Michigan Out of Doors University

Lipless Cranks Dominate The Spring

Catch More Bass With A RedEye Shad

By Tony Hansen

Sometimes the timing is just right.

That goes for fishing and writing.

The intention of this piece was to discuss how to use lipless crankbaits to catch early-season bass. It stems from a lifetime of study of the ways of bass  -- and the guys that catch them for more frequently than I.

It comes also as the result of a conversation I had with Kevin Van Dam about two years ago when the Strike King RedEye Shad was fairly new to most angler’s tackleboxes.  Lipless crankbaits, of course, are not new. They’ve been around for quite some time with the Bill Lewis Rat-L-Trap being the go-to bait.

Trouble is, many anglers simply don’t know how – or more importantly when – these baits can really produce. The basic design was also a bit flawed in that it wasn’t really designed to be extremely versatile.  The advent of the RedEye shad, however, has changed that.

“The RedEye shad has a shimmy when it falls that other lipless cranks don’t have,” said VanDam. “That really makes the bait a lot more versatile because you’re able to crank it fast and then kill it – it’s that fall that triggers strikes. So now you’re not just relying on the vibration and action of the bait when you’re retrieving it, you’ve got that shimmy to work with as well.”

When talking with VanDam about the bait, it was great advice. Of course, I had no idea just how perfect the timing would be. Because just a few weeks ago, Van Dam used the RedEye shad – and these techniques – to win his second BassMaster Classic title.

“Flat sided baits are ideal for early in the season,” said Van Dam. “Largemouth especially seem to really key on flat-sided baits. Early in the season the fish are shallow because the bait is shallow. If you can find the area the bait is, you’ll find concentrations of fish and you can wail on them with a RedEye shad.”

Here’s how to do it:

First, you want to use a bait that matches the forage. If you’re fishing an area with crayfish opt for a brown or orange bait. If baitfish are on the menu, go for chrome, gold or a natural-looking finish.

Second, you want to identify areas that have some sort of grass or weed growth. Not all areas of the lake will have green weeds early in the season – finding those that do will put you near fish.

The third step is to cover water and lipless cranks are a perfect way to do it. Cast out and retrieve the bait with a pumping action. The key is to tick the tops of the weeds. When the bait makes contact, snap the rod tip upward and then let the bait fall. The shimmy on the fall will trigger bites.