Suspending Lipless Crankbait

[PTasker15]

I'm wanting to try some 6th Sense Suspending Lipless Cranks, but can't find out how exactly they work. Anyone use these? Do they reach a certain depth before suspending? How would one use them?

[WRB]

Most lipless sink, suspending means it suspends when you stop retrieving the lure.

Tom

[PTasker15]

7 minutes ago, WRB said:

Most lipless sink, suspending means it suspends when you stop retrieving the lure.

Tom

A jerk bait suspends, but is able to get deeper due to its bill. How does a suspending, lipless lure get down in the water column? One would think after sinking a certain depth, it would suspend, right?

[ElGuapo928]

I used to fish the old Cordell “Suspending Spot”, they would sink slowly and then suspend at around 4’-5’. Things would get hammered on the pause.

 

The 6th Sense look pretty good, I might add a couple to the arsenal.

 

 

[PTasker15]

5 minutes ago, ElGuapo928 said:

I used to fish the old Cordell “Suspending Spot”, they would sink slowly and then suspend at around 4’-5’. Things would get hammered on the pause.

 

The 6th Sense look pretty good, I might add a couple to the arsenal.

 

 

What colors worked good? Currently a crawfish pattern and dark bluegill pattern are on sale, wanting to use them this winter/spring. Thinking bluegill would be a little more versatile.

[ElGuapo928]

Most of what I owned in the Suspending Spot were chrome/black or chrome/blue.

 

I use a lot of lipless in bluegill color with good success.

[GetFishorDieTryin]

I use suspending traps heavy from late fall to early march.  The 6th sense isnt bad, I catch fish on it, but I like the Ima's far more.  The hooks on the 6th are good, but IMO theyre so big they look out of place.  What the 6th does that the Ima really doesnt is shimmy slightly on the fall.  The sink rate between the 2 is similar.  The painted baits will fall slightly faster than the ghost patterns.  

In reality, rarely do I give the bait enough time to get to the depth where it completely suspends.  At that point I think a JB is more efficient. 

Ive found the suspending traps to be the best litmus bait I've ever thrown.  Since it can be fished slow or fast, horizontal or vertical, bottom or top, they can give you a good idea of what the fish want or don't want. 

Theyre wide baits and light for the surface area and dont cast nearly as well as a traditional trap.  You want to use the right rod so the bait doesn't helicopter on the cast, that will help distance a whole lot.  I like a M power F graphite rod, but to each their own 

[Pat Brown]

Don't bother.  They're totally useless.  Giant fish don't absolutely smash them.....👀 (got this 8 lb 12 oz bass in March with the red suspending quake)

 

[Catt]

6 hours ago, PTasker15 said:

How does a suspending, lipless lure get down in the water column?

 

Despite what many people believe some lipless crankbait do dive. They run nose down & have a flat top from the nose to the line tie. This acts like a lip pulling the lure down. 

[casts_by_fly]

A floating rattle trap will dive a couple

feet and slowly float back up. The position of the line tie vs the nose determines how deep and how fast. 

[papajoe222]

So do you count it down, or watch the line until it stops sinking, or is it like a suspending crank that will suspend at any depth up to its max when you stop reeling?

[Pat Brown]

@papajoe222

 

Line choice matters a lot here.

 

Fluorocarbon line makes it suspend or sink depending on brand and line diameter.  Monofilament will make it suspend or float very slowly depending on brand and line diameter.  This is half of the fun with suspending baits OF COURSE!  Water temperature adds to the fun!  The main thing is fish HAVE NOT seen this yet and most don't know what to do with themselves when they see a lipless just suspending in the water column for the first time.😉🎣

[PTasker15]

1 hour ago, Pat Brown said:

@papajoe222

 

Line choice matters a lot here.

 

Fluorocarbon line makes it suspend or sink depending on brand and line diameter.  Monofilament will make it suspend or float very slowly depending on brand and line diameter.  This is half of the fun with suspending baits OF COURSE!  Water temperature adds to the fun!  The main thing is fish HAVE NOT seen this yet and most don't know what to do with themselves when they see a lipless just suspending in the water column for the first time.😉🎣

Yeah I'll have to get one soon. I'm thinking about using my normal gear? Medium Heavy/Moderate, 12lb Fluoro? 

[PhishLI]

On 11/4/2023 at 7:53 PM, papajoe222 said:

So do you count it down, or watch the line until it stops sinking, or is it like a suspending crank that will suspend at any depth up to its max when you stop reeling?

In have these: Ima Suspending Vibration Lipless Crankbait | Tackle Warehouse

 

They don't actually suspend, but rather slow-sink, and how quickly depends on water temperature and line diameter. Locally I'm fishing shore to shore weed fields, so these work where they're somewhat below the surface. Otherwise, I can't use standard lipless cranks at all as they'll dive like a rock right into the veg. I treat it like a slow sinking jerk bait but with a different profile.

[thediscochef]

A buddy of mine runs the suspending 80 a lot, he says it dives 3-5' while retrieving but suspends as soon as you stop it. They don't float, you will get some initial depth when it lands in the water 

[Catt]

[Hook2Jaw]

@Catt, that might be the flattest flat-sided crankbait of all time.

 

back on subject, now I want the try the Quake 80 Suspending.

[Catt]

@Hook2Jaw It's actually a Bill Lewis Rat-L-Trap. Can't tell you how old it is.

[casts_by_fly]

3 hours ago, Catt said:

@Hook2Jaw It's actually a Bill Lewis Rat-L-Trap. Can't tell you how old it is.

that looks early 90’s era. I have one or two downstairs. I have the lipless versions too. Also a couple glow in the dark from the same era. 

[Catt]

6 hours ago, casts_by_fly said:

that looks early 90’s era

 

LOL 😆 

 

Ya better drop back 10 or 15 yrs

 

6 hours ago, casts_by_fly said:

I have the lipless versions too.

 

Imagine a lipless Rat-L-Trap

[Cgolf]

I agree with others about the depth the 6th sense bait runs, the only issue I have had with it, is that it is a bit difficult to start once in a while. I generally cast it and start retrieving right away and once in a while it does a goofy thing on the surface. It is really a nice option to have to give them a different look than a standard jerkbait.

[casts_by_fly]

4 hours ago, Catt said:

 

LOL 😆 

 

Ya better drop back 10 or 15 yrs

 

 

Imagine a lipless Rat-L-Trap

 

You really think 80's?  I remember seeing them new in pack in my grandma's shop in the early 90's.  Maybe they were out earlier and I don't recall them.  I'm was young then.  

 

And I meant I have the lipless version of the floaters, aka the standard floater.  same as the lipped one you pictured, just minus the bill.  I just checked the box and have at least 5 of them, maybe a few more tucked away.  

[Catt]

22 minutes ago, casts_by_fly said:

You really think 80's?

 

If I had to guess, mid 80s. I do remember buying them from Toledo Town Tackle which open in 1981.

 

I bought Traps from Bill himself right out of his old Ford station wagon.

28 minutes ago, casts_by_fly said:

And I meant I have the lipless version of the floaters, aka the standard floater. 

 

I knew what you meant 😉

[Team9nine]

On 11/5/2023 at 12:51 PM, Catt said:

 

23 hours ago, Catt said:

It's actually a Bill Lewis Rat-L-Trap. Can't tell you how old it is.

 

 

The Divin' Rat-L-Trap was released in 1991 in both a floating and sinking version.

 

[Catt]

@Team9nine Know we should have asked you!