The lipless crankbait is one that is extremely versatile and easy to fish. I can also be deadly effective in triggering those reaction bites. There are several ways to fish a lipless crankbait and for a lot of my fishing style, I prefer the Rapala lipless crankbait for bass, namely the Rippin Rap.
Get My Favorite Pre Spawn Rippin Rap Here
Rapala Lipless Crankbait – Why I Love It
I remember when I fell in love with the lipless crankbait, it was fishing at a local lake by where I grew up. The water was shallow and very stained. My best friend and fishing buddy and I figured out that the gold-colored Rattlin Rap and the now discontinued Clackin Rap were the tickets.
We would hit the bank and reel those baits back just fast enough to keep them off of the bottom and it was magic. Sometimes it felt like the rod was going to be ripped out of our hands the bass hit so hard. That is one of the best feelings in the world. Since then, the lipless crankbait has always been part of my arsenal.
Rapala Lipless Crankbait for Bass – Rippin Rap
Now let’s transition back to the present. I have found a new love in the Rapala lineup and that is the Rippin Rap.
There’s a reason for this. I have become a big fan of not only burning the crankbait but also doing some major damage by yoyoing it off of the bottom. The Rippin Rap shines when it comes to the later presentation.
Rapala Lipless Crankbait for Bass – How to Fish It
For example, last spring at Roosevelt Lake here in Arizona, we were having a hard time catching them. The fish hadn’t moved up and were hanging in about 20-25 feet of water. After about 30 minutes it finally clicked for me and I tied on a lipless crank. The first cast it was fish on.
I was letting it fall to the bottom and then ripping it up. I let it fall back down with tension on the line and as soon as my line went limp, I would rip it up again. It turned into an hour of fishing magic. You know those days when you are just on? That was my morning.
It actually got me so excited, and I was so preoccupied with getting a bass off so that I could make another cast, that I actually lost my rod, reel, and bait by letting it drop off of the side of the boat. It made me a little sick, but the good fishing compensated for the loss.
The reason I like the Rapala lipless crankbait for bass, especially the Rippin Rap, is that it is versatile. They are super heavy for their size and fall fast. This quick fall trigger strikes. They also seem to start vibrating right on command with the turn of the reel handle or pull of the rod.
On a side note… If I am up in the shallows or burning through thick grass, I really like to switch to the Rattlin Rap as it allows me to fish that shallow cover with more efficiency as it is a much lighter bait for its size. No one bait is the only bait that I will fish.
Rapala Lipless Crankbait – When to Fish It
My advice is that if you are looking at lipless cranks you can’t go wrong with the Rapala lipless crankbaits for bass. They have an incredible lineup and fish well out of the box. My favorite times to fish them are in the spring and fall. That is when they seem to shine.
You might even catch some other species while you’re at it. Today mine was a crappie.
To your fishing success,
Jonathan Burke
P.S. If you want to learn about crankbait rods check out this crankbait rod article.