Bobby Lane's Lipless Secrets

Photo: B.A.S.S.

There have been countless articles on fishing lipless crankbaits over the years, and just about everyone has a few in their box. Even with the popularity and fact that everyone is throwing them, they continue to catch fish year after year.

Florida’s Bobby Lane was willing to give up a few secrets to catching more bass with a lipless that go beyond the norm.

Go Silent

Lipless crankbaits, by nature, are loud. They offer tons of sound and that is part of the attraction, but sometimes it is best to tone it down a bit.

“Once you get a school of fish fired up and they stop biting, you don’t always have to go to something finesse or drag a jig on the bottom. Picking up a Duel Hardcore Silent Vibe 70S will allow you to keep the bite going,” says Lane.

Another time when he goes silent is when everyone else is throwing standard rattling versions.

“On highly pressured bodies of water, the fish sometimes hit it better because they are so conditioned to hearing the same loud sound over and over,” Lane believes.

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Make it More Weedless

Lipless crankbaits are nowhere close to being weedless, but they do excel around grass. This proves to be a challenge as anglers are continually trying to rip a bait free to trigger a reaction and free tangled vegetation. Lane has found a solution to make his life easier.

“This was a secret for a long time, and I think it will help anglers get their lipless through grass easier and save your arm from ripping grass all day,” he begins. “Cut the front treble that faces towards the ground, so it is now just two points of a treble.”

While not entirely weedless, Lane says it helps immensely.

“It’s now almost a weedless lipless, and you are not slapping on the water all of the time to clear the grass,” he adds. “You can find fish easier and get another cast in quickly instead of messing with grass all day. It eliminates a lot of the issues.”

Use Mono

For the most part, Lane uses the same rod, reel and line for any lipless he is throwing.

“I use a 7’ medium Abu Garcia Veritas rod with 10.1:1 Revo Rocket and 15-pound Trilene 100% fluorocarbon for all of the Yo-Zuri and Duel lipless crankbaits,” says Lane.

“I never use braided line because it tends to hang up on the front treble. But, I will use 15-pound Big Game monofilament when I need a little more finesse,” he says. “It allows the fish to get it in the mouth a little longer than fluorocarbon.”

He looks for clues to determine when he needs to switch to mono. Fish short striking, being landed with a single treble, missing fish or losing fish on the jump are all times when he makes to move to mono.

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All-Time Favorite

When asked which is his all-time go-to lipless, Lane said it is the 9/16-ounce Yo-Zuri Rattl’n Vibe in Green Silver (shown above).

“I have caught them on that bait from Florida to California and back to New York. The shimmy on that bait is the best on the market, and they have duplicated that with the Duel Hardcore version that is a little bit bigger profile,” says Lane.

Lipless Retrieves

There are many ways to fish a lipless and Lane says he has been asked countless times on retrieves and he has a simple answer every time someone asks him.

“I get asked that all of the time and the best answer is to let the fish know how they want it. It could be dragging it on the bottom, speed reeling, yo-yoing, or just a steady retrieve. I base it on how hard the fish strike it because that is a big clue that you are doing something right,” says Lane.

Go Bright

When fishing conditions warrant it, Lane will go with a bright chartreuse Rattl’n Vibe.

“It’s always a good choice in dirty water, but also anytime you are fishing for smallies. It can be crystal clear water, and they will still crush that bright bait,” he shares.

Heavy Lipless

While sizes around the half-ounce mark get the most attention, Lane doesn’t hesitate to ¾-ounce Duel Hardcore Vibe 75.

“There are two times when I like a bigger lipless. One is if I have found them on smaller sizes and keep catching two pounders and want a bigger bite,” shares Lane. “The other is whenever they are eating bigger shad. The shad in Florida are tiny, but on the Tennessee River they have much bigger shad, and the fish are used to eating them.”

The lipless crankbait is an iconic lure in bass fishing and continues to produce. Professional bass angler Bobby Lane was willing to share a few of his secrets for fishing them more effectively and hopefully they work for you on your next trip.