Hey guys, I have had a question for a while and am just now getting around to asking it. Crankbaits are my go-to bait. I have caught all but two of my bass on them. However, they are quite expensive, especially having to buy ones to cover all depths as well as colors. I have been wondering if there is any advantage to regular cranks over lipless cranks, because with lipless cranks you don't have to buy different depths. So basically, do you prefer crankbaits, lipless cranks or both and for what reasons? Thanks in advance!

I carry all of them. Lipless cranks are better when you need to get really deep, especially in clear water rocky situations. I also really do well on lipless cranks by using a stop and go type retrieve around grass early in the spring, ticking the tops of the grass or even ripping it out of the grass when it fouls. But for banging off timber and rocks, or shallow situations, regular billed crankbaits usually are better. Again though, it's a matter of having both and letting the bass tell you what they want. 

I like the versatility of lipless cranks, but ideally you want plenty of both.

I have a bunch of both. I don't think you could use just one type and be as effective as you could be with both types.

Thanks for the replies, you guys are right. It has been so long since I've been on the water that I forgot all about bumping a crankbait off cover. Looks like I need to stock up on both. Thanks!

between the two, I will always take the lipless crank. Its way more versatile.

Lipless cranks are purty crappy to fish in cover, they hang up in an eyeblink and ----> bye bye mr. lipless crankbait when you´re fishing wood.

 

So, lipless cranks are not more versatile, lipped and lipless cranks are different animals.