Look- I never said they were the same bait and I never said they would work in the same situations. I just *want to know *how they are different*, and *what specific situations* one would excel over the other.

I have gotten a few helpful answers, but the vast majority have answered the questions like this-

Q:How are they different?

A:Everything

Q:When would you use one over the other?

A:In different situations

Look- I never said they were the same bait and I never said they would work in the same situations. I just *want to know *how they are different*, and *what specific situations* one would excel over the other.

I have gotten a few helpful answers, but the vast majority have answered the questions like this-

Q:How are they different?

A:Everything

Q:When would you use one over the other?

A:In different situations

well as far as what i think was your original question....  i would still use "regular" cranks in addition to chatterbaits or traps for a few reasons.  Most importantly for me is that i have ZERO floating/suspending chatterbaits or lipless cranks....  important for me when trying to work the bait more slowly and in heavier cover....  not to mention i can really dial in my depths depending on whether i use a squarebill, medium diver or deep diver.

jmoore020965, I'm expecting this thread to get locked pretty soon. So, I have an idea. If none of us can help you with this topic, and you're so frustrated with our responses, how 'bout just go out and test it for yourself? I love testing things on the water, it makes my day so much more fun. I'd love to hear what you find about throwing one vs. the other. 

Good luck with your search. 

 

And BTW: At BR we're all about learning and sharing knowledge. Please don't let the way this thread has gone shape your view of our forums. A little more openmindedness to your approach, and you'll learn a ton. 

 

I've just started to throw chatterbaits myself, and am gaining confidence in them. I prefer them to Rat'LTraps, in fact, the only time I throw Rat'LTraps is in early spring, where a red lipless crankbait kills them, in fall, and occasionally for night fishing. Once in a blue moon, I'll pull them out. But I fish chatterbaits more. 

 

It's not a clearcut answer, I've just found that lipless crankbaits work better in some scenarios and chatterbaits work best overall. 

 

With lipped crankbaits, they are a specific depth lure for me. Not a count down, all depths type of bait: I throw them to target a specific span of water and I throw different ones depending on conditions and cover in the area.

 

 

And here's one for the thread: When would you throw a swim jig vs. a chatterbait? 

ETA...Irrelevant now.  

Edited August 6, 201510 yr by Stratos20SS

I was honestly just being silly and trying to emphasize how grateful I was that you took the time to answer the question. I didn't expect a thankful dirty joke to offend the person I was thanking.

So in your experience the chatterbait and rattle trap will both excel in grass, but the crank will excel in any cover. Any theories as to why? Also, any theories as to why the trap stops working for you after early spring but the chatterbait stays strong?

I don't think they are even on the same spectrum of techniques. 

no, and I don't think you should be so quick to discount cranks. I'll throw a crankbait before a trap or chatterbait any day. You can stir up the bottom with them or knock them around on structure and still float them over snags. They are very versatile and shouldn't be compared to substituted with lipless cranks

How are they different?

Chatterbaits attracts bass by vibration, side to side motion of the skirt and/or trailer.

Rat-L-Traps attracts bass by vibration & sound

What specific situation would one excell over the other?

Rat-L-Traps are extremely deadly in the coldest waters of winter.

JMoore when you get good at fishing you are going to look back at this post in embarrassment. What are the advantages of a crankbait?

 

It gets into the strike zone quickly and stays in the strikezone. The faster you reel the better it stays down. At depths greater than like 5 foot a Trap or jig will not stay on the bottom efficiently. A crankbait deflects off of bottom cover and structure much better than a trap and better than a bladed jig in most cases. A crankbait can be fished at depths of up to 20 foot EFFICIENTLY. Yes you can cast out a blade, sew a quilt while while you are waiting it to get to the bottom, and then SLOWLY reel it back to the boat in a way that probably eliminates any action the blade might have. A crankbait is easier to unsnag from rock and most brush then either lure when fishing at depth. A Crankbait stirs up the bottom and attracts fish.

 

I am sure there are other advantages that I am missing but its funny that the one you listed probably is the least relevant to anyone who is any good a cranking. 

 

It gets into the strike zone quickly and stays in the strikezone. The faster you reel the better it stays down. At depths greater than like 5 foot a Trap or jig will not stay on the bottom efficiently. A crankbait deflects off of bottom cover and structure much better than a trap and better than a bladed jig in most cases. A crankbait can be fished at depths of up to 20 foot EFFICIENTLY. Yes you can cast out a blade, sew a quilt while while you are waiting it to get to the bottom, and then SLOWLY reel it back to the boat in a way that probably eliminates any action the blade might have. A crankbait is easier to unsnag from rock and most brush then either lure when fishing at depth. A Crankbait stirs up the bottom and attracts fish.

 

 

+1

 

If you're unsure of the differences just get a lipless, a chatterbait, and a few cranks (squarebill, medium diver, deep diver) and reel them in at various speeds.  I don't have the most experience here with all of the baits but from what I've noticed(in broad general terms) in the limited time I've thrown all three -

 

Chatterbait:

 

Slow Reel - can be fished slower than lipless/billed cranks and maintain it's vibration/bait integrity.  The skirt will still pulse, the trailer will still move, the vibration element will still vibrate.  Can maintain a set depth in the water column by figuring out how fast you need to reel on your setup to keep it at a desired depth without having it rise/fall in the water column.  Can fish different depths by finding it's fall rate and counting down until it hits the desired depth.

 

Fast Reel - Will basically go in a straight line to your rod tip, if you reel it fast enough you can skim it just under the surface or even on the surface as a topwater/buzzbait of sorts.  

 

No Reel/Kill The Bait - sinks, and depending on the make/model may have an attractive fall with a fluttering blade.

 

"Jigging/Pulling" the rod - you can make the chatterbait do neat things either off the bottom or mid swim.

 

I think the chatterbait is the most versatile of the three as you can fish it effectively at different speeds and different depths, it's still appealing on the fall, you can bounce it off the bottom.  It's somewhat weedless as there's no dangling treble hooks to hang up.

 

 

Lipless Crank (RatLTrap, Aruka Shad, LV500): 

 

Slow Reel - Maintains depth, keeps a nice tight flickering side to side action.

 

Fast Reel - Maintains depth, just faster, keeps a nice tight flickering side to side action.

 

No Reel/Kill The Bait - sinks, generally to get it to the bottom or to desired depth.

 

"Jigging/Pulling" the rod - can rip it off the bottom and let it fall down.

 

A lipless crank I think of using to mostly burn through the water after you find the depth you want, whether it's targeting suspended bass or working weedlines/tops of grass, etc.  More of a searchbait where you can control speed/depth/etc.

 

 

Billed Crankbait (squarebill vs deep dive vs etc such a big variation and another subject altogether):

 

Slow Reel - Maintains depth.  Wider wobble than a lipless, with some cranks designed to have a very wide/erratic scattering baitfish pattern.

 

Fast Reel - Maintains depth and action of the slow reel, just faster.

 

No Reel/Kill The Bait - Floats to the surface.  Depth is controlled basically by the bill of the bait, and the bait is meant to dive.  You can control the speed of the retrieve but depth is engineered into the lure.

 

"Jigging/Pulling" the rod - Doesn't do much.

 

Lipped crankbaits, like squarebills, will be better to bounce off or near structure, like rocks and stumps.  Or if you want something to stay in contact on the bottom and stir up a lot of commotion you can get something with a larger lip and crank it so the plastic lip is digging into the bottom and stirring up dirt/sand/etc as you pull it in.  Lipped crankbaits have been made to do a million things but they all (as far as I know) start in the floating position and are designed to dive on the reel in, something a chatterbait or lipless won't do.

 

Kind of a generic rushed post, maybe other people can chime in and add some better details.

no, and I don't think you should be so quick to discount cranks. I'll throw a crankbait before a trap or chatterbait any day. You can stir up the bottom with them or knock them around on structure and still float them over snags. They are very versatile and shouldn't be compared to substituted with lipless cranks

Ease up and put your grown up pants back on. I didn't do punt cranks at all. We destroyed smallmouth yesterday and my number 1 bait was a 1.0 squarebill.

I simply said that they are nowhere near the same bait. That's my opinion, and seems most everyone else's. I don't care what you throw more, like more etc, my point is they aren't the same. Comparing the two is apples to oranges.

I find the OP, and 95% of his replies to be extremely condescending, and that sucks for him. Loads of information on this forum, with great people, but if say his experience will be bleak as long as he acts like the only brain in the room.

Gardnerjigman out...

 

A-Jay

That clown is totally photoshop'd.

Ease up and put your grown up pants back on. I didn't do punt cranks at all. We destroyed smallmouth yesterday and my number 1 bait was a 1.0 squarebill.

I simply said that they are nowhere near the same bait. That's my opinion, and seems most everyone else's. I don't care what you throw more, like more etc, my point is they aren't the same. Comparing the two is apples to oranges.

I find the OP, and 95% of his replies to be extremely condescending, and that sucks for him. Loads of information on this forum, with great people, but if say his experience will be bleak as long as he acts like the only brain in the room.

Gardnerjigman out...

i was agreeing with you.

Wow that got out of control quickly. Haha fun read.

That clown is totally photoshop'd.

 

Didn't you know, that's AJay underneath all that paint?

Chuckling at myself here, I can't believe I read this whole thing.

Chuckling at myself here, I can't believe I read this whole thing.

 

+1.   Somebody put this thread out of its misery!   ;-)

 

Tight lines,

Bob

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