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Bill Lewis · Lipless Crankbaits
Bill Lewis Rat-L-Trap Mini-Trap Lipless Crankbait, 1/4 oz, Gracie's Goldfish
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Options
- Item weight
- 0.25 Ounces
- 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 Gracie's Goldfish Mini-Trap is a 1/4 oz sinking lipless crankbait with a shad-like profile and a tight wiggle, aimed at bigger bass. Its plastic body carries a Mustad Triple Grip J-hook for anglers who want a compact sinking option for shallow cover.
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
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
Lipless crankbaits are often fished in early spring and in fall, over grass flats and shallow points.
- Season
- Spring
- Fall
- Water
- Pond
- Lake
- Reservoir
- River
- 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 |
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-Chrome | 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 |
|---|---|
| Buoyancy | Sinking |
| Lip | None |
| Color | Gracie's Goldfish |
Common questions
Does it float or sink?
It is a sinking lure.
How much does it weigh?
It weighs 1/4 oz.
What color is this version?
This version is Gracie's Goldfish.
Updated