Lipless crankbait
Also called rattle trap, vibrating crankbait
What is a lipless crankbait?
A flat-sided sinking bait with no lip, tied on at the back so it hangs nose-down and vibrates hard on the retrieve.
With no lip, depth comes from the sink rate and your retrieve speed instead of from the bait's design, which is what makes it so versatile. Cast it, count it down to the depth you want, then wind. Most are loaded with rattles, so they call fish in dirty water and cold water where a quieter bait gets ignored.
The signature use is grass. Wind it just above a submerged weed line until it catches, then rip it free with a sharp snap of the rod. That sudden tearing loose is one of the most reliable reaction strike triggers in bass fishing, and it is why the lipless is a pre-spawn staple.
The treble hooks that hang below it are also the reason it fouls in heavy cover. It is a bait for the edges and the tops of grass, not for the middle of it.
Fish it with a moderate action rod. The tight vibration and treble hooks pull free easily on a stiff blank.
Where this comes up
The guides that use lipless crankbait and show it on real gear.
Last reviewed . Lipless crankbait is one of 222 terms in the fishing glossary.