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Lipless Tactics

The thought of working a lure through grass dangling two treble hooks from its belly may appear to be an act in futility by most. However, anglers that have dared to navigate lipless crankbaits into the underwater grass fields know their only limitation in success is not making the cast.

In fact, Elite Angler Pete Ponds insists his lipless crankbait come in contact with the grass.

Ticking the Tops

“Bass love to stage in grass! An extremely effective way to cover a lot of water is with a lipless crankbait. Although the bait is very easy to fish, you want to make sure you are feeling the bait tick the top of the grass,” said Ponds, a Madison Mississippi resident. The lipless crankbait is often referred to as the “idiot bait”. However, fish that will bite under normal conditions will not react favorably if the bait is not presented in the strike zone or in a reactionary manner. Simply casting and retrieving the bait when the bass are not active will not produce the desired results.

Bass are either actively feeding or hanging out until they decide to feed. During the feeding stages, anglers are often rewarded with fast action and large numbers of catches. This period of time is normally much shorter than the amount of time a bass spends in idle behavior.

As a result, by allowing the lipless crankbait to come in contact with the top of the grass it creates sporadic movements and resembles a baitfish trying to escape. Also, most lipless baits have rattles in which produce noise. By bumping into the grass the vibration as well as the sound suddenly change translating into increased strikes.

Yo-Yo Retrieve

A common myth when fishing dense grass is that it requires flipping a jig or tube into the holes of the grass in order to be effective. That is not the case, says Ponds. Although these techniques are also effective, they are simply not as efficient for covering a lot of water. A lipless crankbait is ideal for such a scenario. Merely allow the bait to sink to the desired depth, preferably to the top of the grass line, and then begin the retrieve. As you reel it back to the boat, drop the tip of the rod and slow your retrieval speed allowing the bait to sink a couple of feet. Then instantly raise your rod tip and speed up the retrieve causing the bait to rise.

In doing so, the action is much like that of a yo-yo allowing the bait to cover a larger area of the strike zone plus enticing a bass as a result of the erratic movements and change in sound. “Often when the bait hangs up in the grass and I jerk it loose is when the strike occurs,” adds Ponds, “they just can’t resist the change.”

Defined edges or grass lines are the highest percentage areas for Ponds. “Edges present ambush points and act as underwater highways for bass,” says Ponds. If bass are not relating to the outside edge of the grass line he will likely cast into the grass and retrieve the bait “yo-yo” style out towards the edge until he finds exactly where the bass are holding.

Lipless Gear

The advantages to targeting bass with a lipless crankbait include the ability to cover a tremendous amount of water. Pete prefers a 7 ½ ft medium heavy rod allowing him to make extra long cast as well as have enough backbone to rip the bait loose when it gets hung in the grass.

Because grass lines differ in depths he will often employ different pound-test of line. For example, if the grass is shallow he’ll likely use 17-20lb test line. Conversely, if the grass is deeper, 15lb test is the preference, allowing the bait to sink more quickly. When choosing colors, Pete recommends matching the color baitfish or primary forage present in the lake. However, red is his color of confidence for most southern tributaries.

The realization of the predatory nature of bass will help in the understanding of the value of lipless crankbaits. By coming into contact with the grass and ultimately translating into sudden changes in movements, sound, and vibration, bass can’t help but revert to their predatory behavior. Although your arms and shoulders may agree with popular opinion at the end of the day, your realization of the effectiveness of this style of fishing will certainly remove any doubts!