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SteelShad · Lipless Crankbaits
SteelShad Original Lipless Crankbait, 3/8 oz, Purple
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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.
A purple 3/8 oz lipless crankbait, 2.75 inches long and built from stainless steel. Without a lip it is a casting lure for working open water for bass, walleye and trout. The compact body suits anglers adding a vibrating blade bait to their tackle.
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
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 dark pattern shows as a silhouette in muddy water and at night. 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
- Muddy
- Light
- Low light
- Night
- 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 |
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. |
|
| Red | 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. |
|
| PurpleThis one | 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 | Purple |
| Color family | Dark |
| 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 Purple.
Updated