TackleTour Autopsy: Gutting the Gizzard, Live Target’s Lipless Rattlebait

Introduction: In a short few seasons Live Target has built a well deserved reputation for introducing some of the most realistic hard and softbaits on the market. Known for their quality finishes these baits are designed to be “targets” for everything from bass to offshore Tuna. We take a look an inside the company’s popular Gizzard Shad lipless crankbait to see just what makes this bait rattle.

Live Target makes some of the most realistic looking hardbaits on the market and the Gizzard Shad is no exception

The Gizzard Shad lipless rattlebait is popular among anglers from the Midwest through the East Coast that are looking to match the hatch. Gizzard Shad school tightly near structure and the Live Target Gizzard Shad can be fished at any depth allowing anglers to get where the Bass, Walleye, or Pike are feeding.

This bait features a realistic profile complete with a protruding anal fin

Live Target offers the Gizzard Shad in three sizes 2 ˝”, 3”, and 3 ˝” and weigh 1/2oz., 3/4oz., and 1oz. respectively. The bait features a similar profile to most lipless crakbaits with a thicker head that extends down to a thinner tail section.

The fins on the side also protrude

Where Live Target mixes it up is with the addition of fins. These are not simply painted on fins but actual protruding fins on the side and underbelly of the bait. The bait even has an anal fin and all of the fins are painted beautifully giving them even more depth and helping them stand out from the rest of the body.

To give these fins even more depth they are painted

Live Target finishes the bait with large 3D eyes and further accentuates the eyes with black paint around the socket. The Gizzard Shad is available in both solid and translucent patterns and I’m quite fond of the silver patterns which exhibit a greater amount of flash. New for this season are the Silver/Gold and Silver/Black patterns.

In the water the lure dives nose first

In the water the Gizzard Shard goes nose down immediately helping anglers get down quickly as well as deflect off structure during retrieves. In the field I’ve noticed that this particular bait does take damage in the form of scratches relatively easily and this was confirmed in the lab as very little abrasion was necessary to remove the finish. Though this lure has been damaged many times in the field I have found that it continues to produce strikes. In addition to the lifelike finish the lure relies on two other fish triggering mechanisms, action and sound.

It doesn't take much to scratch this bait

With the formalities out of the way it was finally time to take a look inside this bait. When shaken in hand the lure produced a loud high pitched rattle. With the lure cut open we could see two distinct rattle chambers with the majority of bearings positioned in the lower section of the bait to help balance out the lure and the two isolated chambers also allow for the production of different rattle tones simultaneously.

Time to take a look inside

In addition to the rattles there is a third static lead weight that is positioned in the head of the lure, this is what is responsible for causing the lure to dive nose first ad retrieve at the right angle. The hooks are attached to independent wire loops that are sandwiched right into the plastic mold.

The bait features a lead weight in the nose and two distinct rattle chambers (note only two beads were in the upper chamber, cut in half we couldn't fit all of the beads in the smaller chamber)

Overall the Live Target Gizzard Shad is a well-made bait that takes a traditional lipless baits to the next level with a multi-chambered rattle design, but what really “makes” this lure is the outstanding finish that incorporates 3D fins with the company’s superb paint finish. Some lures look good, some are good at catching fish, and the Live Target Gizzard Shad manages to do both with a simple yet effective design.

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