By Al McGuckin

Terry “Big Show” Scroggins

Along with trail cam pictures and Halloween costumes come swimbaits, A-rigs and squarebill crankbaits this time of year.

But don’t sleep on the category of lures Bill Lewis made famous more than 50 years ago, because lipless crankbaits flat-out catch ‘em when cool weather hits– and they likely always will.

Here are three tips from Terry “Big Show” Scroggins to soup-up your lipless crankbait game between now and Christmas when you’re not in a treestand.

Don’t just throw the standard size

The ½ ounce size is by far the most popular and top-seller of all time, but Scroggins says the smaller 1/4-ounce size will get you bites when the larger size won’t.

“By this time of year, bass have seen a ton of lures, and the baitfish are a bit smaller too. So, a lot of times that ¼-ounce size will outfish the bigger baits,” says the winner of more than $2 Million in tournament prize money.

Braided line around aquatic vegetation

“You can get away with 12-pound fluorocarbon or monofilament on your lipless baits if you’re just throwing around rocky shorelines or pockets, but if you’re raking them over submerged grass, braided line is going to make your life a whole lot easier,” explains Scroggins.

The Florida pro reaches for 30-pound Hi-Seas braid to rip his rattling baits free from the vegetation, and that’s often when the bite occurs.

Keep your color selection simple in the fall

While there have been nearly as many red lipless baits sold during February and March the past 25 years as Dollar General sells in Reese’s Cups the last week of October, Scroggins basically leans on shades of shad or chartreuse during the fall.

“If the water is pretty dingy, I love to throw the lemon-lime color, but most days I’m going to tie on Sexy Shad or Foxy Mama,” says Scroggins. “Of course, blue and chrome is the greatest seller of all-time, and there’s good reason for that, but I like to mix it up a little bit, and show ‘em something they haven’t seen a ton of,” he grins.