Bill Lewis · Lipless Crankbaits
Bill Lewis Rat-L-Trap Lipless Crankbait, 1/2 oz, 3 in
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Options
- Item weight
- 14.2 g
- Product dimensions
- 1 x 1 x 1 inches
Quick take
Sinking lipless crankbait with interior rattles that produce distressed baitfish sounds, works from shallow to deep water.
The Rat-L-Trap in Chartreuse Shad is a 1/2 oz sinking lipless crankbait with an internal rattle. It runs about 3 inches long and carries two treble hooks. Anglers use it for cast-and-crank work over shallow flats or burned back across deeper structure when hunting bass.
Best for
- Fast-paced search fishing in open water
- Locating active fish during day or night
- Bass, pike and trout in a variety of depths
Skip if
- You need a suspending lure; this sinks
- You want a silent presentation to spooky fish
Strengths
- Interior rattles create a realistic distressed baitfish sound
- Tight wiggling action mimics an injured shad
- Works effectively from slow to fast retrieve
Trade-offs
- Sinking design requires skill in shallow water
- Rattles can spook some fish in very clear water
- Single color scheme limits pattern options
Fishing fit
- Water
- Freshwater
- Saltwater
- Techniques
- Casting
- Jigging
- Bottom fishing
Specifications
| Type | lipless crankbait |
|---|---|
| Weight | 1/2 oz |
| Rattle | Interior rattles |
| Dive depth | Shallow to deep |
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 Shad, Chartreuse Shiner, Pink LadyThis one | Stands out in stained or muddy water and in low light. |
|
| Ghost Minnow | Gives a see-through baitfish look in clear water and bright sun. |
|
| Bleeding Shiner, Blood Line Shad, Blue Shiner, Chrome Blue Bleeding Shad, Emrld Shiner Liv-N Fish Series, Natural Shad, Sexy Shad, Shad, Silver Shad, Sky Shad | Flashes like a baitfish in clear to lightly stained water. |
|
| White Bone NOVA, White Zombie | Stays easy to see in lightly stained water and under cloud. |
|
| BNB Minnow, Brown Trout, Penny Perch, Pumpkin Perch | Looks like real forage in clear water, where fish get a long look. |
|
| Cali Craw, Candy Craw, Cotton Candy Craw, Crawfish, Crimson Chrome, Delta Craw, Goldfire Craw, Newberry Craw, RED Belly, Red Crawfish, Red Crawfish/Chart. Belly, Red/Gold and 1 more | Matches crawfish in cold to cool, stained water early in the season. |
|
| Chrome/Gold, Gold | Flashes in stained, tea-colored water and on dark days. |
|
| Black Natural Nova, Blue/Black, Pro Blue, Purple Nurple | Shows a solid outline in muddy water, at dusk and at night. |
|
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 | Color | Suits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bill Lewis Rat-L-Trap Lipless Crankbait, 1/2 oz, Baby Bass | Lure weight:1/2 oz | Length:3 in | Color:Baby Bass | 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, Blue/Black | Lure weight:1/2 oz | Length:3 in | Color:Blue/Black | Suits:Shallow (to 5 ft) and mid (5 to 12 ft), muddy water, bass and walleye |
| Bill Lewis Rat-L-Trap Lipless Crankbait, 1/2 oz, 3 in | Lure weight:1/2 oz | Length:3 in | Color:Chartreuse 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 Bleeding Shad | Lure weight:1/2 oz | Length:3 in | Color:Chrome Blue Bleeding 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, Pumpkin Perch | Lure weight:1/2 oz | Length:3 in | Color:Pumpkin Perch | Suits:Shallow (to 5 ft) and mid (5 to 12 ft), clear, stained and muddy water, bass and walleye |
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.
Facts
| Lure weight | 1/2 oz |
|---|---|
| Length | 3 in |
| Buoyancy | Sinking |
| Lip | None |
| Rattle | Yes |
| Color | Chartreuse Shad |
| Color family | Chartreuse and bright |
Common questions
Does it float or sink?
It is a sinking lure.
How much does it weigh?
It weighs 1/2 oz.
How long is it?
It is 3 in long.
What color is this version?
This version is Chartreuse Shad.
Updated