Why Do Folks Like Squarebills So Much?

tcbass · July 27, 2014

I know squarebills get a lot of love on here. I've bought some and recently tried a Arashi square bill. It got stuck with weeds, so I tried it in more open water but no success. Just weren't biting that day. I have had a lot of success in the same areas with a Rapala Scatter Rap Shallow and lures like Wiggle Warts though.

Are square bills more for wooded areas?

I fish lakes with almost no trees in them.

Kevin22 · July 27, 2014

I fished all week last week in minnesota with a KVD 1.5 and slaughtered the fish. I caught a lot of smallies under a bridge banging the squarebill off pilings and the shallow sides of the pillars. Also caught a lot just going down the shoreline throwing it and cranking it back. Rock, weeds, mud, sand, laydowns, and docks.. fish hit it everywhere. Caught largemouth, smallies, catfish, and pike. It was easy to rip out of the weeds as well.

Most productive was the 1.5 black back chartreuse. Water was slightly stained but not dirty.

K_Mac · July 27, 2014

I think the answer to your question is yes. They are designed to deflect off of wood without snagging. They will catch fish in rock and grass very effectively at times. Rattling them through wood is where they really shine though in my experience.

smalljaw67 · July 27, 2014

If you have rip rap or chunk rock then you have a place to throw square bills. Another good place is over tops of weed beds, you don't have to be hitting bottom for them to be effective. I love bouncing them off of rip rap but I also like to take a super shallow diver like the Manns 1 minus or the small Sebile Crankster and run them over weed tops. The reason they see a lot of love is because you can throw them up shallow and get them back. The best time to throw them is in what are very good spinnerbait conditions, light wind and /or overcast conditions make for a good square bill bite.

Catch and Grease · July 27, 2014

They work in grass, rock, timber, you name it! The reason I think they are so popular ( at least with me ) is they work year round and are so versatlite you can throw then in many conditions and types of cover! And they catch hawgs man!

ww2farmer · July 27, 2014

They produce size for me. Here in WNY a really big fish is 6+ lbs, much like a 10+ lber would be in the south, I have caught a little more than a dozen fish over six lbs in the last 10 years....almost half of them on squarebills.

lmbfisherman · July 28, 2014

I have no confidence yet with a squarebill, BUT I've forced myself to fish them more this year. I'm starting to get the hang of it, I just think you need time and experience to understand how to fish them. The one thing that does suck is that you lose a few when you are starting out. Possibly a way to learn how a squarebill works, maybe remove the trebles and get the feel for them? So you don't get hung up.

The biggest tip someone gave me on this board (private messaged me) was when you hit something, stop reeling..wait until it comes up and over what it is so you don't get snagged...and don't set the hook when it happens...BUT be prepared to get a fish on, cause that is when they like to strike.

Catch and Grease · July 28, 2014

Honestly I set the hook into ANYTHING that stops the vibrations suddenly, you catch way more fish doing this but you will lose more baits but with a good lure retriever you don't need to worry, especially with most square bill use being shallow.

When a fish bites it you can't wait and stop reeling to see if its a snag or a fish, you ethier set the hook or lose the fish.

And for removing the trebles, its a good idea but it ussally doesn't work, from my experience the missing weight throws the action way off. I tried it with a friend one day practicing for a tourny and didn't want to actually hook then fish we just wanted to get them to bite

Kevin22 · July 28, 2014

I've had much more success with a steady retrieve letting it bounce over cover. Also had great success with speeding up when it hits cover. I can count the number of fish I've caught on the pause on one hand. Of course I am using the KVD 1.5 which has the built in hunting action. When that thing touches a branch or rock it bounces off and deflects which looks just like a baitfish leaving the brush. If you pause when hitting the structure it just stops and floats up. Sometimes they want that, but the fish here have played that game. They like the more natural look of the fleeing baitfish over the "here's an easy meal" baitfish.

jdl2425 · July 28, 2014

I caught a bunch this weekend by burning a KVD 1.5 over the weed beds. I had to constantly pick off weeds but it was worth it. I've also caught a lot of fish by using squarebills in water with little cover or structure. They might be ideal to use in wooded areas but they'll catch fish pretty much anywhere.

JaxBasser · July 28, 2014

They are the only lipped cranks I ever use. Catch plenty of fish with them in open water. Reel, pause, reel, rip, repeat. Works great for me.

BuffaloBass716 · July 28, 2014

Would you guys use a square bill in water over 10ft with some current? I fish a river and its pretty weedy now that its summer. I don't own many hard baits at all but when would you opt for a round bill over a square bill?

Catch and Grease · July 28, 2014

Would you guys use a square bill in water over 10ft with some current? I fish a river and its pretty weedy now that its summer. I don't own many hard baits at all but when would you opt for a round bill over a square bill?

generally I'm using shallow running square bills.... But there are plenty of deeper diving squarebills.

Missourifishin · July 28, 2014

I try squarebills in any conditions, and I've caught a lot of fish on them.

Comfortably Numb · July 28, 2014

Use straight 20# braid and you wont lose as many.

Stock up on Acadamy H2o CRS and CRM when they are on sale for like $3. Great baits.

Catch and Grease · July 28, 2014

Use straight 20# braid and you wont lose as many.

Stock up on Acadamy H2o CRS and CRM when they are on sale for like $3. Great baits.

Yeah the academy line of square bills are great and can be bought with or without rattles and have lots of colors to choose... I agree with using 20-30lb braid...

PersicoTrotaVA · July 28, 2014

They are the only crankbaits I use. I prefer the 4S, 1 and 1XS over the KVDs. I also fish a lot of shallow lakes. If I fished deeper lakes I would have deeper running crankbaits as well.

I hadn't fished for over a year. This year was the first time I used a squarebill. 10 casts in and bam caught a decent fish. I was asking my brother what a bite feels like and as soon as he was about to answer I said "nevermind, I know what it feels like".

tholmes · July 28, 2014

If you have rip rap or chunk rock then you have a place to throw square bills. Another good place is over tops of weed beds, you don't have to be hitting bottom for them to be effective. I love bouncing them off of rip rap but I also like to take a super shallow diver like the Manns 1 minus or the small Sebile Crankster and run them over weed tops. The reason they see a lot of love is because you can throw them up shallow and get them back. The best time to throw them is in what are very good spinnerbait conditions, light wind and /or overcast conditions make for a good square bill bite.

^^ I agree. The lake that I fish has a lot of rip-rap and not much timber. I do well with squarebills along the rip-rap banks, fishing parallel to the shoreline.