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Bill Lewis · Lipless Crankbaits
Bill Lewis Rat-L-Trap Lipless Crankbait, 1/2 oz, Baby Bass
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Options
- Item weight
- 0.5 Ounces
- 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 Baby Bass Rat-L-Trap is a 1/2 oz sinking lipless crankbait with an internal rattle and a natural-looking finish. It measures about 3 inches and has two treble hooks. A good pick for ripping through shallow grass or fishing open water for 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
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 natural pattern suits clear water, where fish get a long look at the lure.
- Season
- Spring
- Fall
- Water
- Pond
- Lake
- Reservoir
- River
- Clarity
- Clear
- Stained
- Muddy
- Light
- Bright
- 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 natural pattern imitates bluegill and perch.
- Bluegill
- Perch
How to choose a color and size
Color
| Options | When to pick it | Conditions |
|---|---|---|
| Chartreuse Shad, Chartreuse Shiner, Pink Lady | 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 | Baby Bass |
| Color family | Natural |
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 Baby Bass.
Updated