Lipless crankbaits are easily one of my favorite ways to catch fish. They are the perfect tactic for catching pre-spawn and winter bass. Perfect for fishing the shallow grass beds, they’re absolutely deadly.
The only problem is most fishermen don’t know how to effectively fish them. So how do you fish a lipless crankbait? When is the best time to fish them? What else do I need to know?
Why Fish a Lipless Crankbait For Bass?
Bring out your lipless crankbait whenever bass move back into the shallows. Early Spring and Fall are going to be the best times to toss out a lipless crankbait. This year I’ve had a lot of luck fishing Strike King’s Red Eye Shad. It has an aggressive free fall that really extends your effective strike zone.
My 3 Favorite Lipless Crankbaits
Luckily you don’t have to spend a lot of cash to find a great lipless crankbait. Most of them come in under $10 offering a lot of bang for your buck.
- Strike King Lipless Crankbait
- Rapala Gold Chrome Rippin Rap
- Berkley’s Black/Silver Warping Fishing Bait
Bring on The Grass
You should also consider lipless crankbaits whenever you notice a lot of grass. Lipless crankbaits are going to be your best friend when fighting through thick grass.
A lure with two exposed hooks probably doesn’t seem like a good idea in thick grass, but you’d be surprised just how efficient a lipless crankbait can be.
Just hang your bait in the vegetation barely moving across the tops of the grass. When fishing grass you’re going to be constantly jerking your rod to free yourself. If you feel your bait get stock just pop up your rod to free it.
Right as you catch on the grass is when you get most of your strikes. Bass will react to it hitting it like a ton of bricks.
What Size Should You Buy?
Personally I like larger 3/4 Ounce models, but sometimes I’ll drop down as small as 1/4 Ounce. Whenever baitfish are on the small side cut down on your size(especially in the fall). Like with every other fishing lure match your hatch.
When to Throw a Lipless Crankbait
The best times to throw a lipless crankbait are in the spring and fall. You can even throw them during the winter in shallow bodies of water. If you see submerged vegetation stop what your doing and bring out your lipless crankbait immediately.
Another Great time is in the fall when they move to the back of creeks in shallow mud flats. Make long casts back there and pull it on back. Anytime fish are feeding shallow on shad is going to be great.
How to Fish a Lipless Crankbait
I love to work my lipless crankbait just above the tip of underground grass. Hold your rod high and slowly wiggle just above the tips of grass. Bass moving through those flats won’t be able to resist that type of technique.
Slow Down Your Movement
When fishing a lipless crankbait it’s important to understand the difference between a little wiggle and a big wobble. When fishing in colder temperatures it’s important to limit you’re movement. Most baitfish are struggling to survive so they swim in a very subtle manner. Tight controlled wiggles are going to mimic the lethargic behavior found in most baitfish.
Which Colors Work Best?
When thinking about Lipless Crankbait colors you’re going to want to keep things simple. For the most part stick to your basic shad patterns. Your chromes, chrome/blue, chrome/black and transparent. Brightly colored chartreuse patterns only work well in dirty green/brown colored water.
During the winter you might want to bring out a crawfish style color scheme. Just don’t overdo the red color scheme on pressured lakes.
What Gear Works Best?
Throughout the years I’ve really started to figure out what works and what doesn’t. Thankfully it’s pretty simple and most basic setups will work well.
I prefer a shorter 7′ rod with a medium heavy action. A budget Ugly Stik Elite Spinning Rod or GX2 Casting Rod will work perfectly. Pair that with some 15lb fluorocarbon fishing line (12-17lb will also work).
Where To Fish Lipless Crankbaits
You know to fish underwater grass, but where do you actually find it? I start off looking for flats and secondary points going into spawning areas.
Those are excellent places for bass to setup and you can really cover a lot of water fast. Keep your trolling motor on medium speed keeping it moving.
When you hit a pile of fish slow down and make a few more casts than you usually would. If you aren’t having much luck just keep moving down the bank until you run into them.
The Perfect Fishing Depth
You’re not going to fish a lipless crankbait out in 20-30 foot of water unless the fish are schooling on the surface(throw it through them). You should really focus on fishing 2ft-7ft deep water.
If you’re in the 5ft-7ft deep range throw a bigger model. Somewhere between 1/2 ounce and 3/4 ounce works perfectly. Shallower water works best with 1/2 ounce to 1/4 ounce lures.
Know When to Keep Your Rod Tip High
Rod angle is very important when making long casts into shallow water. You need to try and keep the bait a little bit up off the bottom.
To do this you want to hold your rod tip up high. As you start to touch the tip of the grass and feel the hook snag pop the rod to clean off your hook.
In deeper water hold your rod tip down so it can get completely down to the grassline.
How Fast Should You Reel
You’re really going to want to play around with your retrieve to see what works for you. Most people like a medium to fast retrieve speed. You’re going to reel it pretty quick most of the time. High Speed reels like this 7.4:1 Abu Garcia Revo4 are perfect.