Evergreen ZE Lipless Crank Review

Lipless crankbaits are staples in bass fisherman’s tackle boxes from coast to coast and Canada to Mexico. And bass on major lakes and rivers see many lipless crankbaits every year and even every season. They are effective in grass and open water alike and can fished just about anywhere effectively save for real woody areas or thick matted vegetation. 

So most anglers keep boxes full of them in various sizes and colors, and I’ve added the Evergreen ZE Lipless Crank to my box this past year. I got a couple last fall to play with. I liked the size and shape of them being different and they sounded different than a lot of the lipless baits in my box.

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When they are really biting a lipless crankbait, I think you can get away with a lot of colors in styles. But fish quickly become conditioned to certain sounds ands vibrations and the bite seems to slow. That’s when I start playing with different lipless baits. I might go with a different color, a bigger size or a one knocker sound. 

The ZE Lipless Crank features a combination of glass, brass and tungsten rattles so the bait covers several frequencies of sound in the water column. I think that can be advantageous, especially on pressured fish. So there is a multitude of pitches being covered. I got on a couple scrapes and the fish seemed to react well to the sound and vibration of the ZE.

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I caught several fish with a yo-yo retrieve out deep on the ZE Lipless Crank, but most of the fish I caught were on a straight retrieve. The ZE was designed to cut a V-wake through the water. So it cuts a wide swath. As you speed it up it’s pattern gets tighter. So that makes the bait fairly versatile for dirty or muddy water with a slower retrieve and a little faster retrieve in clearer waters.

The bait weighs 3/4 ounce and measures nearly 3 inches long. It’s got unique edges and angles incorporated into it to catch water and give the bait a solid vibration that gives the bait it’s unique sound. 

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The bait was designed to be a little heavier but to fish more like a 1/2 ounce bait. So you can throw it a long way and cover a ton of water on every cast, which is where lipless crankbaits shine. They can cover large grass beds, flats and even deep water spots quickly yet effectively. The design of this bait was perfect for doing all of the above.

The ZE comes in 6 colors and I really liked the Fire Craw and the Striped Shad. You can find the Evergreen ZE Lipless Crank on tacklewarehouse.com and other retailers that carry Evergreen products. Check out the underwater video of the crankbait below.

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