Lipless Crankbait for Bass Fishing – It’s about the Allure

Lipless Crankbait

Lipless Crankbaits are minimal contact lures known for their wobble vibration lure action. Lipless Crankbaits are also known for their rattle noise, flash when chrome/silver color, and a treble hook lures that can be presented in lighter submerged grass cover scenarios which is sometimes referred to as “ripping a crankbait”.

Anatomy: Lipless Crankbait Lures lures are treble hook lures that are flat sided typically with 2 treble hooks and a split ring to tie on that generally swim nose down somewhat protecting the hooks from light cover.

Rattles: Some Lipless Crankbait have rattles also known as knockers which is a metal weight that clacks back and forth to create sound.

Variants & Other Names:

Rattle Baits: Generic name.
Plug: Plug is another name for a crankbait, typically a lipped crankbait, although it has been used to describe other lure types.
Rat-L-Trap: The name of the first lipless crankbait.
Traps: Short form name of Rat-L-Trap
Vibe Cranks: A term, possibly a marketing term, for based on vibration.
Silent Lipless Crankbait: A lipless crankbait without any rattle or other noise making

Lure Action. Generally a tight wobble lure action.

Search Bait: Common as it is typically fished fast and used to cover water.

Pros’ Choice: Less common.

When to Fish a Lipless Crankbait

Lipless Crankbaits are minimal contact lures typically selected when:

Targeted Depth:
- Shallow: Common
- Deep(Offshore): Common, if selecting a horizontal presentation, as the lure that can be fished deep by letting it sink to the bottom with some recommending a slow-roll or yo yo retrieve. Long casts will allow for the lure to stay in the strike zone longer.
Fishing Speed:
- Fast: Commonly considered a lure for fishing fast to cover water.
- Slow: Not commonly considered for fishing slow but slowing it down slightly can be accomplished with a slow-roll or yo yo retrieve.
Lure Visibility:
- High Lure Visibility: Common, as it is a natural looking lure which comes in natural style (look like a baitfish). Some suggest using a lipless crankbait with no rattle when high lure visibility is sometimes called a silent lipless crankbait.
- Low Lure Visibility: Common, and when desired, further enhanced visibility as a chrome lure that may have a flash depending on the sun.
  - Engaging Lateral Line: Vibrating lure.
  - Engaging Hearing: Some available with a rattle.
  - Engaging Sense of Smell and or Taste: Not a consideration.
  - Vibration, Flash and Sound: The lure vibrates and if transparent, chrome or gold there is flash. Most do come with noise generated by a rattle but there are silent versions manufactured.
  - Scent and Taste: N/A
Targeting Cover: Some suggest all lures are good near cover where lipless crankbait lures are used when contacting:
- Grass: Common, but not in very thick grass, more on grass lines or over submerged grass, and clumps.
  - Weedless: Technically, not weedless as it has treble hooks, but due to the nose down lure when retrieved the lure goes through light to medium submerged grass sometimes referred to as “ripped” through grass.
- Rock: Less common, as it would be more common to use lipped crankbait.
- Wood: Not common as it has a treble hook that would get snagged and a squarebill lipped crankbait is designed for such applications.
- Dock: Not common.
- Off Cover: Less common, some suggest for targeting suspended bass as the depth can be controlled or the lure can be yo yo retrieved near suspended bass.

Specific Lipless Crankbait Selection

Selecting the Lipless Crankbait Lure Type, as a treble hook lure type, there are the following key decisions:

Shape: Lipless crankbaits do not come in a wide variety of shapes. The front of the lure can be skinnier or wider which will impact depth during the retrieve similar to a lipped crankbait. On the retrieve they move near a 45 degree angle due to their shape.
Sink Classification: The fall rate is usually dictated by the lure weight where some manufactures will categorize their lipless crankbait as slow sink.
Size: Sizes do not vary much compared to other lure types.
- Common: 2-1/2″ to 3″. There are larger sized but not common.
Lure Weight: As impacts fall rate.
- Light: 1/4 oz, 3/8 oz for shallow
- Common: 1/2 oz
- Heavy: 3/4 oz or 1 oz some consider best when fishing deep.

Lure Color: As lure color selection is mostly tied to the lure visibility download the Acute Lure Color Breakdown™ Infographic.
- Forage: Mimic a bait fish.

Rigging Decisions

As a treble hook lure type, the common rigging considerations includes:

Hook Size: Besides replacing any bent or rusted hooks some, albeit not common, look to upsize or downsize or upgrade the manufactured provided hooks.
- - Small: #6
  - Common: #4, #2, #1
  - Large: #1

Main Line: Common for fluorocarbon due to its stretch and abrasion resistance.
- Light: 12 lb test to 15 lb test
- Common: 15 lb test to 20 lb test
- Heavy: Over 20 lb test
Leader: Not common, unless braid as main line and in high lure visibility situations.
Rod:
- Baitcaster Rod: Common with Power = Medium Heavy (some suggest Heavy in heavier grass and some suggest Medium for longer casts) and Action(Taper) = Moderate Fast (some suggest Fast and some suggest Moderate).
  - Reel: Some consider 5.4:1 to 6.1:1 slower reel to help enable a slow roll retrieve while some like to fish fast shallow with a faster reel of 7.1:1 range.
- Spinning Rod: Not common.

Lipless Crankbait Presentations

Presentations for lipless crankbaits are commonly considered a horizontal presentation and a tight line presentation with the following considerations:

Cast Techniques:
- Common:
  - Overhand: Common, for long distances.
- Less Common:
  - Roll Cast:
Initial Lure Action: Swims on the fall with a tight line or flutter with a slack line.
Retrieve Techniques:
- Common:
  - Straight Retrieve: Common for a straight retrieve at a pace that keeps the lure in the strike zone. A short rip will create an aggressive vibration and will clear any grass snagged on the treble hooks.
- Less Common:
  - Hop Retrieve:
    - Yo Yo: More common when fishing deep to let the lure sink to the bottom then yo-yo the lure back to the boat.
  - Straight Retrieve:
    - Burn: Some suggest burn with pauses and some use the term “rip” when in grass.
    - Slow-Roll: More common in colder water.
Secondary Action: A quick pop will eliminate any grass that is snagged on the lure.
Identifying Fish On: As with most horizontal presentations the fish on will tap on the line or the line goes slack if the fishing is coming towards the boat.
Hook Set: Typically, pull/sweep hook set after identifying fish on followed by landing the bass.
Repetition at Spots: Not common.

Additional Considerations

Add-on Dot or Strip Weight: Not common
Add-on Blade: Not common, but some will replace the hook on the back with a blade for example when targeting wood.
Seasons: Some suggest effective all seasons and some suggest it as an effective lure in colder water.
Sight Fishing: Not common.
- Spawning: Not common.
Suspended Bass: Common, as control the depth of the retrieve.
Follow Up Bait: Not common.

MLF Videos and Articles by Experts

Major League Fishing (MLF) produces videos and articles including:

Daniels makes sound choices on lipless crankbaits MLF Article
Now’s the time for ripping a lipless crankbait, according to Roy Hawk MLF Article
Sprague’s Yo-Yo Tips Will Help you Catch more Bass on a Lipless Crankbait MLF Article
Dicky Newberry’s Three Tips for Better Cold-Water Lipless Crankbait Fishing MLF Article
Matt Lee’s Go-To Lipless Crankbait MLF Video

Videos by Experts

STOP Fishing LIPLESS CRANKBAITS Like This (4 Lipless Mistakes) BassFishingHQ
LIPLESS CRANKBAITS – Everything You Need To Know! (Beginner To Advanced) TacticalBassin
How to Effectively Jig Lipless Crankbaits Wired2Fish
How to Fish Lipless Crankbaits for Fall Bass Wired2Fish
How to fish Lipless Crankbaits – Bass Fishing Flukemaster
4 MONEY Lipless Crankbait Bass Tips | Swindle’s Winter and Prespawn System Wired2Fish
STOP Fishing LIPLESS CRANKBAITS Like This (4 Lipless Mistakes) BassFishingHQ
Unconventional Lipless Crankbait Tactics for More Bass Wired2Fish
LIPLESS Crankbaits on Shallow Flats (2 SECRET Retrieves) Monsterbass
90% Of Anglers Don’t Know How To Fish A Lipless Crankbait! Learn To Master It With These Retrieves! Matt Stefan Fishing