The chrome with blue back Rat-L-Trap.
Photo Credit: Vimage Outdoors

by WNJ Correspondent Matt McCann

When we think of using artificial lures to catch largemouth bass, we think of the lures simply as bait that is not real. While this is true, some lures are more like search tools that can be used to locate fish.

One such lure is the lipless crankbait. Bill Lewis created the original Rat-L-Trap lipless crankbait back in the late 1960’s, and it has since become a classic lure that has caught countless numbers of bass. Since then, many companies have created their own lipless crankbaits, including the Cotton Cordell Spot, Strike King Red Eye Shad, and the Rattlin’ Rapala. No matter the brand, the design is simple: a flat, diamond shaped hollow body lure filled with dozens of tiny BB’s. The result is a lure that produces an unmatched vibration and sound through the water that bass seem to zero in on.

Lipless crankbaits are effective at any time of the year, but especially during the late fall, winter, and early spring. Bass love to eat shad, and this lure is a great shad imitation. The standard size is ½ ounce, which works great, but don’t be afraid to use the smaller ¼ ounce and 1/8 ounce models. I feel that the smaller ones get more strikes, especially in colder water or when fishing the small, shallow bodies of water that are common in New Jersey. You can’t go wrong with natural colors, such as the classic chrome with black back or chrome with blue back. These colors reflect light very well and really make the lure look like a shad. Lipless crankbaits can also imitate crawfish if you fish them on the bottom of the lake. When doing so, the red crawfish imitating colors work well.

These lures are known as search tools because you can cover a lot of water quickly and find where the fish are holding. After you make the cast, experiment with different retrieves. A popular retrieve is known as the yo-yo retrieve, where you let the lure sink, lift your rod tip up quickly to pull the lure up, and then let the lure flutter back down and repeat. Many times, a bass will the strike the lure just as you let it fall. You can also “burn” a lipless crankbait, which is simply casting out and reeling the lure straight in very quickly.

Bill Lewis, through his invention of the Rat-L-Trap, created one of history's most enduring bass baits.
Photo Credit: Bill Lewis Lures

You can feel the rattling of the BB’s inside the lure as the vibration is transmitted up the rod. This sound seems to drive bass crazy and they will chase the lure down and strike it. For this reason, these lures work great in murky or muddy water where bass can’t see too well, but can hear and sense the vibration of the lure. Another effective method is to find a bed of submerged weeds and reel the lure just over the tops of the weeds, even slightly brushing up against the weeds and snagging them. After you snag the top of the weeds, quickly jerk your rod and rip the lure free from the weed bed. The lure with flutter as it comes free and bass that hide in the weed bed will come out and grab it.

The great thing about these lures is how versatile they are. Unlike standard crankbaits that have a lip designed to make the lure run at a certain depth, lipless crankbaits have no lip and can be fished anywhere in the water column. You can reel it just below the surface, bounce it off the bottom, or anywhere in between. The key to changing the depth that the lure runs is how you hold your rod and the diameter of your line. The higher up you point your rod tip, the shallower the lure will run. Pointing the rod tip down will make the lure run deep. Also, lighter and smaller diameter line will cause the lure to sink faster. Heavier and thicker line will cause the lure to sink slower because it is creating more resistance in the water. You can experiment with different depths and sink rates and really find what the fish want.

As we move into late fall and winter, now is a great time to use lipless crankbaits. As the water temperature cools, the metabolism of the bass slows down and they become lethargic. They feed less frequently and spend less energy consuming meals. Your first instinct is to use a slow moving lure such as a jig because the fish are moving slowly. While this works, you have to get a little lucky and hope that a bass is actively feeding in order to catch it. The key to success is to go against your natural instinct to fish slowly, and start fishing quickly with a lipless crankbait. The quick speed and vibration of the lipless crankbait going past an inactive bass will draw a reaction strike. Bass are predators, and they are naturally programmed to trap prey that is trying to escape. When you fish a lipless crankbait fast, that predator instinct kicks in and the bass will strike even though it’s not hungry. Reeling the lure quickly has another benefit…it prevents your fingers from going numb in the cold!

Photo Credit: amazon.com

 Matt McCann is a New Jersey native and specializes in freshwater and saltwater fishing in the Garden State.

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