Squarebill Crankbaits Confuse Me

[bassinyea]

So whats the deal with people raving about fishing them around docks... where the bait doesn't hit anything?

 

Make them bang into the posts that anchor the dock into the lake bottom.  Figure out what type of cast you need to make to get this to happen.  Make a cast past the post and use your rod tip to steer the bait into it.  Speed up the retrieve as you get close to contact and when the lure hits the post, let it pause for a second.  

[J Francho]

So whats the deal with people raving about fishing them around docks... where the bait doesn't hit anything?

 

Docks up here are generally supprted by wood or metal posts.  Many also have brush piles nearby.  Lastly, a square bill can easily be tuned to run left or right by simply putting a slight bend in the metal loop for the split ring.  This way, you can cast it parallel to a dock, and have it swing under the dock.

[martintheduck]

Make them bang into the posts that anchor the dock into the lake bottom.  Figure out what type of cast you need to make to get this to happen.  Make a cast past the post and use your rod tip to steer the bait into it.  Speed up the retrieve as you get close to contact and when the lure hits the post, let it pause for a second.  

 

 

Docks up here are generally supprted by wood or metal posts.  Many also have brush piles nearby.  Lastly, a square bill can easily be tuned to run left or right by simply putting a slight bend in the metal loop for the split ring.  This way, you can cast it parallel to a dock, and have it swing under the dock.

 

 

So I was just watching major league fishing and Hackney was catching em' on a square bill using this type of method. I will give this a try. I never really thought of bouncing sideways off cover and achieving that with either tuning of the rod tip. Lots of good info in this thread and hopefully I gain some ground these next few months.

[RanndomUndead]

Cast them past your target then make sure it deflects off of it.

If your target is the bank, cast to the bank, and as soon as it hits the water, it needs to be moving. I get bit a lot this way.

i always end up getting bit on the initial hit, think ive had 1 or 2 retrieve hits this year.

But just simply casting and waiting a couple seconds has never failed to produce for me entirely haha

[Ozark_Basser]

i always end up getting bit on the initial hit, think ive had 1 or 2 retrieve hits this year.

But just simply casting and waiting a couple seconds has never failed to produce for me entirely haha

I never let them sit because I usually just use them to cover water, so I wouldn't know. I generally don't get too many bites on the initial hit. If my target is the bank, I start reeling the instant it hits the water right next to the bank getting it to crash into rocks on its way down the bank. I don't like letting those shallow bass get a good look at it. That's what I meant by it needs to be moving the second it hits the water.

[Maxximus Redneckus]

If you been using them for 2 yrs doin what u said and no fish..no offense but are u sure there are fish in the water

[martintheduck]

If you been using them for 2 yrs doin what u said and no fish..no offense but are u sure there are fish in the water

 

 

I'm not sure I've been using them exactly "right" all those years. I've tried on all different types of days throughout the year and I was usually moving them pretty fast. After this thread, I started slowing down the past couple of days and focusing on DEFLECTING it off cover. Someone mentioned "if you're not hitting it off cover, the bass won't bite it." That clicked it for me a bit today. I slowed down and focused on where to throw and how the biat would move across the object and deflect ---- today I got 4 BITES ON A SQUAREBILL! I'm so happy! Today was a huge confidence booster. Now if I could just find the right rod to throw them with... this medium heavy Crucial is FAR too stiff and made it really tough to be accurate with my casts.

[jaredkelley6]

Squarebills are fun to fish, for me anyways. Prespawn and fall mainly when i use em. There are two lakes around here where i live, one lake ill catch them all day on a squarebill and the other lake i wont get a bite all day, but can wear em out on a 7.5" texas rigged culprit worm. I assume the fish in that lake are lazy and wont chase nothin outside 1ft to bite. Haha. With that being said , the fish are different in every lake. You just have to take the time to learn the fish and what they like. Keep practicing on them squarebills, deflecting them off cover , youll learn the fish and what to do. Every cast you can learn somethin. I caught this 5lber on a SK squarebill yesterday in the rain . Good luck