Lucky Craft LV-500

[Huckfinn38]

What is so special about this lipless crankbait?

[JohnFromLisbon]

Well built, solid action, good hardware, and a wide range of colors. I have a few and they're my go to 3/4oz lipless baits.

 

This year I want to get a couple of 150s, they're basically a downsized, 1/2oz version of the 500.

[Huckfinn38]

Yeah Im looking at both sizes now just the prices are a kick in the shorts.

[Team9nine]

2 hours ago, Huckfinn38 said:

What is so special about this lipless crankbait?

Nothing 🤣

 

Possibly the only bait I’ve never caught a bass on. I even caught a bass on a Whopper Plopper - once 😉

[KP Duty]

3 hours ago, Huckfinn38 said:

Yeah Im looking at both sizes now just the prices are a kick in the shorts.

I get mine from Simmons-  they auction a lot of LC baits on ebay and will combine shipping.

 

Edit- Your post just cost me $20.  Checked the 'bay and couldn't pass up the MS zebra ghost minnow lv500's.

 

[king fisher]

The big selling point is it is heavy for it's size.  It is supposed to be excellent for hopping off of the bottom in deep water.

 

The Tactical Bass Monkey has had one in my cart at Tackle Warehouse more than once, but then I realize I already own way more Bill Lewis Rattle traps than any sane person should have.  They might not be ideal for bouncing off the bottom, but I have ,many other baits, that I can use to fish the bottom with.  When check out time came, I have always removed the LV.

[OkobojiEagle]

3 hours ago, king fisher said:

 it is heavy for it's size.  excellent for hopping off of the bottom in deep water.

 

 

this

[DogBone_384]

I use them like a blade bait in the kettle ponds on Cape Cod/Plymouth in the Summer.  They work well in deep water, especially dragging them down drop offs.  

 

I agree with other's opinions, they're built well and cast a mile.

[Pat Brown]

I love my lucky craft jerk baits.  I'm always so tempted to buy the lipless baits but I basically always lose my lipless cranks and 16$ is a lot of cash when a 5$ bill lewis trap will catch the same fish.

[OkobojiEagle]

21 minutes ago, Pat Brown said:

 a 5$ bill lewis trap will catch the same fish.

If only I was that certain... I clip off the leading hook on the front treble and seem to have fewer snags.

 

oe

[softwateronly]

On 10/4/2024 at 11:17 AM, Team9nine said:

Nothing 🤣

 

Possibly the only bait I’ve never caught a bass on. I even caught a bass on a Whopper Plopper - once 😉

 

I was with you till last november.  Hopping blade baits was the bite I was on, and mixing in a loud and larger lv500 on the good days seemed to get the biggest fish.  Other than that, I haven't found it to be all that worth the price premium.

 

scott 

[KP Duty]

On 10/5/2024 at 9:33 AM, OkobojiEagle said:

I clip off the leading hook on the front treble and seem to have fewer snags.

 

oe

Dude...this is a great idea! 

[OkobojiEagle]

9 hours ago, KP Duty said:

Dude...this is a great idea! 

not original...

[txchaser]

Rate of fall is pretty high, they seem to catch nice fish for me. But I don't use them with a steady retrieve, more reel/stop or yoyo.

[FishTank]

One of the best lipless baits out there, if not the best. 

 

So what makes it great.

 

First the sound,  it's just different from everything else, glass and brass beads.

 

Next, the head design,  it goes through the water with a tighter wobble.  Lucky Craft's other lipless have a different head, similar to a Rattle Trap. 

 

Finally,  colors.  Ghost Minnow and American Shad are my favorites. 

 

With all that said,  my favorite lipless is still the original XCaliber One Knocker. I wish they still made it. Caught a ton of fish them. Tried the remake. Its just not the same.

[Munkin]

The guys at Tactical Bassin did a video on these and from what I remember they are good for vertical jigging like a Silver Buddy. Since I vertical jig about once every 5 years I can't say whether they work or not.

 

Allen

[zell_pop1]

On 10/10/2024 at 12:54 PM, FishTank said:

One of the best lipless baits out there, if not the best. 

 

So what makes it great.

 

First the sound,  it's just different from everything else, glass and brass beads.

 

Next, the head design,  it goes through the water with a tighter wobble.  Lucky Craft's other lipless have a different head, similar to a Rattle Trap. 

 

Finally,  colors.  Ghost Minnow and American Shad are my favorites. 

 

With all that said,  my favorite lipless is still the original XCaliber One Knocker. I wish they still made it. Caught a ton of fish them. Tried the remake. Its just not the same.

X2 on Xcalibur One Knock, the Booyah replacement doesn't seem the same, I did catch a nice bass on Eagle Creek Reservoir with the Yo Zuri one recently so that might be the new go to.

[Mbirdsley]

the Lv-500 was designed to be hopped/ripped off of the bottom like a jig. They work very well for that designed purpose.  I have caught a bass, walleye and pike working them like that in michigan. 

 

They work fine on a straight retrieve but, being worked like a jig is what they were designed to do. 

 

the LV-500 also has a deeper rattle sound.  it is not as high pitched as the orginal rat-l trap,  booyah, or strike king ( not one knocker ), and cotton cordell version. I would rather use the ones mentioned above in a straight retrieve as a opposed to the lv-500 

 

 

 

 

[Peacedivision]

16 minutes ago, Mbirdsley said:

the LV-500 also has a deeper rattle sound

There are 2 versions of the 500, the standard max which is decently high pitched, and a DRS version with a deep rattle.

[Bluebasser86]

I've thought about trying them many times, but the fact that they're designed more for deep water and I rarely use a lipless bait in water deeper than 5' has always kept me from it. 

[Mbirdsley]

3 hours ago, Bluebasser86 said:

I've thought about trying them many times, but the fact that they're designed more for deep water and I rarely use a lipless bait in water deeper than 5' has always kept me from it. 

yeah, i generally use them in 8-25 ft in the spring as the fish are coming up. 

3 hours ago, Peacedivision said:

There are 2 versions of the 500, the standard max which is decently high pitched, and a DRS version with a deep rattle.

that is what’s nice and annoying about LC.  they have a ton of variations for 1 style of bait. mine are not the skeet reese lv-500’s .  I actually didn’t know that about the different sounds.  I knew there was a skeet reese version but, didn’t know what made it different. 

[KP Duty]

4 minutes ago, Mbirdsley said:

yeah, i generally use them in 8-25 ft in the spring as the fish are coming up. 

that is what’s nice and annoying about LC.  they have a ton of variations for 1 style of bait. mine are not the skeet reese lv-500’s .  I actually didn’t know that about the different sounds.  I knew there was a skeet reese version but, didn’t know what made it different. 

 

'Skeets Magic' is referring to the color.  That is the standard version that has been around almost 20yrs.

[Bluebasser86]

1 hour ago, Mbirdsley said:

yeah, i generally use them in 8-25 ft in the spring as the fish are coming up. 

A lot of the lakes I fish don’t have a spot in them 25’ deep 😂

[OkobojiEagle]

Don't sleep on the LV RTO series...