As new baits like the Chatterbait or the Alabama rig are introduce, some of the classics like lipless crankbaits tend to get pushed to the back of the tackle box. The lipless crankbait seems to be seasonally trapped, as most anglers believe that its tight wobble is used for early season temperatures. Wobble aside, the lipless crank is one of the more versatile hard baits on the market, as it can be retrieve in various different ways.
FLW Circuit Breaker personality and Tour Pro Casey Martin throws a ton of lipless crankbaits and says there are many times throughout the year he will fish them when other guys aren’t.
“I prefer a Rat-L-Trap in the summer,” explains Martin. “It’s easy to cover water when looking for fish, plus a lot of people stop fishing a Rat-L-Trap late spring/early summer. It’s a bait the fish haven’t recently seen like a crankbait or a jig, and as an angler we’re always looking for that edge.”
“The Rat-L-Trap is also a very versatile bait, as you can fish it all throughout the year. I prefer fishing it in clear water over grass. Fish all times of the year will eat a Rat-L-Trap while cranking it just over the top of the grass.”
It seems as though a lot of anglers choose a crankbait or a jerkbait over a lipless crankbait, but Martin says there is a secret to this style of bait. Read more….