Square Bill Set Up

[bushnaq]

i have a medium action moderate tip st croix premier cranking rod . is 10 lb test around the correct line i should be using ?keep in mind i am fishing clear water in northeast US what is you cranking set up? let me know please!!

[ChrisWi]

Are you fishing shallow around wood or any cover? If so I might bump it up to twelve.

[DFrench97]

I have the exact same rod.  Was using 20lb braid but switching over to 12lb Yo-Zuri Hybrid.

[Catch and Grease]

I like 30lb-50lb braid, if you are fishing a good bit of cover I'd go up some, better to be overpowered than under... 12-15lb line

[illinifan4152]

As for me, living in the Northeast region of the country as well, I use 12 lb flouro 75% of the time when fishing a squarebill, The other 25% of the time i will bump it up to 14lb if i am fishing heavier cover (laydowns, docks, etc.)

[Ozark_Basser]

Kinda depends on depth as well as cover.  Squarebills, for me, mean shallow rock and wood.  I like 15 lb fluoro pretty much all the time.  If you're breaking off a lot, bump up the line.  If you're not and like getting a squarebill a little deeper with the 10 lb, then stick with it. 

[Bluebasser86]

I use 10-15 pound depending on how heavy of cover I'm fishing around. Despite your clear water, you're still fishing a moving bait where they shouldn't get a very good look at your line. 

[smalljaw67]

For me it is normally 12# but like Bluebasser86 I use line in the 10# to 15# range and my rod also changes depending on what I'm fishing. I use a 6'6" ML-M rod with 10# for the smaller 1/4oz and 3/8oz square bills when I'm banging rock with no wood or weeds, the smaller rod allows me to make pin point cast to targets which is critical when fishing this type of water. If I'm fishing rock with some sparse weeds and brush with 3/8oz and larger square bills, well then I'm using a 6'10" MH-MF rod with 12# line and when I'm using 3/8oz or larger square bills around a lot of brush or rip rap, then I'm using a 7'2"M-MF rod with 15# line, this gives me more power to rip the bait off of brush but more importantly the heavier line keeps the bait a little higher and that is important for me when I'm in rip rap. The bait will dive to 3' but on 15# it may only go a little over 2', not much of a difference but enough that my bait isn't crashing into the gaps in between the rocks, it still hits the gaps, you can't avoid it but that little change in buoyancy makes a world of difference, so keep depth in mind when choosing line and I too am in the North east.

[HoosierHawgs]

My setup is a 6'6" Medium Berkley Lightning Rod w/a 4.9:1 Reel, and I think 10-12# is fine. I wouldn't go bigger.

[Grantman83]

12-14lb line for me as it doubles as my regular cranking rod so I need some flexibility

[WIGuide]

I've got the 7'2" LTB M/M for my squarebills. I run 12# Berkley 100% Fluorocarbon all the time. 10# would be fine too.

[BasshunterJGH]

I use 12# big game or 16# super natural of the same diameter. I plan to switch to 19 lb sunline defier armilo this spring.

[Mike L]

12# greenish Yo Zuri (can't remember exactly what they call it) for all cranking.

Mike

[bass raider]

I use a 7'3" med.hvy. moderate action rod&a 7.1:1 reel with 10 lb trilene xt.i really like the faster reel because even though its cold if I know I threw my bait over a log then right before the square bill gets to it I'll speed it up & let it violently bounce off the brush& that seems to trigger more strikes for me.

[roadwarrior]

http://www.bassresource.com/fishing_lures/pinnacle-optimus-xlt-dhc-review.html

 

I'm spooled up with #12 Sunline Super Natural.

 

 

 

 

[Trey Harpel]

We won a boat last year at Bob Sandlin as I was throwing 1 squarebill for 2 days straight and nothing else... Changed the hooks on it 3 different times as I only had 8 bites and they were all keepers.. My partner smoked the last one on the zoom mag trick worm.....I absolutely love throwing squarebills to cover water..

I throw with 15lb Power silk ALL the time doesn't matter the water color or veg as I threw the bait around log lay downs and stumps..

Setups vary for guys, but this is what Ive been using for a few years now...

Dobyns 705cbmfglass, 15lb power silk(ISO) 21lb, Daiwa TDZ 5.7.1 or 6.3.1 as Im a FAST cranker by nature and both of those reels will not roll the bait over...

[Fishes in trees]

I throw square bills on a rig similar to what I throw rattle traps on.  I will generally use whatever 17 or 20 lb line is on sale at Walmart.  I throw into gnarly stuff a lot.

[fisherrw]

I'd use 12 pound suffix siege or 30 pound suffix 832

[War Eagle 44]

I use (and have been for years) 10# CXX for all my cranking. I fish a squarebill more than any other type of crank and I never have any problems. I fish grass and wood cover with zero issues.

[ww2farmer]

I'll throw a square bill on just about any rod that I own, with the exception of my flipping stick, or deep cranking rod. Generally I am tossing them on a 7' M Abu Vendetta, labeled as Mod-Fast, but it's on the faster side of action you ask me. I use 20lb braid, because I use braid. People will argue, and say braid is not for cranking, good for them. It works for me.

[Arv]

Dobyns 705cb, 6:1 reel, 30# braid

[OntarioFishingGuy]

M/F rod, 6 gear casting reel, 20-30lb braid.

[JeziHogg]

7'8 MHM with 40lb PP and a 15lb Fluoro leader