Lipless crankbaits are an excellent tool whenever youâre attempting to dissect large areas in a short period of time. Whether you fish larger lakes or small ponds, theyâre a great way to quickly locate active bass.
Iâve been testing the Lucky Craft LV 500 for the past several weeks and after hundreds of casts and lots of nice fish catches, it has become an important tool in my boat. It has some very unique characteristics that have allowed me to be much more efficient on the water.
What youâll like about it
First things first, allow me to get something out of the way: Not all lipless crankbaits are the same. While many of them look similar in the package, there are several nuances worth considering before making a purchase. Iâve tested nearly all of them and only a select few meet my particular standards.
Anglers will first notice the outstanding castability of the Lucky Craft LV 500. Youâll find other lipless plugs that cast well, but this lure currently out-casts everything in my boat. It weighs in at 3/4-ounce with most of the weight in its nose, which allows your rod to load excellently on the back cast. Even in high winds, youâll experience very little twirling or twisting while the lure is in flight. If youâre targeting windblown points or flats, it will be a very useful tool for you.
In addition to its castability, this is also one of the loudest lipless crankbaits Iâve ever tested. It has a combination of both internal brass and glass rattles that create a very unique sound and pitch. If you shake it in your hand, itâs almost ear-piercing, to be quite honest. This design feature makes it especially effective in stained and muddy water. Weâve had a bunch of rain in my area lately and the lakes are essentially orange; this is one of the only lures thatâs producing for me.
There are over 45 color options available on Tackle Warehouse and not only are they extremely lifelike, but they also hold up well to hook rash and teeth marks. You can pound the LV 500 into rocks, gravel and wood without any chipping or cracking to the finish.
Also worth mentioning are the quality components. Iâm not a big tinkerer when it comes to my tackleâI like fishing much more than replacing hooksâand if youâre of a similar mindset, youâll be able to appreciate both the hooks and the split rings that come on this lure. The No. 6 rear treble and the No. 4 front treble are super sharp and have very little flex when youâre fighting fish.
Because the LV 500 is meant to be fished aggressively and around submerged vegetation, the split rings are quite beefy and I have noticed absolutely zero give; even when I work on âem with a strong set of pliers. The oval-shaped line tie is also a nice touch, as it keeps your knot from becoming frayed in the jagged part of the split ring.
My experiences with it
Iâve spent a lot of time fishing with this lure in both larger reservoirs and smaller farm ponds and Iâm incredibly impressed by its productivity and efficiency. The fish havenât been concentrated in big groups lately, so covering water quickly has been a major key to getting bites.
Itâs difficult to articulate how well the LV 500 casts; it will open up a lot of opportunities for bank anglers especially. I have a favorite pond I like to fish in the evenings after work and when Iâm limited on time, I donât fool with launching the boat. This lure allows me to reach places from the bank that I previously couldnât. With most techniques, I can fish about 30 percent of the pond from the bank but the castability of the LV 500 allows me to fish roughly 50 to 60 percent of it.
Thereâs something about the sound of this lure that even lethargic bass have a hard time ignoring. It doesnât sound like your typical lipless plug and based on the aggressiveness of the strikes Iâve had, I feel like the fish attack it out of irritation than anything else. Most of the bites Iâve experienced have flat-out stopped my reel handle.
Final impressions
The Lucky Craft LV 500 is a high-end, fish-catching lure. With prices starting at $15.99 per lure, itâs not going to be in everyoneâs price range. But if youâre able to spring some extra cash for a lipless bait, I would absolutely recommend it. It casts like a rocket, it has a very different sound and most importantly, it catches âem.
The Lucky Craft LV 500 is available at TackleWarehouse.com.