bottom in deeper water I can get a lipped crank. Sink that bad boy to the bottom and yo-yo it, fun stuff

[reerok]

Thanks guys.

 

Does anyone fish these shallow?  If so, I'd like to hear how you found success with them.

[Scarborough817]

9 minutes ago, reerok said:

Thanks guys.

 

Does anyone fish these shallow?  If so, I'd like to hear how you found success with them.

yes fish them shallow over grass or on a transition between rock and grass and you will likely get bit 

[RoLo]

 

As Catt said, during the pre-spawn 'before' vegetation has sprouted.

Cranks also strut their stuff over clean bottoms at the mouth of an inflowing stream, especially after a rainfall.

Bass after bass without a blade of grass (hey, that rhythms!)

 

Roger

[bowhunter63]

I fish them in the river for Smallies all year in all types of cover.Great locator bait.They really shine in pre spawn conditions.I throw the 3/8 ounce early in the year then switch to 1/2 ounce later in the summer.

[kadas]

I will throw a lipless and I am kinda partial to Bill lewis Rattle Traps just about any time of the year--they are great search baits on points-mouths of rivers and creeks and also in front of or down the side of a long dock. Love them Rattle Traps!!

[WRB]

I like to use lipless during the threadfin Shad spawn and fall migration periods.

You can cover a lot of water at varuios depths, plus it makes a good verticle fall lure to simulate a injured dieing Shad that can also be jiggled off the bottom.

Tom

[the reel ess]

I have one place where there are gold shiners. I use a gold metallic one year round there and the big gals like them. It's a weedy place. In the winter and prespawn, we reel them as slowly as possible without constantly reeling up weeds, and we still get weeds most casts.

[Catt]

While they are productive around grass I believe they really shine around wood!

 

Ricocheted off stumps is the ultimate reaction strike!

[Raul]

8 hours ago, reerok said:

There have been a few great threads discussing brands of lipless cranks as well as rod/reel setups.  But now I'd like to discuss how and when you fish them.  

 

I assume the #1 answer will be around grass and weeds.  Are there any situations you can name where you fish them without grass or weeds present?  Tell me about what type of situations make you think of fishing the lipless cranks and how you fish them.  

 

Thanks,

 

reerok

 

YEAR ROUND ! ..... ooops ! Sorry you yank fellers, forgot you ain't got water in liquid form for like 6 months.

[RoLo]

3 minutes ago, Raul said:

 

YEAR ROUND ! ..... ooops ! Sorry you yank fellers, forgot you ain't got water in liquid form for like 6 months.

 

 

No problem, I'm a Florida Yankee.

Though it wasn't easy, I finally adapted to 12 months of water 

 

Roger

[Raul]

17 minutes ago, RoLo said:

 

 

No problem, I'm a Florida Yankee.

Though it wasn't easy, I finally adapted to 12 months of water 

 

Roger

 

Must have been hard .... hey, it's December, look, liquid water !

 

[RoLo]

18 minutes ago, Raul said:

 

Must have been hard .... hey, it's December, look, liquid water !

 

 

 

Don't Laugh.

The hardest part was finally admitting that I could no longer walk on water  

 

 

[wdp]

I use lipless cranks from early spring thru late, late fall - even early winter if it's warm enough. Caught some on a 1/4 oz redeye the day after Christmas last year with some 60 degree weather. 

 

I mostly fish the 1/4 oz shallow around grass, but will fish them deeper occasionally using a 1/2 oz. In warmer water the best retrieve is to burn it with occasional 1-2 sec pauses. When the water is colder, I'll let it sink to the bottom and pop it up  & then pause, reel slack, sink to bottom & repeat. Sometimes this works better in warmer water too. Never know what mood they're in so you gotta play around with the retrieve. 

 

I prefer the redeye shad but use rattle traps and a few other brands at times. 

[Bluebasser86]

14 hours ago, reerok said:

Thanks guys.

 

Does anyone fish these shallow?  If so, I'd like to hear how you found success with them.

Most of my lipless bait fishing is less than 5' of water, as shallow as 1'. I fish them mostly during the fall, winter, and spring around rocks and across flats and points. I like to yo-yo a Red Eye Shad, or burn a Booyah One Knocker. Banging them through rip-rap is a good way to get bit too.