Let's Talk Lipless Crankbaits

[papajoe222]

I was a fan of both the Trap and Spot until StrikeKing came out with the Diamond Shad.  If they weren't chrome or gold, I didn't buy them.  I lost my last DS two days into a week long trip and the LSG only had painted ones.  I've been experimenting with different color schemes since, but always start out with something chrome or gold.  The introduction of the RedEye Shad got me into fishing them all season long. Other than topwater, nothing gets clobbered like a lipless.

[Cdn Angler]

I don't use them to hop or dead stick. In the Spring they are one of the best options here for pike when bass are out of season, but you'll still catch quality bass on them. Once bass are open you might have a week or so when they are still on fire. 

 

In the summer I fish them over grass and the Cotton Cordell Spot is still the best producer. I like the River2Sea Ruckus as heavier and can be cast further and fished a bit deeper. 

[Cranks4fun]

1 hour ago, fin said:

 

What is the brand name of that one, second column from right, third from bottom/top? I never can remember that. I had it confused with River2Sea for a long time, so now that's stuck in my brain. Anyway, I've got that same model, but in black where that one is blue. The hologram inside is nice, it looks great swimming, and I must have thrown it a million times, but I can't catch a fish with it, even when throwing it in a school of feeding bass.

It is called a "Gary Yamamoto Midasu". I've only fished it once or twice and I don't think I've ever caught one with it either. It does look cool though, for whatever that's worth! Haha! 

[Bankbeater]

The first lipless crank I ever used was a Heddon Sonic back in the 70's. Now I fish with Cordell Spots, Rat-L-Trap, and RES the most.  Different colors work at different times, and I have around 20 Rat-L-Traps, and Spots in colors that are no longer available.

[NYWayfarer]

If I am not throwing a Rat L Trap then it’s a Warpig, Red Eye Shad or a Cordell Spot.

[Dan N]

working on my collection, waiting for the ice to melt. Just orderd a few Storm Arashi vibe to check out

[MN Fisher]

4 minutes ago, Dan N said:

Just orderd a few Storm Arashi vibe to check out

I've got one - the Green Gill color.

 

Does alright - different action than my Ratlin Raps...sometimes changing things up is good.

[Pogues2300]

I’ve had success with 6th sense quake thud on yo-yo retrieve. Very nice hooks and color options.

[WRB]

I remember a family ski and fish trip to Black Meadows on lake Havasu in 1958 when the hot Crappie lure was the Heddon Sonic. The landing tackle shop was selling them as fast as they arrived so we bought a few mostly do to the frenzy of buying. Havasu had big crappie averaging 2 lbs back then and the Sonic sank straight down fast then you reeled back up through the crappie schools, killer lure.

We caught a lot of bass when trolling the Sonic locating the crappie. The Sonic cast like bullet and became more popular as Threadfin shad were introduced into local California reservoirs during the 60’s.

Always preferred Traps over Spots. Yo-Zuri 3D Prism Vibe was my favorite lipless the last few years because bass hit it on the fall and retrieve in our deep rocky structure lakes. 

Tom

 

 

[Madmurph]

I've always thrown a Rattlin' Rap more than any of the other brands.  I've purchased several Red Eyed Shads over the off season and am looking forward to trying them this spring.  

[Bluebasser86]

The RES 2 tap is by far my favorite. A different sound with that good shimmy on the fall really gets bit for me. The 6th Sense Quake and Thud are solid baits. Booyah Knockers are really nice. 

 

I've got a couple new ones from Spro I'm really excited to use. They just launched a silent version of the Aruku shad. Hard to find the silent lipless baits so I'm excited about trying that for my heavily pressured late season power plant fish.

https://www.tacklewarehouse.com/SPRO_Aruku_Shad_Silent_Lipless_Crankbait/descpage-ASSLC.html

 

Then the Wameku shad that has 2 different positioned line ties to make it run at 2 different depths with different vibration intensities, seems like a cool bait.

https://www.tacklewarehouse.com/SPRO_Wameku_Shad_Lipless_Crankbait/descpage-SWS70.html

[Aaron_H]

23 hours ago, Bluebasser86 said:

The RES 2 tap is by far my favorite. A different sound with that good shimmy on the fall really gets bit for me. The 6th Sense Quake and Thud are solid baits. Booyah Knockers are really nice. 

 

I've got a couple new ones from Spro I'm really excited to use. They just launched a silent version of the Aruku shad. Hard to find the silent lipless baits so I'm excited about trying that for my heavily pressured late season power plant fish.

https://www.tacklewarehouse.com/SPRO_Aruku_Shad_Silent_Lipless_Crankbait/descpage-ASSLC.html

 

Then the Wameku shad that has 2 different positioned line ties to make it run at 2 different depths with different vibration intensities, seems like a cool bait.

https://www.tacklewarehouse.com/SPRO_Wameku_Shad_Lipless_Crankbait/descpage-SWS70.html

 

RES 2-Tap is next on my list to try, little bit different sound from the Booyah. One of the things I like about the Booyah is that it comes with quality hardware for being so cheap, only thing I do to it is swap the line tie for an oval split ring.

 

Nice to see Spro come out with a silent lipless, I might have to try that one. I've had good success with the silent version of the Thunderhawk lipless.

[Jaderose]

I got a bunch of lipless in all makes and flavors but the winners for me are Traps in Chrome/Blue, Chrome/Black, Red Chrome, and Cordell in Royal Shad.  9.9 times out of 10, one of those is tied on.

[fin]

6 hours ago, Bluebasser86 said:

Hard to find the silent lipless baits

 

A drill and a little hot melt glue will fix that. Drill a 1/8" hole in the belly and then stick a paper clip in the hole and prod around to make sure you're in the right spot and then bore the hole out until the bearings drop out. Patch it back up with the hot melt. Some brands have the bearings in more than one compartment, and sometimes you can't get to all of them. With all the lures you find, I imagine you've got plenty to experiment with.

[cyclops2]

When I first started using them . The fish were all biting.  Then in a week the bites spaced out. In a month back to mu modified lures.   The fish DO LEARN.

[Bluebasser86]

34 minutes ago, fin said:

 

A drill and a little hot melt glue will fix that. Drill a 1/8" hole in the belly and then stick a paper clip in the hole and prod around to make sure you're in the right spot and then bore the hole out until the bearings drop out. Patch it back up with the hot melt. Some brands have the bearings in more than one compartment, and sometimes you can't get to all of them. With all the lures you find, I imagine you've got plenty to experiment with.

I've done it but it's nice to be able to buy a bait off the shelf and not have to mess with altering it to get it like I want. 

[steve-pierce]

23 hours ago, Bluebasser86 said:

The RES 2 tap is by far my favorite. A different sound with that good shimmy on the fall really gets bit for me. The 6th Sense Quake and Thud are solid baits. Booyah Knockers are really nice. 

 

I've got a couple new ones from Spro I'm really excited to use. They just launched a silent version of the Aruku shad. Hard to find the silent lipless baits so I'm excited about trying that for my heavily pressured late season power plant fish.

https://www.tacklewarehouse.com/SPRO_Aruku_Shad_Silent_Lipless_Crankbait/descpage-ASSLC.html

 

Then the Wameku shad that has 2 different positioned line ties to make it run at 2 different depths with different vibration intensities, seems like a cool bait.

https://www.tacklewarehouse.com/SPRO_Wameku_Shad_Lipless_Crankbait/descpage-SWS70.html

There are alot of Lucky Craft LV-300 silent on eBay. 2 for $14.95 but looks like they are all 3/4 ounce though. There are a few of the silent Spro in stock on ebay