The best combo for lipless crankbaits

[Glenn]

We get a lot of questions about what rod, reel, and line to use for Rat-L-Traps, One Knockers, and other lipless crankbaits. So here's a quick video to help answer that question.

 

 

[Teal]

Good video. 

 

 

Personally.  I like a MH for rattle traps. But I deal with alot of vegetation.  But if I'm throwing little ones, I'll go with a M.   

 

 

[Yakalong]

Agreed, good video 

[Delaware Valley Tackle]

There’s a good article in the BassResource.com library about a guide that fishes 3/4 oz rattle traps almost exclusively. That’s a good read to go with this. 

[Bankbeater]

Thanks Glenn, good video.

[Fishes in trees]

Gotta say, I use a different set up.   I like my Falcon Bucco Trap caster for lipless cranks - A LOT & I throw lipless cranks nearly every trip I do, early spring through fall.  The Trap Caster is more of a MH than a Medium action and while it definitely has some tip to it, it isn't a parabolic action by any means.   I use a heavier mono because, why not?   The grass flats that I fish are seldom deeper than 5 feet, I don't think that the bow in the line makes that much of a difference at that depth.   But I do catch an occasional edge of a bush  or smack into something and with 17 or 20 mono, I can give it a good jerk and much more often than not it comes loose.   I probably wouldn't try that with 12 lb test. Not even 12 lb Tatsu.  That Bucco Trap Caster ( wandered across it at a Walmart that I don't frequent very often, touched it & had to have it ) is the only rod in the last 10 years that I've paid full asking price for without trying to dicker about price.

 

The fishing tackle stores that I frequent, I never pay first asking price for a rod - just on general principles.  I'm not a.....forgot how to use English about it, but if they don't want to deal that probably means that god doesn't want me to have that rod that day and it makes me feel better and I'm pretty certain that at the end of the day the tackle shops that I frequent make an acceptable profit off me  year to year, or they wouldn't keep doing it.

 

Reel wise - I'm kind of undecided - I used a Calcutta TEGT for the last several years,  but last year I used an older Calais that I had put on the bench for several years, but I had it cleaned & tuned and it casts just as good as the TEGT.   Don't really save much weight using the Calais, but I think it looks cooler.

I generally throw half ounce lipless cranks and I think that I get good to very good distance with this set up.   I wonder if the parabolic action is over-rated.

 

So as an option to the Okuma set up in your video - I'd recommend the Falcon Trap Caster/Shimano Calais & 17 or 20 lb mono.

I've got to say, in fairness,  that Okuma rods & reels aren't very common in the tackle shops I frequent AND I haven't drank the Tatsu Kool-Aid yet, so I don't really know much about the rig you're using.  You must like it or else you wouldn't make a a video featuring it.    You could fix this by sending me your Okuma rig (I'm semi-certain that you've got several and wouldn't miss one very much) and I'll fish with it next season and then let you know what I think about it.  (And I'll probably send it back to you, after the test season,  because, right now, I ain't seeing how that Okuma rod could be any better than the Falcon Bucco Trap Caster )

 

[DitchPanda]

I too am a Falcon trap caster guy...best rod I've ever used for lipless. I picked up 2 of them years ago at wal mart for $27 each...best $54 I've ever spent. For reels I'm not particular any low pro reel in the 6 or 7 gear range is good. Line wise I've been using 15lb copolymer but I'm gonna use 15lb mean green big game this year.

As far as the okuma thing goes I've heard alot of good things about them but have never seen any locally so I haven't handled them.

[Deleted account]

I run 2 different rods for lipless cranks, one for grass and one for everything else. The grass one is a faster, crisper rod, the other is a more moderate softer one. I fish them mostly with heavy mono, but occasionally braid. Fishing too soft a rod with lipless (or squarebills) in grass gets frustrating in a hurry. YMMVBIW...