The lipless crankbait is one of my favorite lures to catch fish with. I don’t always catch as many fish with it as I do with other lures, but it’s still fun to throw anyway and there are times when it will actually perform as well or better than just about any other lure I throw. Lipless crankbaits are called lipless because they have no bill, so they don’t dive to a specific depth and you can throw them anywhere in the water column. The two main retrieves that I use and that you will typically see mentioned elsewhere are a stop and go retrieve or letting it fall all the way to the bottom then lifting the rod up so it flutters a bit and then letting it fall again. These lures can also perform well around grass so if you want to target an area next to a grass line or throw a lure over some grass it can be a good option to go with.
In terms of specific lures that I use there’s currently only one and that is the Lucky Craft LV 500. They are a little more expensive than other lures you will see out there but in this case I’d argue that you get what you pay for. They also make a DRS model which has a knock type of sound that I like to use, however the regular model also has a unique rattle to it that also does well. In terms of colors I like ghost minnow and pearl threadfin or mh ghost minnow if I’m going to fish it near the surface and want a little more flash to it.
These lures come with treble hooks, but I usually like to swap out the treble with inline single hooks so if you are wondering why the lure in that picture doesn’t have treble hooks that would be why. I’ll post an article on that topic at some point, and even with these hooks I still prefer a moderate fast action rod as I do with all lures that ship with treble hooks.
Lure Summary – Lipless Crankbait
Suggested Rod Length: 6’10” – 7’2″
Suggested Rod Power: Medium Heavy
Suggested Rod Action: Moderate Fast
Suggested Reel Type: Casting Reel
Suggested Gear Ratio: 7.2:1
Lure Weight (est.): .75oz
Tackle Required
- 14lb Fluorocarbon Line
Suggested Baits
- Lucky Craft LV 500
- Lucky Craft LV 500 DRS