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SteelShad · Lipless Crankbaits
SteelShad Mini Series Lipless Crankbait, 1/4 oz, Silver
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Options
- Item weight
- 0.25 Ounces
- Product dimensions
- 1 x 1 x 1 inches
Quick take
A 1/4 oz lipless crankbait with stainless steel construction and multiple rigging positions for rapid vibrating action in shallow to medium depths.
The Silver finish of this 1/4 oz lipless crankbait is 1.75 inches long and sold as a two-pack with #12 hooks. It suits bass, walleye and trout, and a fluttering fall makes it a fit for jigging through the ice. Long casts reach fish in fall, and a fast retrieve can draw prespawn fish.
Best for
- Jigging through ice in winter
- Pan fish in shallow ponds and lakes
- Versatile casting lure for multiple species
Skip if
- You need a lure that tracks deep
- You fish in heavy weeds or structure
Strengths
- Vibrating lipless action triggers strikes from multiple species
- Multiple split ring positions adjust depth and action
- Stainless steel construction resists freshwater and saltwater corrosion
Trade-offs
- Treble hooks snag easily on bottom and wood
- Tight vibration is less effective in strong current
- 1/4 oz is light for distance casting in wind
Fishing fit
- Water
- Freshwater
- Saltwater
- Techniques
- Casting
- Jigging
- Trolling
- Skill level
- Intermediate
What can I catch with this?
At 1/4 oz, this lipless crankbait is sized for bass, crappie and trout.
- Bass
- Trout
- Walleye
- Pike & musky
- Crappie
- Striped bass
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 1/4 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 |
|---|---|---|
| Yellow Shad | Stands out in stained or muddy water and in low light. |
|
| 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. |
|
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 Mini Series Lipless Crankbait, 1/4 oz, Kentucky Shad | Lure weight:1/4 oz | Length:1.75 in | Hook size:#12 | Color:Kentucky Shad | Suits:Shallow (to 5 ft), clear and stained water, bass, trout, walleye, pike & musky, crappie and striped bass |
| SteelShad Mini Series Lipless Crankbait, 1/4 oz, Sexy Shad | Lure weight:1/4 oz | Length:1.75 in | Hook size:#12 | Color:Sexy Shad | Suits:Shallow (to 5 ft), clear and stained water, bass, trout, walleye, pike & musky, crappie and striped bass |
| SteelShad Mini Series Lipless Crankbait, 1/4 oz, Silver | Lure weight:1/4 oz | Length:1.75 in | Hook size:#12 | Color:Silver | Suits:Shallow (to 5 ft), clear and stained water, bass, trout, walleye, pike & musky, crappie and striped bass |
| SteelShad Mini Lipless Crankbait, 1/4 oz, 2-Pack | Lure weight:1/4 oz | Length:1.75 in | Hook size:#12 | Color:White Shad | Suits:Shallow (to 5 ft), clear and stained water, bass, trout, walleye, pike & musky, crappie and striped 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
| Lure weight | 1/4 oz |
|---|---|
| Length | 1.75 in |
| Lip | None |
| Hook size | #12 |
| Pack count | 2 |
| Color | Silver |
| Color family | Shad and silver |
| Target species | Bass, Crappie, Walleye, Trout, Pike & musky and Striped bass |
Common questions
How much does it weigh?
It weighs 1/4 oz.
How long is it?
It is 1.75 in long.
What color is this version?
This version is Silver.
Updated