Lipless crankbaits for early spring pond bass

[BigTimeBassin]

The first fish I caught the last two years was in a small pond on a red lipless crank. I’m in western NY and were talking just after ice out, mid April. No idea what the water temp is, but definitely sub 40. Yoyo retrieve has been most effective for me. 

[jimanchower]

I've been having good luck recently with the lipless. Funnily enough, they like the cheap stuff. They ignore the LV500 but have been liking the Rat-L-Trap and Super Spot. I've also had pretty good luck with the Spro Aruku Shad 65 and the Strike King red eye two tap. I've been fishing them in windy conditions, targeting points and flats, as well as ripping it through grass. My best luck has been with a medium speed retrieve with a little variation thrown in, but I've also caught them with long pauses between reel turns. I've caught a couple on red lures, but shad patterns have been the main producer.

 

Love catching fish on moving baits this time of year!

[papajoe222]

On 2/23/2021 at 5:15 PM, TriStateBassin106 said:

If there isn't any visible cover (rocks weeds etc) what part of the lake should I target? 

In early spring, I target areas with quick access to deep water. Not necessarily bluffs, but a bank that drops quickly to deep water, or a point that does so.

[ABrugs]

The first 8 largemouth bass I caught last year between 4/19 - 5/8 up here in Michigan were all on lipless crankbaits, w/ the majority being a red/chartreuse color pattern. The lake I caught the majority of these on has really clear water and I was just using a slow and steady retrieve.

 

^ In all of the research I did on lipless crankbaits going into last year, the resounding theme was to throw red and I think that’s spot on.

[Bluebasser86]

8 hours ago, TriStateBassin106 said:

The second retrieve you mentioned, that's basically just slow reeling with the rod tip down right? So the lipless bangs off stuff?

No. Let it sink to the bottom and rip it off the bottom, then let it sink back to the bottom and repeat. Sometimes you'll feel a "tick", as it's sinking. Other times they'll just be there when you go to lift the bait off the bottom. Generally, the colder it is, the softer and sorter the rips and the longer the pauses in between. They will eat the bait off the bottom as it sits motionless just like a jig in very cold water. I've caught fish that had mouths full of mud or grass from eating the bait off the bottom.

[GetFishorDieTryin]

23 hours ago, TriStateBassin106 said:

Yeah I plan on going sunday, what colors would you recommend for lipless around here? Besides maybe red I was thinking about something with flash like a gold. 

Some fish are starting to get color, but the majority are still pretty bleached out so natural colors like Ayu or Tn Shad.  For colors with flash I favor gold chrome with black back but its just my preference.  For bold colors I like opaque white or sexy shad, a perch color and Ill use a red a little later when the fish start to prespawn but not yet.  Ghost colors would be the last category, I dont use as much ghost colors for traps.  JBs are a different story, a fish has up to 10 seconds to just stare at a JB on the pause this time of year, but a sinking trap is constantly moving.  I think you should take a hard look at Ima's suspending lipless in ghost Ayu and foiled gill (hint, hint)  They they work great in shallow water like ponds because they fall slower, but you can weight them to fall faster if you want to.  The slow sink allows you to fish them like a CB, lipless or JB so there great for finding fish and or figuring out what mood theyre in.  PM if you have anymore ?s