Favorite squarebill and why?!

[clemsondds]

I’m a sucker for a good crankbait! I haven’t been fishing long and I already have them all over the place. My latest obsession is suarebills. I have seen that 6th sense makes some really nice ones. I have also heard good things about the Spro little John and of course the sk 1.5.  I bought a few but need to get some more, both silent and regular. Would you mind sharing which sb is your favorite? And also, when do you choose to throw a silent sb vs a rattling one? And please keep these to ones I can actually purchase...not your favorite that was only made in 1972  appreciate all the advice! 

[WdyCrankbait]

Little Johns so in spring craw in the spring does very well for me in Virginia.  6th sense cranks look solid as well.  

[GReb]

I’ve never had more overall success with one over the other. 

[NJBasstard]

I bought a few of the SK 1.5's a long time ago but they never became a go-to for me like they have with a lot of people. Maybe I should give them a chance again.

 My favorites are the Rapala Crankin Rap 3 & 5 but they're discontinued. Don't know what it is about those baits but they've produced on days when none of my other SB's would. Spro Little John is my favorite flat side. I also like Bagley Balsa B's, 6th Sense Crush 50X & 50S, Lucky Craft LC 1.5's and Rapala BX Brat. I only keep what works for me in my box so I'll have to check and see what else is in there.

[DitchPanda]

Bomber square a...cheap and effective! I have Berkleys strike kings Normans etc...always come back to the bomber. Even with changing hooks they are under $5

[swhit140]

I like the Bomber Square A & Bandit 100 & Footloose. I always replace the hooks.

[jimmyjoe]

   Rapala CRR-5 were (and are) my favorite. I have a stash of them. But the next-best is the Lucky Craft LC1.5. I do see some advantage to a rattle, but it's not consistent. That's probably because I retrieve squarebills  S-L-O-W.

   You have to remember, however, that you're reading this from an old man who thinks that there are only 3 types of hard plastic lures; traps, squarebills and twitchbaits. That makes a little difference.     ?    jj

[jbsoonerfan]

There are a lot of good squarebills out there, as you are sure to see by all the replies you will get. You will more than likely find one you like over time once you get out and fish with some. I guess if you really need an opinion, right now I am on the Spro, 6th sense, Megabass kick. In the past I have used SK, LC, Xcalibur, Bandit, Rapala, etc. In my opinion it is a confidence bait much like a lipless, or any other reaction bait, they all work at one time or another and the only one that works at any particular time is the one on the end of your line.

[A-Jay]

SK 1.5 & 2.5 have been my go-to's for a good while.

I fish them because they get bites although I do change out all the hardware right out of the package. 

Early season the 6th Sense Crush Flat 75X has been very productive for me.

I do fish these baits in rattle & silent versions.

More recently there's been a new contender that's competing nicely with that 6th Sense Squarebill. 

The Megabass Sonicside

It's a silent bait that casts & runs great (maybe a foot or so deeper than any of the baits mention above).

While it commands a traditional 'Megabass' $$, it does come with some very nice hardware & hooks. 

The GP Pro Perch pattern is seriously sexy, especially in these very clear waters. 

A-Jay

 

 

 

 

[Bankbeater]

I fish a lot of shallow water. Probably 5 feet deep or less. I like the Mann’s one minus. I fish a lot from the bank and the shallow runners don’t hit deep snags. 

[Teal]

31 minutes ago, jbsoonerfan said:

There are a lot of good squarebills out there, as you are sure to see by all the replies you will get. You will more than likely find one you like over time once you get out and fish with some. I guess if you really need an opinion, right now I am on the Spro, 6th sense, Megabass kick. In the past I have used SK, LC, Xcalibur, Bandit, Rapala, etc. In my opinion it is a confidence bait much like a lipless, or any other reaction bait, they all work at one time or another and the only one that works at any particular time is the one on the end of your

This^

[Comfortably Numb]

Baker lures makes a suspending 1.5 squarebill.

Great in cold water.

[Catt]

6th Sense Movement 80X

 

Deflects off hard cover better than any 

 

Early pre-spawn/spawn, shad spawn 

 

Silent vs rattles: whichever one I pick up first

[roadwarrior]

Norman Fat Boy

 

[crypt]

Baby 1-,or Bill Lewis echo 1.75.

they just work for me.

[clemsondds]

Wow lots of variation! Do those that use both silent and rattling...do you typically stick with same brand...or have one brand for rattling and one brand for silent?  Just curious. 6th sense crush, silent crush  and movement look really good. Too many options lol 

[Tizi]

6th Sense Crush Flat 75x:  unique knocker sound, tight action, deflects well, good hardware, and great paint jobs.

[scaleface]

12 hours ago, jimmyjoe said:

Rapala CRR-5

yyyeeeep .

[Fishes in trees]

My favorite for a long time now has been the Timber Tiger - specifically the DC4 & DC8.    These baits come through brush better for me.   If you are throwing into sunken bushes & thorn trees, like I do alot, you can't beat this bait.   It will occasionally get "wedged" into the crook of a branch,  but they very rarely get "hook hung".

 

I got this far and then remembered your stipulation about availability and apparently they've been discontinued and Tackle Warehouse doesn't carry them anymore.    This bait has been my favorite square bill since my BFL co-angler tournament days, when a tournament semi-pro gave me a couple and they worked that day.  I didn't cash a check that day (I rarely did )  but I didn't catch fish and I finished 1 fish out of the money in a 120 or so boat field.

 

I have plenty of them for myself, because 5 or 6 years ago I came across a close out of them for  75% off and I bought most of what they had left.   Specifically I think that the DC8 is their most versatile size and and the DC 16 & DC 13 are very under appreciated baits for catching suspended fish in standing timber in the post spawn through early fall.

 

I'd tell you they are worth seeking out in the aftermarket area and if you find them they are worth getting them repainted in your favorite colors.  (At one time, they were available in a bunch of colors )

[WIGuide]

My absolute favorite squarebill was just reintroduced. They used to be the Xcalibur XCS100's and when Pradco condensed their companies they only transferred the lipless crankbait to the Booyah brand, but now it's alive again still named the XCS just under the Booyah name. A few others I like are the Lucky Craft LC series, Rapala DT series, and Spro Little John as my favorite flat sided. 

[scbassin]

I must agree with R/W, a Norman Fat Boy in the Red Ear or Sunfish color. Why? Because they flat out catchum.

[Boomstick]

My favorite is the River2Sea Biggie in the smalls size in the Real Perch, Bluegill, Horizon Shad and Abalone Shad colors. Why? Because they have a moderate wobble that looks just like a real fish, and catches them just the same and they seem to catch bass in most conditions. I also like the Megabass S-Cranks, the Lucky Craft LC Silent, Norman Fat Boys and the SK KVDs as they downright hammer them in the right conditions.

 

The Booyah Flex 2's have a great wobble and would make the list too if only the bills didn't always break when I fish them around rocks where the others on the list hold up fine.

[primetime]

bandit, Spro Lil John, Bomber 2a, Flat A since it basically suspends and looks like a bluegill, more subtle approach which works at times....The $4 Square A after changing trebles, Rapala DT, Speed traps, and of course KVD and Academy...I pick them more by color and size than anything else.

 

I don't think I throw any $10 Plus crankbaits. I do love the older Xcalibur silent crankbaits.

 

I have a few of the cheaper super shallow BPS crankbaits that have a rattle and they work well at times, perfect size crankbait.

 

Storm Subwart is a great little crankbait as well....

[river-rat]

If I had a favorite it would be a Bagley Balsa B 2 in Tennessee Shad or Black/Chartreuse. Probably because I've caught so many fish on this since the 1970's.

[mc6524]

What I think I important with ny crank bait is consistency.  I find that for a square bill the Rapala BX Brat and Fat Brat work well.  I also love their DT series for crankbaits.