The fall season is one of my favourite times to break out a lipless crankbait. While many people fish “blade baits”, I usually count these as a separate lure entirely. I’ve had a ton of success on Lake Erie, usually from September until the season closes, but this lure can excel on just about any body of water.
How to Fish A Lipless in the Fall
Most people see this bait and think “cast and wind”. As the water temperatures drop and fish are more lethargic, I lean towards a jigging or even dragging approach. As you lift a lipless, you can feel the vibration of the bait. I find this is too aggressive, so I try to “crawl” the bait along the bottom with the odd rip of the bait. The light rattling will attract fish from further away. Many bites will occur on the fall of your cast and as you bump structure along the bottom.
Top Lipless Baits
My personal favourite, the thin profile keeps the bait from rising up too much and falls with a slight shimmy. The weight-forward nose keeps the hooks from snagging, allowing you to drag it.
The TN60 is a bit wider in the nose, featuring a Tungsten lip to bump off structure. A smaller profile, a slow fall and a unique sound with a single Disk Knock rattle.
An old reliable lipless, this bait has the best shimmy, attracting more bites on the fall and excels when vertically jigged.
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