# Ima Suspending Vibration: the lipless crank that stops without sinking > A 7 cm, 10.5 g lipless that suspends between 0.9 and 1.2 m: what that pause, impossible on a conventional vibrating bait, is actually good for. - Source : https://carnafish.com/en/leurres/ima-suspending-vibration-lipless-crankbait/ - Language : en-US - Updated : 2026-09-28 ## Spec sheet - Brand : Ima - Model : Suspending Vibration Lipless Crankbait - Type : Suspending lipless crankbait - Target species : Bass, Perch, Zander - Size : 7 cm / 2.75 in - Weight : 10.5 g / 0.375 oz - Running depth : suspends between 0.9 and 1.2 m / 3 to 4 ft below the surface - Retrieve speed : medium, broken up by firm pauses of one to three seconds - Action : tight, pulsating vibration on the retrieve, total stillness on the stop - Rigging : snap or loop knot on the dorsal tie, factory sticky-sharp trebles and stainless split rings, 0.25 to 0.30 mm fluorocarbon - Colors : blue and chartreuse with a black back in lightly stained water, natural roach pattern in clear water, red or dark in murky water Everyone knows the structural flaw of a lipless crankbait without saying it out loud: the moment you stop reeling, it drops. Over a weed bed topping out at 1 m, that means every pause ends in the salad, and you spend half the day clearing hooks instead of fishing. Ima built the Suspending Vibration around exactly that problem — a vibrating bait that stays where it is when you stop the retrieve. ## A lipless that does not sink, and what that implies Ima states it plainly: unlike almost every lipless on the market, this model **suspends between 3 and 4 feet below the surface**, that is 0.9 to 1.2 m. And that detail has to be read correctly, because the maker's table puts those figures in a column headed "Depth". This is not a maximum running depth as on a lipped crankbait: it is the water level at which the bait settles and holds still once you stop working it. The practical consequence matters. On a conventional lipless, the pause is a gamble: you never know exactly where the bait will be when you start again. Here, the pause becomes a presentation in its own right. You can stop for three seconds above a weed bed, let the bait hang in mid-water, and start again without having collected a handful of pondweed. The other consequence gets mentioned less often: a suspending lipless is not fished like a conventional one. The whole technique of a vibrating bait usually rests on alternating a fast retrieve with a vertical drop, the classic yo-yo. With this bait, that drop does not exist beyond the suspension zone. You have to think jerkbait as much as lipless, which Ima owns: the maker describes it as part lipless crankbait and part jerkbait. ## The specs and where the model comes from The table gives one line: 2.75 in, 3/8 oz, 3-4 ft. Converted, that is **7 cm for about 10.5 g**, plus the suspension band already mentioned. It is an in-between size, compact enough not to spook a perch, heavy enough to cast a long way in a crosswind. Ima states that this bait derives from its Rock N Vibe lipless, with a body enlarged by 15%. That is not just catalogue trivia: a bulkier body at a comparable weight is mechanically a less dense bait, which goes some way to explaining the neutral buoyancy. If you already know the Rock N Vibe, expect the same family of vibration one notch up in size. The stated action is a **tight, pulsating** vibration, not a wide roll. That is the usual signature of a tall, flat-sided lipless: high frequency, low amplitude, a continuous signal that carries well in cold water. > The habit to build with this bait: count your pause out loud. One, two, three. An angler who says "I paused" has usually let less than a second go by before starting again, because stillness is uncomfortable. On a suspending lipless, it is the third second that draws the bite, not the first. ## Where this bait really earns its keep ### Over vegetation This is its home ground, and Ima names it explicitly: grass, rock, wood. As soon as you have a weed carpet topping out at 1.5 or 2 m, you can run the bait just above it, work in pauses, and never touch the weed. A fish holding in the vegetation sees a bait stopping dead on the ceiling above it — a situation it is not used to. ### On inactive fish The maker insists on this point, and it is consistent with the bait's mechanics: the pause is there to trigger fish that will not chase. In cold water a bass or a zander often refuses to run down a fast prey item but will readily take one that stops within reach. A conventional lipless cannot offer that without dropping out of the zone. ### Searching flats At 10.5 g for 7 cm, the cast is long and the bait drops quickly to its suspension band. Over a large 2 to 3 m flat you cover plenty of water on a straight retrieve, then switch to pause mode as soon as a bottom feature or a sonar return justifies it. ### The rig, and what not to change Ima fits sticky-sharp trebles and stout stainless steel split rings from the factory. If you swap the hooks, watch the weight very closely: a suspending lipless is balanced to the gram, and heavier trebles make it sink, which cancels the model's only point. Tie a supple snap or a loop knot to the dorsal tie, and stay on 0.25 to 0.30 mm fluorocarbon for discretion. Where pike are present a wire leader becomes necessary, with the same caveat: it adds weight at the front and slightly changes the bait's attitude. ## Colour by water - **Lightly stained water**: the blue pattern with a black back and chartreuse band shown in the photo. The blue flank stays natural while the yellow band gives the contrast point a fish can aim at. - **Clear water**: a roach or bleak finish, natural and low in contrast, letting the vibration do the attracting rather than the colour. - **Murky or high water**: a solid red or a plain dark tone. On a lipless, colour matters less than the vibration signal, but under 50 cm of visibility a readable silhouette helps the fish strike accurately. ## Where it sits next to conventional lipless cranks If you want the clean vertical drop and the traditional yo-yo, a [Jackall TN 70](https://carnafish.com/en/leurres/jackall-tn-70/) or a [Lucky Craft Bevy Vibration](https://carnafish.com/en/leurres/lucky-craft-bevy-vibration/) do exactly that, and do it well. The Suspending Vibration is not competing with them: it covers the opposite situation, the one where the drop is a handicap. For an even finer vibration aimed at perch, the [DUO Realis Vibration 62](https://carnafish.com/en/leurres/duo-realis-vibration-62/) drops a notch in size. Knowing how high the weed tops out is half the job with this kind of bait. That is exactly what [CarnaFish](https://carnafish.com/en/) helps you rough out: a photo of the spot, and the app suggests the zone to work and a presentation consistent with the depth and the cover. If you plan to use it for zander, our [beginner's guide to zander lure fishing](https://carnafish.com/en/blog/peche-sandre-leurre-debutant/) breaks down the spots and activity windows worth targeting first. ## Key takeaways - 7 cm for 10.5 g, with one unique trait: it suspends between 0.9 and 1.2 m instead of sinking on the stop. - The table's "Depth" column gives the suspension band, not a maximum diving depth. - Its niche is the long pause above a weed bed and the inactive fish that refuses to chase. - Do not swap the trebles for heavier ones: the neutral balance is precise and easily lost. ## FAQ ### What does a suspending lipless actually change? An ordinary lipless sinks the moment you stop reeling. This one settles between 0.9 and 1.2 m and stays there. You can therefore pause for several seconds above an obstacle without the bait dropping into it. ### What depth does this bait work at? It settles between 0.9 and 1.2 m below the surface, 3 to 4 feet. On a fast retrieve it runs slightly higher; on the stop it returns to that balance point. ### Can it be yo-yoed like a conventional lipless? Not really, and that is the logic of the model: there is no clean vertical drop. Replace the yo-yo with a retrieve broken up by distinct pauses, thinking jerkbait rather than vibrating bait. ### Is it suitable for perch and zander? Yes. A 7 cm tight-vibrating bait is a very effective size for both species across Europe, and the ability to suspend is a real asset in cold water, when fish stop chasing. ### Do the factory hooks need replacing? Not necessarily, Ima fits sticky-sharp trebles and stainless split rings. If you do swap them, match the original weight exactly: heavier trebles make the bait sink and remove its only distinguishing feature. ### How long should the pause be? Between one and three seconds, and closer to three than to one in cold water. A long stop feels uncomfortable in practice, but it is precisely what this bait is built to allow. --- 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.