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SteelShad · Lipless Crankbaits
SteelShad Heavy Series Lipless Crankbait, 1/2 oz, Tennessee Shad
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Options
- Item weight
- 0.5 Ounces
- Product dimensions
- 1 x 1 x 1 inches
Quick take
Versatile stainless steel blade bait with molded weight and multiple line clip positions for different retrieve depths and actions.
A half-ounce, 2.25-inch lipless blade bait in Tennessee Shad, built from stainless steel with a #8 hook. It sinks, so it works for cranking, jigging or trolling toward bass, walleye, pike and trout. A bendable tail allows tuning of its swimming action.
Best for
- Smallmouth and largemouth bass in various conditions
- Ice fishing jigging presentations
- Shallow to deep water fishing
Skip if
- You prefer soft plastic lures
- You need floating presentations
Strengths
- Stainless steel malleable construction allows customization
- Multiple line clip positions adjust fishing depth
- VMC Black Nickel hooks resist corrosion
- Intense throbbing vibration triggers strikes
Trade-offs
- Limited to blade bait style presentations
- Stainless steel may be visible in clear water
- Requires line clip knowledge to optimize
Fishing fit
- Water
- Freshwater
- Techniques
- Casting
- Jigging
- Trolling
What can I catch with this?
At 1/2 oz, this lipless crankbait is sized for bass and walleye.
- Bass
- Trout
- Walleye
- Pike & musky
When and where to fish it
Its silver baitfish pattern suits clear to lightly stained water. 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
- Clarity
- Clear
- Stained
- Light
- Bright
- Overcast
- 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 silver baitfish pattern imitates shad.
- Shad
How to choose a color and size
Color
| Options | When to pick it | Conditions |
|---|---|---|
| Perch (Firetiger) | A loud pattern that shows up in stained and muddy water under cloud. |
|
| Kentucky Shad, Sexy Shad, Silver, Tennessee ShadThis one | Flashes like a baitfish in clear to lightly stained water. |
|
| White Shad | Stays easy to see in lightly stained water and under cloud. |
|
| Gold | Flashes in stained, tea-colored water and on dark days. |
|
| Purple | 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 | Hook size | Color | Suits |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| SteelShad Heavy Series Lipless Crankbait, 1/2 oz, Perch (Firetiger) | Lure weight:1/2 oz | Length:2.25 in | Hook size:#8 | Color:Perch (Firetiger) | Suits:Shallow (to 5 ft) and mid (5 to 12 ft), stained and muddy water, bass, trout, walleye and pike & musky |
| SteelShad Heavy Series Lipless Crankbait, 1/2 oz, Tennessee Shad | Lure weight:1/2 oz | Length:2.25 in | Hook size:#8 | Color:Tennessee Shad | Suits:Shallow (to 5 ft) and mid (5 to 12 ft), clear and stained water, bass, trout, walleye and pike & musky |
| SteelShad Heavy Series, 1/2 oz, 2.25 in | Lure weight:1/2 oz | Length:2.25 in | Hook size:#8 | Color:White Shad | Suits:Shallow (to 5 ft) and mid (5 to 12 ft), clear and stained water, bass, trout, walleye and pike & musky |
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 | 2.25 in |
| Buoyancy | Sinking |
| Lip | None |
| Hook size | #8 |
| Color | Tennessee Shad |
| Color family | Shad and silver |
| Target species | Bass, Walleye, Pike & musky and Trout |
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 2.25 in long.
What color is this version?
This version is Tennessee Shad.
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