i don't normally fish crankbaits but i want to become a more versatile angler. I went to gander mountain the other day and i got some Rapala Clackin Rap Lipless crankbait on sale for $6. Just wondering if any one has had success with the clackin rap in the pre-spawn. and if so what retrieve where you using. i know there are lots of retrieves that could be used with a lipless crankbait anyone want to elaborate on the retrieves for me.

Lipless cranks are a good cold water bait. I use rat L Traps though. I have fished these where there are little or no weeds with less success. So the presence of weeds seems to be the right scenario. In cold water, I like to reel it as slow as possible without getting fouled in weeds on the bottom. It takes practice. In cold water, 40's and below, fish won't chase a bait far, if at all. so slow is the name of the game.

When the water warms well into the 50's, other reaction baits seem to work better for me. I might still catch a few on them here and there and they'll usually be better quality fish. Then these will shine again in the fall when bass are chasing bait ahead of the winter. A faster retrieve seems to work better then. Sometimes you can mop up with this bait in the fall.

BTW, I have 7 Rat L Traps and another lipless crank someone gave me in red craw, bluegill, bleeding shad and gold metallic. I almost never use any other than the gold metallic, 1/2 oz. I can't seem to buy a bite on other colors. Maybe just coincidence, but I'm superstitious. Fish have made me a believer.

 

@the reel ess thanks

I should add that a lot of people swear by the red craw color in winter.

I haven't personally tried the Clackin' Rap but I am a fan of Rapalas Rattlin' Rap. 

I mainly throw a lipless around and in submerged grass and the type of retrieve I use is either yo-yo'ing/ripping it through the grass or barely ticking over it. I have caught a few fish here and there around rocks and open water, but most of the fish I catch on a lipless are in the grass.

I think location is a lot more important than the type of retrieve since it is a reaction style bait.