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SteelShad · Lipless Crankbaits
SteelShad Lipless Crankbait, 3/8 oz
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Options
- Item weight
- 0.37 Ounces
- Product dimensions
- 1 x 1 x 1 inches
Quick take
A stainless steel lipless crankbait with throbbing blade action, designed for long casts and deep coverage.
This red version of a 2.75-inch stainless steel lipless crankbait weighs 3/8 oz. With no lip, it suits long casts and steady retrieves for bass, walleye and trout. It carries a treble hook and a compact profile that fits a small tackle box.
Best for
- Bass in all depths and water clarity
- Walleye and trout in reservoirs and lakes
- Fast moving presentations over structure
Skip if
- You fish weeds; treble hooks snag easily
- You need a diving crankbait to reach deeper than 8 feet
Strengths
- Stainless steel construction attracts strikes with vibration
- Long casting design covers water efficiently
- Versatile; effective at multiple retrieve speeds
Trade-offs
- Treble hooks foul on vegetation and wood
- Lipless design limits dive depth compared to crankbaits with lips
- Stainless steel can be slippery when wet
Fishing fit
- Water
- Freshwater
- Techniques
- Casting
Specifications
| Type | lipless crankbait |
|---|---|
| Weight | 3/8 oz |
| Colors | 5 available |
What can I catch with this?
At 3/8 oz, this lipless crankbait is sized for bass and walleye.
- Bass
- Trout
- Walleye
When and where to fish it
Its craw or red pattern suits cold to cool, stained water in early spring. 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
- Stained
- 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 3/8 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 3/8 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 3/8 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 craw or red pattern imitates crawfish.
- Crawfish
How to choose a color and size
Color
| Options | When to pick it | Conditions |
|---|---|---|
| Yellow Shad | Stands out in stained or muddy water and in low light. |
|
| Kentucky Shad, Kentucky Shad 3/4 oz, Sexy Shad, Silver, Silver 3/4 oz, Tennessee Shad, Tennessee Shad 3/4 oz | Flashes like a baitfish in clear to lightly stained water. |
|
| White Shad | Stays easy to see in lightly stained water and under cloud. |
|
| Perch, Perch 3/4 oz | Looks like real forage in clear water, where fish get a long look. |
|
| RedThis one | Matches crawfish in cold to cool, stained water early in the season. |
|
| Gold, Gold 3/4 oz | 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 | Color | Suits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| SteelShad Original Lipless Crankbait, 3/8 oz, Purple | Lure weight:3/8 oz | Length:2.75 in | Color:Purple | Suits:Shallow (to 5 ft) and mid (5 to 12 ft), muddy water, bass, trout and walleye |
| SteelShad Lipless Crankbait, 3/8 oz | Lure weight:3/8 oz | Length:2.75 in | Color:Red | Suits:Shallow (to 5 ft) and mid (5 to 12 ft), stained water, bass, trout and walleye |
| SteelShad Original Lipless Crankbait, 3/8 oz, Silver | Lure weight:3/8 oz | Length:2.75 in | Color:Silver | Suits:Shallow (to 5 ft) and mid (5 to 12 ft), clear and stained water, bass, trout 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 | 3/8 oz |
|---|---|
| Length | 2.75 in |
| Lip | None |
| Color | Red |
| Color family | Craw and red |
| Target species | Bass, Walleye and Trout |
Common questions
How much does it weigh?
It weighs 3/8 oz.
How long is it?
It is 2.75 in long.
What color is this version?
This version is Red.
Updated