Bill Lewis · Lipless Crankbaits
Bill Lewis Rat-L-Trap Mini-Trap, 2.5 in, 1/2 oz
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Options
- Item weight
- 13.61 g
- Product dimensions
- 1 x 1 x 1 inches
Quick take
A 2.5 in lipless crankbait with a low-frequency rattle that covers water fast and catches shallow-water fish with aggressive vibration.
This chartreuse Rat-L-Trap is a sinking lipless crankbait that makes a knocking sound and a tight wiggle, shaped to suggest a shad. It works in fresh and salt water, from shallow flats to deep structure, depending on how fast you crank or how long you let it sink. Anglers reel it steadily, lift and drop it with the rod tip, or pause the retrieve to draw a strike.
Best for
- Shallow flats and schools of shad on surface
- Largemouth and smallmouth bass in clear water
- Panfish when downsized presentation works
Skip if
- You need a deep-diving lure for structure
- You fish dirty water where subtlety works better
Strengths
- Compact aerodynamic size casts easily despite half-ounce weight
- Low-frequency knocking attracts predators from a distance
- Time-tested design proven over 35 years
Trade-offs
- Vibration and rattle can spook fish in clear, pressured water
- Limited to shallow water even with fast sinking rate
- Tight wiggling action less appealing to walleye and pike
Fishing fit
- Water
- Freshwater
- Saltwater
- Techniques
- Casting
Specifications
| Type | lipless crankbait |
|---|---|
| Length | 2.5 in |
| Weight | 1/2 oz |
| Hooks | Treble |
What can I catch with this?
- Bass
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
- Cover
- Open water
- Grass
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 |
|---|---|---|
| Saltwater / Gold Chartreuse, Saltwater / Pink Chrome, Saltwater / Pink Gold, Satwater / Chartreuse Flash, Satwater / Chrome ChartreuseThis one | Stands out in stained or muddy water and in low light. |
|
| Saltwater / Redhead Glass | Gives a see-through baitfish look in clear water and bright sun. |
|
| Satwater / Chrome Black Back | Flashes like a baitfish in clear to lightly stained water. |
|
| Satwater / Cigar Minnow | Looks like real forage in clear water, where fish get a long look. |
|
| Satwater / Chrome Black Back/Red Eye, White/Red Head - Sw | Matches crawfish in cold to cool, stained water early in the season. |
|
| Saltwater / Gold Transparent, Satwater / Gold Black Back | 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 | Color | Suits |
|---|---|---|
| Bill Lewis Rat-L-Trap Mini-Trap Lipless Crankbait, Chrome Black Back/Red Eye | Color:Satwater / Chrome Black Back/Red Eye | Suits:Stained and muddy water, bass, redfish, speckled trout and flounder |
| Bill Lewis Rat-L-Trap Mini-Trap, 2.5 in, 1/2 oz | Color:Satwater / Chrome Chartreuse | Suits:Stained and muddy water, bass |
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
| Buoyancy | Sinking |
|---|---|
| Lip | None |
| Rattle | Yes |
| Color | Satwater / Chrome Chartreuse |
| Color family | Chartreuse and bright |
| Target species | Bass |
Common questions
Does it float or sink?
It is a sinking lure.
What color is this version?
This version is Satwater / Chrome Chartreuse.
Updated