There is one lure that Bassmaster Elite Series pro Brandon Card always has rigged up late in the year and all the way to spawn. It is something that he believes shines any time the water is below 60-degrees, and it will work just about everywhere.
His bait of choice?
A lipless crankbait, which is no secret for cold-water fishing, but it is something that he has learned that he can always count on.
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When and Where
The lipless crankbait will work all year long, but Card feels that when the water is cold and you are fishing grass, it is hard to beat.
“The biggest thing I am looking for is grass and the cleaner and healthier the grass is, the easier to work the bait. The green grass is crispy and doesn’t hang up as much as dying or dead grass does,” Card shared.
Finding green grass during the colder months isn’t always easy, so Card looks for high-percentage areas.
“I am looking for the clumps of green grass and one of the best places to look for it on humps that are close to deep water because these are always good places to find bass when the water is colder,” he added.
Grass Types
Any type of vegetation is suitable, but Card prefers milfoil is he had to pick just one to fish.
“At the recent Bassmaster Classic on Guntersville, we had milfoil, hydrilla, and eelgrass, and all three will work for fishing a lipless, but milfoil always seems to be the best. I think it is the best for big bass and it is the easiest to rip a lipless through because it fishes clean,” Card believes. “You know when you are in the right areas when the bait is ripping through the grass clean, both when it is still dying and when it starts growing again.”
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Not Just Any Lipless
Card’s bait of choice is a proven winner, the Yo-Zuri Rattl'n Vibe in the 5/8-ounce size.
“That bait is one of the best, if not the best, lipless crankbait on the market for fishing grass. Every tournament we have early in the year, I am always asked by fellow competitors if I have any they can have,” Card said and shared that other lure brands sponsor most of these anglers.
So, what makes the Yo-Zuri lipless so good and sought after?
It all comes down to the action, according to Card.
“When you rip it up through the grass and let it fall back down, it doesn’t fall off to the side like other lipless baits I have tried tend to do. You can pull it up and let it fall just like a blade bait and that is a great way to catch them when the water is cold,” he said.
Card says that another key to the effectiveness is the unique shimmy. “It is heavy and stays in the grass so you can rip it free. When you rip it through the grass and let it fall down, it has a great shimmy almost like a Senko,” he said.
Color Choices
Lipless crankbaits come in every color imaginable, but this time of year Card keeps it simple.
“Most of the time they are eating one of two things; crawfish or shad. I use a few different colors of each and they cover almost all of my lipless fishing this time of year,” Card shared.
For crawfish patterns, he likes Matte Craw and Matte Rayburn Red Crawfish, which is a little brighter color pattern.
When trying to imitate shad, he has three picks: Citrus Shad, Sexy Shad, and Black Silver.
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Lipless Gear
When fishing a Rattl’n Vibe, Card prefers a 7’6” medium-heavy Abu Garcia Fantasista Premier rod and an 8.1:1 Revo MGX reel.
“The 7’6” Fantasista medium-heavy has a lighter action than other rods or the same length and power from Abu, but it is still strong enough to snap the bait from grass and the length is great for making long casts,” he said.
His reel is faster than many anglers use for reaction baits like this, but Card has his reasoning.
“I like the faster retrieve, so when I snap the bait free, I can turn the reel handle a couple of times and be ready to do it again,” Card shared.
He spools up with anywhere between 16- to 20-pound test fluorocarbon depending on how thick the grass is. His line of choice is a new premium fluorocarbon from Hardcore called T7.
When fishing grass during the colder months, a lipless crankbait is a solid choice because it can be fished effectively and just catches them. Having the right bait and finding the right grass is a recipe for a great day of winter and early spring bass fishing.d
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