# DUO Apex Vibe: the lipless that thumps low instead of buzzing fast > Four sizes from 62 to 100 mm, all sinking: low-frequency vibration, an upright rest on the bottom, and the horizontal and vertical retrieves that suit it. - Source : https://carnafish.com/en/leurres/duo-apex-vibe-lipless-crankbait/ - Language : en-US - Updated : 2026-09-11 ## Spec sheet - Brand : DUO - Model : Apex Vibe Lipless Crankbait - Type : Lipless crankbait - Target species : Bass, Zander, Perch - Size : 6.2 / 6.8 / 8.5 / 10 cm (2.4 / 2.7 / 3.3 / 3.9 in) depending on the size - Weight : 9.4 g / 1/3 oz in 62, 14.2 g / 1/2 oz in 68, 28.3 g / 1 oz in 85, 31.9 g / 1-1/8 oz in 100 - Running depth : full column, all four sizes are rated sinking - Retrieve speed : from a very slow yo-yo to a steady straight retrieve, it handles both - Action : a wide, low-frequency thump rather than a fast buzz, tips keel-first on the pause and settles upright on the bottom - Rigging : direct knot or a thin snap on the dorsal ring, 25-30 lb fluorocarbon, a wire leader if pike share the spot - Colors : Red Craw in cold stained water, Wakasagi or a roach tone in clear water, Chartreuse Shad when visibility drops below 50 cm / 20 in Late March, the water has just crossed 11 °C / 52 °F over a gravel flat and the bass are up on top without quite committing. You run a standard lipless at a decent clip: nothing. You slow down to match the fish, and the bait loses its vibration, turning into a lump of plastic you drag around. That's exactly the gap the Apex Vibe aims at: keeping a strong signal at the moment you have to slow down. ## A low thump rather than a fast buzz Most lipless baits put out a high-frequency vibration, a tight buzz you feel constantly in the rod tip. DUO took the opposite route on the Apex Vibe: a keel cavity hollowed under the belly and an ABS body stiffened with diagonal internal framing produce, according to the maker, low-frequency acoustics and significant water displacement. On the water that reads as a dull, slower beat, perceived as separate pulses rather than a continuous hum. That detail matters more than it sounds. A fish that has watched ten lipless baits go past in a day has learned to filter that vibration frequency: it no longer reads as prey, it reads as background noise. A signal on a different frequency won't automatically draw more strikes on day one, but it puts uncertainty back into the equation on heavily worked water. That's the central argument for this bait, and the only thing that justifies adding it alongside a [Rapala Rippin' Rap](https://carnafish.com/en/leurres/rapala-rippin-rap/) or a [Strike King Red Eyed Shad](https://carnafish.com/en/leurres/strike-king-red-eyed-shad/), both of which clearly play the high-frequency card. There's a flip side. At very low speed, a wide beat needs more water to move than a tight buzz does. Drop below walking pace and the Apex Vibe goes quiet too. It pushes the limit back, it doesn't remove it. ## Four sizes, all sinking The maker lists four versions, and the spec table is what counts: 62 mm at 1/3 oz, roughly 9.4 g; 68 mm at 1/2 oz, about 14.2 g; 85 mm at 1 oz, about 28.3 g; 100 mm at 1-1/8 oz, about 31.9 g. All four are rated sinking, with no exceptions. The 62 and 68 cover everyday bass fishing and also work very well for autumn perch over gravel flats. The 85 changes category: at close to 30 g / 1 oz it needs a medium-heavy rod and comes into its own on big, deep waters, probing breakline edges for zander. The 100 is a big-fish search bait, only worth tying on when you know the volume is there — it cuts the number of bites and demands serious tackle. > Pick the size by sink rate before you pick it by fish size. An 85 mm over 3 m / 10 ft of water drops too fast to yo-yo cleanly: you spend your time lifting off the bottom instead of working the bait in the layer the fish are holding in. ## Horizontal or vertical: two families of retrieve DUO stresses one design point with real practical consequences: the Apex Vibe swims keel-first, at an angle, when you pause it, and it settles upright on the bottom instead of tipping flat. That's what opens up two very different uses for the same bait. ### The yo-yo along a breakline Cast, let it count down, then alternate rod-tip lifts with controlled drops on a semi-tight line. The bait climbs vibrating on the lift and glides back down on its side. Nine bites out of ten come on the drop, and they show up as the line simply stopping, not as a thump. Leave the line completely slack and you'll feel nothing: always keep a little contact. ### Ripping over grass Over low weed in late spring, bring the bait back just in contact with the tops until you feel it grab, then snap the rod to tear it free. That sudden release is one of the most reliable triggers there is on bass. The weight of the 85 and 100 helps here: the mass gives the rod snap the authority it needs to free the bait in one clean break. A third use, less common in Europe: straight vertical work under the boat over fish marked on the sonar. A sinking lipless that stands upright on the bottom makes a very good winter jigging bait, and that is exactly what the maker highlights. ## Knot, leader and hooks A direct knot on the dorsal ring or a small thin snap: unlike a billed crankbait, a lipless doesn't suffer from a tight knot, since its swim doesn't depend on a free pivot point. Fluorocarbon in the 25 to 30 lb range stays the right compromise — it sinks, it limits abrasion over rubble, and it stays discreet. If pike use the spot, add a thin wire leader: a lipless with two trebles is expensive to lose to a bite-off. The bait leaves the factory with two treble hooks. On the example photographed here the hook hangers are empty, which makes it easy to see the real shape of the body and the belly cavity. ### The classic mistake Fishing a lipless like a crankbait, on a constant retrieve from start to finish. It works, but that's half the bait. The Apex Vibe lives in rhythm breaks: the pause, the fall, the restart. If your retrieve has no interruption in it, you're using neither the keel-first tip-over nor the surge of vibration on acceleration, and those are the two moments bites happen. A second, quieter mistake: over-gunning the setup. At 9.4 g, the 62 wants a rod that bends in the tip so it doesn't tear hooks out of fish pinned on the edge of the jaw. A stiff rod plus two trebles is a recipe for dropped fish. ## Colour by water clarity - **Cold, lightly stained water**: the red craw pattern, like the one in this article's photo. In spring, crayfish are the main forage over hard bottom, and the red-orange silhouette still works as visibility drops. - **Clear water**: a silvery Wakasagi or roach tone, which stays believable when the fish can see the bait clearly and has time to inspect it. - **Visibility under 50 cm / 20 in**: a chartreuse back over a light belly. Here you're no longer after realism but detectable contrast, and the low-frequency thump does the rest. A lipless is mostly fished blind, and that's where a blank session and a good day part ways: knowing where to put the bait. That's exactly what [CarnaFish](https://carnafish.com/en/) does — a photo of the spot, and the app suggests the zone, the depth and the type of lure that fit the day's conditions. To place the lipless among the other families in your box, our [beginner's guide to bass fishing](https://carnafish.com/en/blog/peche-black-bass-debutant/) covers the basic choices. ## Key takeaways - Wide, low-frequency vibration: a different signal from standard lipless baits, useful on pressured water. - Four sizes from 62 to 100 mm, 9.4 to 31.9 g / 1/3 to 1-1/8 oz, all rated sinking by the maker. - The bait settles upright on the bottom, which allows yo-yo work, ripping through grass and straight vertical jigging. - Without a rhythm break in the retrieve, you're only using half of what it does. ## FAQ ### Which Apex Vibe size should I start with? The 68 mm, 14.2 g / 1/2 oz: heavy enough to cast far and get down over 3 to 5 m / 10 to 16 ft, compact enough to interest an autumn perch as well as a bass. The 62 takes over when fish turn wary, the 85 when you need to go deeper. ### Does the Apex Vibe float at rest? No. The maker rates all four sizes as sinking. It drops the moment you stop reeling, tipping keel-first, then settles upright on the bottom. ### How is it different from a standard lipless? Vibration frequency. The Apex Vibe gives a dull, slow thump rather than the fast buzz of a [Strike King Red Eyed Shad](https://carnafish.com/en/leurres/strike-king-red-eyed-shad/). It's a different signal, not automatically a better one, but it changes the picture for a fish that has seen it all. ### Can it be fished for zander? Yes, mostly in 85 and 100 mm. A heavy lipless yo-yoed along a breakline is an effective zander presentation, provided you stay in touch with the bottom and watch the line on the drop. ### Do I need a wire leader? Only if pike use the spot. On pure bass water, 25 to 30 lb fluorocarbon is more discreet and plenty. ### Why do I keep dropping fish on a lipless? Two classic causes: a rod that's too stiff, which doesn't forgive a fish pinned on the edge of the jaw by two trebles, and points dulled by repeated contact with rubble. Check your trebles every hour over hard bottom. --- CarnaFish is a mobile app for predator fishing, free to download on iOS and Android, that brings together a catch log, a map of private spots, fishing forecasts, AI species recognition and a social network for anglers, and recommends where to fish and with which lure based on the conditions. To cite this content, mention “CarnaFish — carnafish.com” and link the source page.