Lipless Crankbait Fishing on Cheney Reservoir
Cheney Reservoir · Kansas · Midwest
Cheney Reservoir sits on the North Fork of the Ninnescah River in Reno County, a wide, shallow prairie impoundment averaging roughly 14 feet deep with a maximum depth near 40 feet in the old river channel. Water clarity runs turbid to slightly stained through most of the year, driven by wind chop on exposed flats and agricultural runoff from the surrounding watershed. Largemouth bass, white bass, and walleye share the fishery, but largemouth hold the primary attention of dedicated bass anglers working the riprap dam face, flooded timber pockets, and shallow cove structure.
A flat-sided, lip-less bait that sinks on a slack line and vibrates intensely on the retrieve. Versatile in depth (yo-yo it deep or burn it shallow) and highly effective in vegetation. The 'ripping' technique — letting it sink into grass then snapping it free — is one of the deadliest triggers in bass fishing.
Lipless Crankbait Setup for Cheney Reservoir
| Rod | 7'–7'3" medium to medium-heavy casting rod, moderate-fast action |
| Reel | 7.1:1 baitcaster |
| Line | 14–17 lb fluorocarbon; braid if punching heavy grass |
| Weight | 1/2–3/4 oz (Rat-L-Trap, Strike King Red Eye Shad, Yo-Zuri Rattl'n Vibe) |
Seasonal Tactics on Cheney Reservoir
Lake: Pre-spawn largemouth stage along the riprap dam face and main-lake points in 6–12 ft of water as temps climb through the mid-50s, then push into protected coves and shallow timber flats once the water hits 60°F. White bass runs up the Ninnescah River arm draw significant crowds in April.
Lipless Crankbait: Early spring in grass — rip through milfoil and hydrilla as it starts to green up. Chartreuse/shad colors.
Lake: Largemouth retreat to the deeper creek channel edges and any shade-producing dock or timber structure; the thermocline in this shallow reservoir compresses usable depth quickly, and fish concentrate in the 12–18 ft zone along channel swings during peak heat.
Lipless Crankbait: Burn over deep grass tops at first light. Let it deflect off the edge at end of cast.
Lake: Shad migrations pull bass onto main-lake flats and secondary points through September and October — reaction baits like lipless crankbaits and swimbait-rigged paddle tails produce well when fish are actively schooling near the surface.
Lipless Crankbait: Schooling fish near the surface — burn it or yo-yo it under the school. Chrome and shad patterns.
Lake: Largemouth become lethargic and stack near the deepest available structure, primarily the old river channel in 25–35 ft; slow-rolled swimbaits and finesse drop shots on the channel ledge edges are the most consistent cold-water approach.
Lipless Crankbait: Best season. Slow yo-yo retrieve in 6–15 feet along grass edges. Gold/red and chrome are classic.
Best Conditions
Grass edges and flats, winter and early spring, cold water, windy days, schooling fish, any time bass are chasing shad
Swap treble hooks for 1/0 trebles with feathered rear hook. Adds action, improves hookup ratio on short-striking fish.
More Techniques for Cheney Reservoir
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