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Bill Lewis · Lipless Crankbaits
Bill Lewis Rat-L-Trap Crankbait, 1/2 oz, Chartreuse Bleeding Shad
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Options
- Item weight
- 0.5 Ounces
- Product dimensions
- 1 x 1 x 1 inches
Quick take
A 1/2 oz lipless crankbait that emits lifelike vibrations and is proven across multiple fishing conditions.
This Bill Lewis Rat-L-Trap in Chartreuse Bleeding Shad is a half-ounce lipless crankbait, three inches long, that sinks. It has no lip and an internal rattle, so it can be cast and reeled back, or let fall and ripped through deeper cover. It carries two Mustad treble hooks. The bright chartreuse pattern with a bleeding shad look is a choice for stained or dingy water.
Best for
- Bass in stained or murky water
- Covering shallow and deep water on one cast
- Fast-moving retrieves in open water
Skip if
- You fish clear water where silence helps
- You need a sinking bait
Strengths
- Internal rattle produces distressed baitfish vibrations
- Tight wiggle action attracts aggressive strikes
- Durable Durashell finish resists chipping
Trade-offs
- Floats, so it may not reach very deep
- Loud rattle can be disadvantage in clear water
- Limited to one size option
Fishing fit
- Water
- Freshwater
- Saltwater
- Techniques
- Casting
Facts
| Lure weight | 0.5 oz |
|---|---|
| Length | 3 in |
| Buoyancy | Sinking |
| Rattle | Internal rattle |
| Hooks | 2 treble hooks, Mustad |
| Lip | None |
| Color | Chartreuse Bleeding Shad |
| Color family | Chartreuse and bright |
Which one should I pick?
Choose the weight by how deep and how fast you want to fish, then choose the color by water clarity.
| Version | Lure weight | Length | Buoyancy | Rattle | Hooks | Color | Suits |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bill Lewis Rat-L-Trap Crankbait, 1/2 oz, Chartreuse Bleeding Shad | Lure weight:0.5 oz | Length:3 in | Buoyancy:Sinking | Rattle:Internal rattle | Hooks:2 treble hooks, Mustad | Color:Chartreuse Bleeding Shad | Suits:Shallow (to 5 ft) and mid (5 to 12 ft), stained and muddy water, bass and walleye |
| Bill Lewis Rat-L-Trap Lipless Crankbait, 1/2 oz, Chrome Blue Back | Lure weight:0.5 oz | Length:3 in | Buoyancy:Sinking | Rattle:Internal rattle | Hooks:2 treble hooks, Mustad | Color:Chrome Blue Back | Suits:Shallow (to 5 ft) and mid (5 to 12 ft), clear, stained and muddy water, bass and walleye |
| Bill Lewis Rat-L-Trap Lipless Crankbait, 1/2 oz, Ice Blue Shad | Lure weight:0.5 oz | Length:3 in | Buoyancy:Sinking | Rattle:Internal rattle | Hooks:2 treble hooks, Mustad | Color:Ice Blue Shad | Suits:Shallow (to 5 ft) and mid (5 to 12 ft), clear, stained and muddy water, bass and walleye |
| Bill Lewis Rat-L-Trap Lipless Crankbait, 1/2 oz, Silver Tenn Shad | Lure weight:0.5 oz | Length:3 in | Buoyancy:Sinking | Rattle:Internal rattle | Hooks:2 treble hooks, Mustad | Color:Silver Tenn Shad | Suits:Shallow (to 5 ft) and mid (5 to 12 ft), clear, stained and muddy water, bass and walleye |
How it compares
| Product | Lure weight | Length | Buoyancy | Rattle | Hooks | Lip |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bill Lewis Rat-L-Trap Crankbait, 1/2 oz, Chartreuse Bleeding ShadPick it if you want a sinking half-ounce rattle bait in chartreuse for stained water and need to cover depth on the retrieve. | Lure weight:0.5 oz | Length:3 in | Buoyancy:Sinking | Rattle:Internal rattle | Hooks:2 treble hooks, Mustad | Lip:None |
| Rapala Rattlin 05, 2 in, Baby BassPick it if you want a small, sinking, rattling lipless bait in the natural Baby Bass pattern to cover water for bass. | Lure weight:0.375 oz | Length:2 in | Buoyancy:Sinking | Rattle:Yes | Hooks:2 VMC black nickel | Lip:None |
| Cotton Cordell Super Spot Lipless Crankbait, 2.5 in, 1/4 oz | Lure weight:1/4 oz | Length:2.5 in | Buoyancy:— | Rattle:Yes | Hooks:— | Lip:None |
| Strike King Red Eyed Shad Lipless Crankbait, 1/2 oz, Orange CrawPick it if you want a 1/2 ounce rattling lipless crankbait in an orange craw finish for freshwater bass that feed on crawfish. | Lure weight:0.5 oz | Length:2.5 in | Buoyancy:— | Rattle:Free-floating | Hooks:2 treble | Lip:None (lipless) |
| Berkley Warpig Lipless Crankbait, 1/2 oz, Black Silver | Lure weight:1/2 oz | Length:3 in | Buoyancy:Sinking | Rattle:Yes | Hooks:— | Lip:None |
| Bill Lewis Rat-L-Trap Lipless Crankbait, 1/2 oz, Blue/Black | Lure weight:1/2 oz | Length:3 in | Buoyancy:Sinking | Rattle:— | Hooks:— | Lip:None |
Common questions
How heavy is the Rat-L-Trap Chartreuse Bleeding Shad?
This Chartreuse Bleeding Shad model weighs 1/2 ounce and measures 3 inches long. Because it sinks rather than floats, it can be dropped into deeper cover on a cast. Its half-ounce weight also gives it the casting distance for a lure of that length, letting you work a wide area from the bank or a boat.
Does the Chartreuse Bleeding Shad Rat-L-Trap have a lip?
No, it has no lip, so it runs as a lipless crankbait that you cast and retrieve or let fall and rip back. Its internal rattle chamber makes sound on the retrieve, and it carries two treble hooks made by Mustad. The chartreuse and bleeding shad pattern is one choice for stained water.
What hooks does the Rat-L-Trap Chartreuse Bleeding Shad use?
It uses two Mustad treble hooks on a 3-inch, half-ounce sinking body. Swap them for a different treble if you want a different hook weight on the lure. Check the hook size before buying replacements, since it varies by lure.
What can I catch with this?
At 1/2 oz, this lipless crankbait is sized for bass and walleye.
- Bass
- Walleye
When and where to fish it
Its rattle helps fish find it in stained or muddy water and in low light. Its bright, high-visibility pattern suits stained and muddy water under an overcast sky or in low light.
- Season
- Spring
- Fall
- Water
- Pond
- Lake
- Reservoir
- River
- Clarity
- Stained
- Muddy
- Light
- Overcast
- Low light
- Water temperature
- Cold (under 50°F)
- Cool (50 to 60°F)
- Fished from
- Bank
- Boat
- Kayak
How to fish it
A lipless crankbait sinks, so you choose its depth by counting it down, then reel it, rip it or lift and drop it.
Count down and reel
- Cast and count as the lure sinks, about a foot a second, until it reaches the depth you want.
- Reel at a steady pace, fast enough to feel the lure vibrate.
- Speed up or slow down to hold it just above the grass or the bottom.
Ripping it out of grass
- Reel the lure so it ticks the tops of submerged grass.
- When it bogs down in the grass, snap the rod to rip it free.
- Be ready as it breaks loose; strikes often come right then.
Yo-yo
- Let the lure sink to the bottom on a tight line.
- Lift the rod to pull the lure up a few feet, then lower it and let the lure flutter back down.
- Watch the line on the fall; most strikes come as it drops.
How deep and around what
At 1/2 oz it covers water from just under the surface down to about 10 ft, depending on how long it falls.
- Surface
- Shallow (to 5 ft) (this product)
- Mid (5 to 12 ft) (this product)
- Deep (12 to 25 ft)
- Very deep (over 25 ft)
- Depth zone
- Shallow (to 5 ft)
- Mid (5 to 12 ft)
- Cover
- Open water
- Grass
What you need with it
A 1/2 oz lipless crankbait is usually fished with a casting rod, a baitcasting reel and 12 to 17 lb line.
- Casting rodsA medium or medium-heavy rod with a moderate-fast action has the tip to rip the lure free of grass.
- Baitcasting reelsA faster gear ratio picks up slack quickly on a lift-and-fall retrieve.
- Fluorocarbon lineSinks and has little stretch, so you feel the lure vibrate; 12 to 17 lb for this weight.
Pairs with
A 1/2 oz lure pairs with a medium or medium-heavy rod with a moderate-fast action and with 12 to 17 lb line.
| Item | Range |
|---|---|
| Rod power | Medium or medium heavy |
| Rod action | Moderate fast |
| Rod lure weight | 1/4 to 3/4 oz |
| Line test | 12 to 17 lb |
What it imitates
Its bright pattern imitates shad in water where a natural one would not show.
- Shad
How to choose a color and size
Color
| Options | When to pick it | Conditions |
|---|---|---|
| Chartreuse Bleeding Shad, Chartreuse Flash, Chartreuse/Black Back, Chrome/Chartreuse, Natural/Orange Belly, Orange Crawdad, White/Yellow Eye, Yearling Bass/Orange BellyThis one | Stands out in stained or muddy water and in low light. |
|
| Nova Glass | Gives a see-through baitfish look in clear water and bright sun. |
|
| Bleeding Shiner On Chrome, Chrome, Chrome Black Zombie, Chrome Bleeding Shad, Chrome Blue Back, Chrome Purple Back, Ice Blue Shad, Liv-N-Chrome, Sexy Chrome, Silver Tenn Shad | Flashes like a baitfish in clear to lightly stained water. |
|
| White Shad | Stays easy to see in lightly stained water and under cloud. |
|
| Creole Craw, Honey Craw, Lectric Red, Red Chrome/Solid, Red Head Uncle Ted, White Crawfish | Matches crawfish in cold to cool, stained water early in the season. |
|
| Gold Shad, Lectric Gold, Sexy Gold, Toledo Gold | Flashes in stained, tea-colored water and on dark days. |
|
About this type
A lipless crankbait is a flat-sided, sinking hard bait that vibrates tightly when it is reeled.
It has no diving lip, so it runs as deep as you let it fall and casts a long way for its size.
Most hold rattles, and the line ties on the back, which keeps the nose down and the body shaking on the retrieve.
Compared with Crankbaits: A lipped crankbait floats at rest and dives to a set depth; a lipless one sinks and is fished at whatever depth you count it down to.
Updated