Lipless baits midwest

[GoneFishingLTN]

So the lake has no grass/rocks and really not much structure besides some random stumps, do you think a lipless in the winter and spring would still be a good choice?

[Ktho]

One way to find out. The best lipless bites I've ever had have been burning them over a coverless creek channel in 3-5ft. You don't need grass or rocks for them to work.

[Team9nine]

Wouldn’t be my first choice, but you can make it work by fishing them more like a jig or blade bait on points and steep banks or in deeper water (lift and drop), or use them traditionally on shallow flats or in the backs of creeks in water 5 ft and less.

[Bankbeater]

I'd be running that lipless right past some of those stumps at different angles. This time of year I like a slower retrieve.  Just fast enough so you can feel the bait on the end of the line.

[GetFishorDieTryin]

Ive done really well with traps in the winter around stumps.  If thats the predominate cover then the bite is likley there in the spring as well.  I go a swim jig and squarebill 1,2 once the fish really push in.

[Dan N]

Yes

[ironbjorn]

I regularly burn lipless crankbaits in open water and catch fish. You don't need grass or any type of cover.

[thunderblack]

Id certainly be trying it. Lipless baits work great here in Michigan in cold water. I will fish them anywhere that doesn't have thick weeds. Love those slack line hits when the bait is falling!

[PaulVE64]

The tight wabble, it's like a belly dancer to an old goat herder.

[Bankc]

Nope.  That describes a lot of lakes I fish, and lipless cranks rarely do me any good.  I find that blade baits tend to do better if you're going to yo-yo a lipless.  Or balsa crankbaits do better if you're planning on a slow retrieve.  

 

But who knows?  Not me, that's for sure.  Obviously lots of other people have had different experiences with them.  So give it a go and see what happens!

[Bluebasser86]

That's a lot of what I fish and I have a lipless tied on almost 100% of the time in the colder water months.