Lipless Crank Rod/Reel Combo?

[Casslaw]

I’m finding that right now the ONLY bait that I can follow up a topwater miss with and have any type of success is a 1/2 oz lipless crank. I’ve tried squarebills, multiple jerk baits, spy baits, spinnerbaits...but they are hitting the lipless crank so I need to get this figured out.

I use 30lb braid and tend to react too fast to a strike. Today I had it tied onto my Duckett 7’3”MH/Fast and I lost 70% of the hits I had. I got hit 5 times on one cast but I was yanking it out of their mouth I think.

Twice I lost the fish after 10 seconds of reeling.

The ones I got in didn’t have large holes in their mouths, the hooks were in their mouths very good, needed pliers to get them out.

So, my question. What do you guys use for lipless cranks? I’m throwing them in 7-13’ of water. I think I need to go to a 7’ medium/moderate bit I got greedy and wanted the extra distance.

Thanks all. Chris.

[LonnieP]

I use a 7 foot Tatula med/reg with a tat Sv spooled with 12 lb fc. I’ve caught a lot of bass on a trap this fall and I’ve only lost one fish.

[98 Elite203]

Megabass orochi xx Versatile

mane chsnge out your hooks to mustad wide gap triple grips.

[jbrew73]

I use a 7 foot Tatula med/reg with a tat Sv spooled with 12 lb fc. I’ve caught a lot of bass on a trap this fall and I’ve only lost one fish.

My girlfriend has one of these and is a great rod for lipless.

I also recommend the falcon bucoo trap caster and the skeet Reese spinnerbait/ worm rod. Both have worked extremely well for me.

[bass boss]

7’ quantum smoke med fast with quantum tour edition 12 lbs floro. Love a lipless.

[Casslaw]

The hooks have been swapped out for Mustad triple grips but not wide gaps. I really should throw this bait much more often, the bass on my wall (11lb9oz) came off the old Rapala Rat’ln Rap when I was 13 and I’ve had a really hard time following up topwater misses this fall.

My go to has always been a a suspending jerkbait but I only caught a mudfish on that today

Theyre knocking this shad rap up but I’m losing chances at fish and I take pride in capitalizing on every chance to boat a bass...letting myself down here!

I’ll check these rods out guys, thanks. My Tatula Type R 6.3:1 can throw a mile and the ratio feels right. My dumb fault for taking my Texas rig off and just throwing the lipless on that rod when I had at least three 7’ medium/fast or med/mod rods on the deck.

[reelex]

Loomis IMX PRO 906CB

[Jeff Hahn]

Whatever brand or length rod you choose, go with a medium action for any bait with treble hooks.

[kickerfish1]

Any of the Loomis MBR Rods would be great depending on the size of lipless and cover. I really like 843 for 1/2 and the 844 for 3/4. If I tossed many of the 1/4 oz it would be the 842.

[Casslaw]

I don’t think I have a 1/4 lipless...maybe a few small cranks that size but my 13 Fishing Fate Black 7’ medium/moderate with a Concept A is my squarebill rod and I really love that combo.

However my jerkbait rod is an Abu Garcia Veritas 7’ med/fast with a Carbonlite 2.0 and those 2 rods act so differently.

I cant imaging throwing a 1/2-3/4oz lipless on either of those rods. They lack the...ass to pull a heavier bait cast after cast. maybe it’s because they’re the mid-low level $125 rods? Not sure really.

I will look at all the rods you guys suggested. Please don’t get me wanting a $400 rod! My wife will kill me

[Crankin]

I know everyone throws a trap and boy they are a hard bait not to be pretty successful with. I have been throwing traps for 40 years and I use them in several situations from ripping them in Chartruse for aggressive bronze backs to slow rolling then on rock bottom as slow as a worm. I'm not saying I know more then anyone but I am saying I do have that bait down well enough to have a extremely good hook up %. If I am straight retrieving lipless baits my number 1 rod reel combo is a M/H glass cranking rod 7'0" with a 6:31 gear ratio on braided line. The set is more of a soft pull. and the M/H as opposed to a Medium gives you the backbone during the fight not to loose the fish on underwater head shakes. Your casting distance shouldn't be an issue throwing a trap on any rod.
Side note: I have a follow up set up on the deck at all times and have not changed in fifteen years. I haven't found a set up close to it's effectiveness and that is Green pumpkin Senko wacky rigged on Fluoro #15 with a 6'8" medium heavy spinning set up. It's almost automatic on any miss.

[Landar]

Loomis IMX PRO 906CB

That would be a great rod if the handle wasn’t so dang long. I ordered one and sent it right back. Handle is just stupid long.

[98 Elite203]

I know everyone throws a trap and boy they are a hard bait not to be pretty successful with. I have been throwing traps for 40 years and I use them in several situations from ripping them in Chartruse for aggressive bronze backs to slow rolling then on rock bottom as slow as a worm. I'm not saying I know more then anyone but I am saying I do have that bait down well enough to have a extremely good hook up %. If I am straight retrieving lipless baits my number 1 rod reel combo is a M/H glass cranking rod 7'0" with a 6:31 gear ratio on braided line. The set is more of a soft pull. and the M/H as opposed to a Medium gives you the backbone during the fight not to loose the fish on underwater head shakes. Your casting distance shouldn't be an issue throwing a trap on any rod.
Side note: I have a follow up set up on the deck at all times and have not changed in fifteen years. I haven't found a set up close to it's effectiveness and that is Green pumpkin Senko wacky rigged on Fluoro #15 with a 6'8" medium heavy spinning set up. It's almost automatic on any miss.

I agree with everything you said. A glass rod is the way to go for lipless of the conditions allow it, and vegetation. Sometimes a glass rod is a little cost for ripping them through grass... that’s when I go to a 7’ MH graphite...

my favorite lipless is the lv500. I have hands down caught more fish, and the quality with the lv500 seems better.

[Revofisher]

i like a graphite in spring when there is a lot of grass in the equation but i have been using the st croix legend glass rod this year and love them a lot for treble baits i like the 7;4 med hvy for traps and it launches them a mile .

[22RangerZ520R]

- Conquest 903C
- Metanium MGL XG
- 15# Tatsu

[Casslaw]

I was fishing alone Sunday and I couldn’t get myself to slow down. I was reacting way too fast and even when I thought I had them pinned on the mh 7’3”Duckett Ghost/Daiwa Tatula Type-R 6.3, 30lb Suffix 832 they would just come off. I usually use that rod/reel combo as my Texas rigged pole and I wasn’t thinking right putting the lipless on it.

I changed hooks, and colors, no difference. These are schoolies that miss my topwater or I’m thowing about 30 yards to the pad/grass edges and they’re hitting about 10’ off the weedline in 8.5’ of water where the cabbage is.

Its a great spot and I can find them on those edges in at least 4 of the lakes on the Tsala-Apopka chain using that pattern right now so I want to capitalize on these fun fish.

I very much appreciate the suggestions guys!

[DChiWildcats]

I have fenced with this a lot. I hate trying to rip treble hooks out of grass with glass / crankbait rod. Chatterbait is different, glass rod rips it out of the grass perfectly. For my LV’s, NRX 893 is what I’ve been using. A longer, medium heavy, softer tip graphite rod. When they hit an LV they smash it. Change out your hooks, should put most solid strikes in the boat.

[DeGraaf]

You said braid. Rod choice is stiff and no line stretch = unbuttoned fish maybe
As said glass rod that’s parabolic in action would help.
Don’t think you want to throw mono do you? That would help also with said rod.

[Casslaw]

I moved my combos around a lot last night and found an OLD All Star Pro-II PT845P graphite rod. So with braid and my Type-R I think I can get by til Santa comes.

It was either that or leave a mh/fast and switch back to mono as you suggested.

Broke my heart too...my neighbor said I could trade his Mojo Bass MB68MF for ANY 7’ mh worm rod....I was gonna give him the 7’ Duckett. I walked over this morning and it’s a spinning rod!

[bilgerat]

Put a length of 12 lb MONO leader on your rig and I'll bet your hookup percentage goes up. Way up. All good suggestions as far as glass rods and such but I'm telling you the truth about the mono leader. All my cranking rigs are braid with a mono leader, I speak from experience and fish lipless cranks year round. The mono will stretch on the take and that stretch is what keeps you from tearing the hooks out from their mouths. FC will stretch and stay stretched, mono is more elastic and is crucial for this technique.

I'll bet you the lipless crankbait of your choice this alone will help you