I've always used Rat-L-Trap lipless crankbaits. I don't use them a huge amount, but I'm starting to use them more.

 

I see a lot of love for the Red eye shad, but I've never had any success with it the few times I've tried it.

 

And then Bill Dance got me on the Cordell super spot, which I have had a little success with.

 

So, between the

 

Rat-L-Trap

Red eyed shad

Cotton Cordell Super Spot

 

Which do you prefer? Prefer one for different situations vs the others? Personal preference or use all 3 depending.

 

Of course there are other varieties of lipless crankbaits, and if you prefer one of those, please feel free to add that and explain why.

 

Those are all good choices. There's so many good ones on the market now. My absolute favorite is this exact one. 13 Fishing Magic Man. 1/2oz. Regurgitated Shad color. Sadly Rapala squashed the 13 Fishing hard baits when they took them over, so you have to look around to find them. They come with great hardware as well, which isn't usually the case nowadays. The dead man eyes is a nice touch. Lol.

 

 

https://www.amazon.com/13-Fishing-Bait-Hard/dp/B0CGVYP6N1

 

If you’re just straight reeling maybe with a little rod lift then a rattletrap is my choice.  If you’re yo-yoing and letting it freefall then the red eye shad has a great shimmy on the fall.  Similarly, shallow water I’ll throw a trap but more than about 4’ and it’s a red eye shad. 

I normally yo-yo. I will occasionally do others.

Bill Lewis Rattle trap for me. Most of my bass caught between 5 and 8 pounds were caught on one. 

Bill Lewis's Rat-L-Trap 😉 

 

Rat-L-Trap 

Floating Trap 

Hammer Trap

Mini Hammer Trap 

Knocker Trap 

Red Eye Shad is my favorite if I'm yo yo-ing it and trying to keep it higher in the water column/retrieve it more slowly and this lipless is ideal for that application.  I've caught my biggest lipless fish on the red eye shad and it's accounted for the lions share of 5+ lbers I've caught on a lipless also.  1/2 oz is my most used size.

 

The Bill Lewis Rat L Trap is my favorite for burning it in /making bottom contact throughout the retrieve/deflecting off of cover.  It's my "ATV" lipless that I throw when I have no idea what I'm fishing my bait through and just want to see if they're chasing something moving and loud/flashy.  I use the 1/4 oz a LOT.

 

6th sense suspending Quake - the most slept on lipless on the market and easily one of the best ever made.  If you fish shallow spots from the bank - it's a must have.  I have caught a 9 lb bass and many smaller fish on this bait and the only reason I haven't had more success with it is not fishing it more often.  It's a stone cold killer!  You can even catch fish just letting it sit like a topwater or Jerkbait.  Absolutely unreal bait.

 

Really I think between these 3 lipless baits I'd be content but I love many others - it's one of my favorite things to throw in dirty water and heavy wind!

WarPig fan here… 

Rapala, Rattlin' Rapala: Red Crawdad, 2", 3/8 oz. 

It Works.

Good Fishing

Red Eye Shad, I yoyo them a lot. I was fishing one in an aluminum jon boat about 15  to 20 foot deep and could actually hear it falling . Also could hear hits . That aluminum bottom  magnified the sound. At one time, three years out of four , my largest bass of the year was caught this way.

Bill Lewis RT and only this one. 

IMA suspending.

and LV500 for me.  i'm boring.  

 

i have a really cool looking mystery one i have had since i was in my 20's.  i keep it to torture myself.  it is fishless.   if i snag it and lose it, i will laugh.

I've had the most success with the Duo Realis G fix lipless. I can fish them deep. They get out of the grass great with the violent rips needed. They usually don't foul as much as others, or hang a treble hook on my line. 

 

I'll fish the Bill Lewis in really gnarly rock because of their lower price point. Caught one of my biggest bass on the Lewis. 

 

Had quite a bit of success with the 6th Sense ones too.

RES 2tap is my all around favorite. Also a big fan of the 6th Sense Quake and Thud. Another vote for the suspending IMA trap also. I don't use it often, but when the conditions are right, it's deadly. 

They all work. 

 

That being said, Bill Lewis is the best all around. 

 

The Red Eye is better for a yo-yo up and down retrieve. It falls while staying upright. Other brands will flutter at random as they fall. 

 

Rattlin Raps work well. I caught my PB walleye on one of those. The Jackall ones work really well, but are pricey and I live in pike territory. Same goes for the Lucky Craft ones. The Booyah/Excalibur ones are also a good all around bait. 

I appreciate all the replies. I might have to try some others, but certainly I won't be giving up my Rat-L-Traps. I might just have to give the Red Eye a better chance. Thanks all.

 

@Bluebasser86 dang, that one wanted it bad! Very nice. Love the lipstick too.

I have been really fond of the Jackall TN70 as of late. Expensive, but just flat catches fish. Also, 6th sense quake 70 is generally my go to. Of the red eye shads I’ve had, none have ever swam straight and come in sideways, almost like on their side. But whatever. I’m happy with what I use. 

My buddy has caught some nice bass on a red eyed shad

2 hours ago, Smirak said:

I have been really fond of the Jackall TN70 as of late. Expensive, but just flat catches fish. Also, 6th sense quake 70 is generally my go to. Of the red eye shads I’ve had, none have ever swam straight and come in sideways, almost like on their side. But whatever. I’m happy with what I use. 

The red eye's are meant to flutter on the fall so may be better with a stop and go retrieve

Been fishing an IMA iSV for 9 or 10 years.  Its a killer in very cold water.  6th sense has one 2, but if I had to pick 1 over the other, it would be the ima.

Riot actually makes a really good cold water lipless.  It doesnt sink as slow as the IMA, probably close to 3 seconds per foot.

The Jackall TN60 has caught so many fish for me.  They sink really fast, but I always seem to get bit if I put some time in with it.  I like fishing it on the bottom around structure in the winter and early prespawn.

Duos Nitro lipless is one I really like.  Its nothing like the Apex or G fix.  Its got a wide bottom that tapers in towards the top, which gives it a good shimmy on the fall.  You can run it slow or burn it and it won't blow out.  The 3/8 is just over 2" and matches the forage well in the fall, but does equally well in the spring.

My experience is limited to Rat L Trap, CC Super Spot and the H2OX from Academy. The Spot and the Academy brand have consistently outperformed the Trap. Sad, because I have a lot of Traps. The newer Traps have better hooks, so I have swapped some of the others with Trap hooks.

11 hours ago, Harold H said:

The red eye's are meant to flutter on the fall so may be better with a stop and go retrieve

The more you know…

 

Out of the ones you listed, I think the RES is the best all around. Rat-L-Trap excels at ripping and burning, but not so much on a yo yo or jigging retrieve, where the RES is superior IMO.

 

These days I throw the Booyah One Knocker and the Thunderhawk Sergeant the most, though.

Rat-L-Trap - great dink slayer

 

Red eyed shad - have a few...not sure any have ever gotten bit (same with Warpigs... no idea why I can't catch with these, but I'm about done with them)

 

Cotton Cordell Super Spot - caught a bunch of eight inch smallies on them.  

 

6th Sense Quake absolutely killed it this spring. A number of days, it accounted for every catch. Comes through wood and grass as well as any I have used.  Burns great, but best with short hops on points and flats.

 

Lucky Craft- all but the 100.  Not sure why they felt the need to screw this one up.  Their old 1/4 oz trap was amazing.  Especially shallow when the grass comes to a foot or two from the surface.  I am cautious with my last two.  The 'new' 100 RTO does nothing for me. 200 and 500 are great.  100 with same design should be good, but they put a little dorsal on there and the action is not the same.

Perhaps consider venturing over to the dark side.

Megabass Vibration-X Smatra & Vibration-X Ultra.

They don't suck.

A-Jay