Silent lipless cranks

[Aaron_H]

Seems like all the silent lipless cranks are discontinued these days. Only one I can find online is the Damiki Tremor, which I'll have to try out once TW has them back in stock. I tried emailing Yo-Zuri about bringing back the LiveBait Shallow Vibe (I've got a 60 in gold/black, I love it), but they never got back to me. Is anyone besides Damiki still producing this type of lure or have they just been supplanted by blade baits?

 

I'm this close to just drilling out some of my favorite traps and gluing the bearings in place....

[scaleface]

I dont get it either . I much prefer quiet baits than rattling ones . I think rattling baits will break up a school of bass that are weary of lures . A silent Red Eye Shad will catch one after another . Toss a noisy bait down there and they disappear . Same with diving baits . When I first got my Berkely Dredgers , I was mopping up with them . Now I'm hesitant to tie one on because I catch a bass on first cast  then its "Adios Amigos" .

[BASS302]

@Aaron_H

I haven't tried either of these, but may be these would work?

 

 

or

[Aaron_H]

You know I have seen that one as well, but passed on it given Savage Gears prior reputation. With the new direction and quality baits they've put out lately I'll have to give that one a go. Thanks for reminding me!

[GetFishorDieTryin]

You can drill a small hole and fill it with expanding foam.  Just make sure the BBs are where you want them to be before you put the foam in.

[Bluebasser86]

5 hours ago, BASS302 said:

@Aaron_H

I haven't tried either of these, but may be these would work?

 

 

or

These things get bit. They are pretty small and heavy for their size though. 

[Aaron_H]

5 minutes ago, Bluebasser86 said:

These things get bit. They are pretty small and heavy for their size though. 

 

That was the other reason I passed on them before, didn't come in the weight I prefer for a lipless. I do like the dense/smaller profile, though. The Yo-Zuri Shallow Vibe I have is like that. A little over 1/2oz but only about 2.3" long, smaller than any of my other 1/2oz traps. The only ones I can find on ebay are the larger size, however. Fingers crossed Yo-Zuri finally emails me back ?

 

I appreciate the responses, but I'm still surprised so few are available compared to a few years ago.

[Munkin]

Daiwa has some check Ebay. 

 

Allen 

[A-Jay]

Lookup the Duo Realis Apex Vibe F100 and the F85.

The 100 is silent and the 85 has a subdued one knock.

A-Jay

[Aaron_H]

Thanks for the tips, those Duos look great. I know the old Shallow Vibes that I like were also packaged under the Duo name, but wasn't aware of this model.

[Munkin]

5 hours ago, A-Jay said:

Lookup the Duo Realis Apex Vibe F100 and the F85.

The 100 is silent and the 85 has a subdued one knock.

A-Jay

I need to find my blue handle split ring pliers.  Bought 3 pairs and can't find any of them. 

 

Allen 

[WRB]

Whopper Stopper Bayou Boogie

Heddon Sonic

Smithwhick Water Gator 

All are silent lipless no longer in production but can be found on eBay.

Ajay’s recommendation is your best choice.

Tom

 

[scaleface]

7 hours ago, WRB said:

Whopper Stopper Bayou Boogie

I have caught a lot of bass on Bayou Boogies and Pico Perches .

[papajoe222]

I gave up trying to find some and just started throwing blade baits. Same tight wiggle without the added sound. The only thing I don't do with them is use them in wood cover. For some reason, unlike a lipless, that back treble wants to catch the wood.

[the reel ess]

3 minutes ago, papajoe222 said:

I gave up trying to find some and just started throwing blade baits. Same tight wiggle without the added sound. The only thing I don't do with them is use them in wood cover. For some reason, unlike a lipless, that back treble wants to catch the wood.

What's your favorite blade bait? I need to get one of these for winter bass in our lake. Last winter I had some success fishing a Spot so slowly you couldn't feel the bait pulsate. I was basically dragging it. 

[papajoe222]

12 minutes ago, the reel ess said:

What's your favorite blade bait?

I actually get mine off that auction site and add my own rings and hooks.  I tend to loose them more often than other baits, so I go cheap.

[Raul]

If you ever go for "retro" lipless cranks out from e-bay and decide on Heddons Sonics just be sure you get Sonics and NOT SUPER Sonics, Sonics are silent and Super Sonics have rattles. Also, those baits need a little doctoring, the original hooks are trash so you have to change them, I doctored mine by unscrewing the hook hanger, adding a drop of epoxy glue and screwing them into the bait again, then I added a split ring and new hooks, oooohhh la la ! 

[Smells like fish]

So what’s up with the silent Red Eyed Shad? Are they gone?

[scaleface]

39 minutes ago, Smells like fish said:

So what’s up with the silent Red Eyed Shad? Are they gone?

I hope not . I have a few and they are my best producers .I have one that has a loose weight inside and it rattles very quietly . Its my favorite .

[PotatoLake]

12 hours ago, the reel ess said:

What's your favorite blade bait? I need to get one of these for winter bass in our lake. Last winter I had some success fishing a Spot so slowly you couldn't feel the bait pulsate. I was basically dragging it. 

I like Damiki Vaults.

[Aaron_H]

On 8/19/2021 at 8:27 AM, papajoe222 said:

I gave up trying to find some and just started throwing blade baits. Same tight wiggle without the added sound. The only thing I don't do with them is use them in wood cover. For some reason, unlike a lipless, that back treble wants to catch the wood.

 

This was my thinking in my original post, that blade baits sort of took over the niche that the silent lipless occupied. I'll have to give some a go and see if they can produce the same for me. Definitely heard great things about the Damiki Vault.

 

On 8/19/2021 at 7:56 PM, Smells like fish said:

So what’s up with the silent Red Eyed Shad? Are they gone?

 

To the best of my knowledge, they've been gone for a couple of years.

 

Another one I forgot to mention in the OP is the River2Sea Diver Vibe, but it's also on the heavier side of what I like for my fisheries. Still worth a shot.

[contium]

Silent Red Eye Shad was one of my sneaky go to baits. A serious producer for me. Was devastated when Strike King dropped it.

[Aaron_H]

TW just recently listed a new silent lipless, the Thunderhawk Sergeant. Never heard of the company, but the lure looks good. Rotating hook hangers, too, which is a nice addition.

 

Seems worth checking out, definitely adding a couple to my next TW order.

[LrgmouthShad]

3 hours ago, Aaron_H said:

Seems worth checking out, definitely adding a couple to my next TW order.

Yeah for real. Let us know how they do?

[QED]

Cotton Cordell used to make silent lipless crank baits in their smoky joe color scheme. Still work great for me.