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Bill Lewis · Lipless Crankbaits
Bill Lewis Rat-L-Trap Mini-Trap, 1/4oz, Chrome Blue Back
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Options
- Item weight
- 0.01 Kilograms
- Product dimensions
- 1 x 1 x 1 inches
Quick take
A 1/4 oz mini lipless crankbait with interior rattles and strong Mustad hooks, tuned for small species in shallow clear water.
The Bill Lewis Rat-L-Trap Mini-Trap is a 1/4 oz sinking lipless crankbait with an internal rattle, built for shallow, clear water. Its Chrome Blue Back finish and compact 2.5 inch body suit bass, crappie and walleye when fish feed on small baitfish. It is a practical pick for anglers trying lipless fishing for the first time.
Best for
- Downsizing when fish ignore larger lures
- Clear shallow water where small baitfish feed
- Panfish, small trout and sea trout
Skip if
- You fish deep structure or heavy cover
- You target bass or pike over 3 pounds
Strengths
- 1/4 oz weight casts easily on light spinning gear
- Interior rattle produces distinct vibration and sound
- Sinking design reaches bottom in 2 to 4 feet
Trade-offs
- Light weight makes long casts difficult in wind
- Small size means small fish, including perch and bluegill
- Sinking lipless hangs frequently on weed edges
Fishing fit
- Water
- Freshwater
- Saltwater
- Techniques
- Casting
Specifications
| Type | mini lipless crankbait |
|---|---|
| Weight | 1/4oz |
| Sound | Interior rattle |
What can I catch with this?
At 1/4 oz, this lipless crankbait is sized for bass, crappie and trout.
- Bass
- Trout
- Crappie
When and where to fish it
Its rattle helps fish find it in stained or muddy water and in low light. Its silver baitfish pattern suits clear to lightly stained water.
- 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 1/4 oz it sinks slowly, so it is usually fished shallow, over grass and along the bank.
- Surface
- Shallow (to 5 ft) (this product)
- Mid (5 to 12 ft)
- Deep (12 to 25 ft)
- Very deep (over 25 ft)
- Depth zone
- Shallow (to 5 ft)
- Cover
- Open water
- Grass
What you need with it
A 1/4 oz lipless crankbait is usually fished with a spinning rod, a spinning reel and 6 to 10 lb line.
- Spinning rodsA medium-light or medium rod casts a light lure and keeps small treble hooks pinned.
- Spinning reelsA spinning reel handles light line without backlash.
- Monofilament lineStretches, which keeps the hooks pinned when a fish shakes; 6 to 10 lb for this weight.
Pairs with
A 1/4 oz lure pairs with a medium-light or medium rod with a moderate-fast action and with 6 to 10 lb line.
| Item | Range |
|---|---|
| Rod power | Medium light or medium |
| Rod action | Moderate fast |
| Rod lure weight | 1/8 to 1/2 oz |
| Line test | 6 to 10 lb |
What it imitates
Its silver baitfish pattern imitates shad.
- Shad
How to choose a color and size
Color
| Options | When to pick it | Conditions |
|---|---|---|
| Bone Orange Belly, Chartreuse Flash, Red Chartreuse Belly | Stands out in stained or muddy water and in low light. |
|
| Bleeding Shiner, Blue Back Herring, Blue Shiner, Chrome Blue Back, Chrome Blue Bleeding Shad, Chrome Green Back, Chrome Green Bleeding Shad, Chrome Shad, Gizzard Shad, Liv-N-ChromeThis one | Flashes like a baitfish in clear to lightly stained water. |
|
| White Bleeding Shad | Stays easy to see in lightly stained water and under cloud. |
|
| Fathead Minnow, Sunrise Perch | Looks like real forage in clear water, where fish get a long look. |
|
| Candy Craw, Cherry Craw, Natural Crawfish, Red Crawfish | Matches crawfish in cold to cool, stained water early in the season. |
|
| Lectric Gold | Flashes in stained, tea-colored water and on dark days. |
|
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 Mini-Trap Lipless Crankbait, 1/4 oz, Blue Back Herring | Lure weight:1/4 oz | Length:2.5 in | Color:Blue Back Herring | Suits:Shallow (to 5 ft), clear, stained and muddy water, bass, trout and crappie |
| Bill Lewis Rat-L-Trap Mini-Trap, 1/4oz, Chrome Blue Back | Lure weight:1/4 oz | Length:2.5 in | Color:Chrome Blue Back | Suits:Shallow (to 5 ft), clear, stained and muddy water, bass, trout and crappie |
| Bill Lewis Rat-L-Trap Mini-Trap Lipless Crankbait, 1/4 oz, Gracie's Goldfish | Lure weight:1/4 oz | Length:— | Color:Gracie's Goldfish | Suits:Shallow (to 5 ft), bass, trout and crappie |
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 | 1/4 oz |
|---|---|
| Length | 2.5 in |
| Buoyancy | Sinking |
| Lip | None |
| Rattle | Yes |
| Color | Chrome Blue Back |
| Color family | Shad and silver |
Common questions
Does it float or sink?
It is a sinking lure.
How much does it weigh?
It weighs 1/4 oz.
How long is it?
It is 2.5 in long.
What color is this version?
This version is Chrome Blue Back.
Updated