Hey squarebill guys and gals...

[DitchPanda]

So I use square bills but not near enough...next spring I plan on busting them out more. I already have and use Norman fatboy, bomber square a (my favorite), kvd 1.5 standard and shallow versions,the new booyah Excalibur copies(haven't thrown yet)..also a few store brands like bps and Academy. I'm looking to add a few to my short list to pick up over the winter. I prefer the 1.5 size and I shore fish so I like a shallower running bait. What are your go to? What should I add to the arsenal?

[A-Jay]

The 6th Sense Crush Flat X75 is a must have in my book.

It's accounted for some very special days on the water for me and a few other folks here as well.

Check it out. 

https://6thsensefishing.com/collections/crush-flat-75x

A-Jay

[detroit1]

Sounds like you have enough already, buy something else. ?

[Bankbeater]

Mann's baby 1 minus.

[scbassin]

Bagley Balsa. I also use the balsa wake bait.  https://bagleybait.com/

[Deeare]

I love fishing squarebills.   I had the baitmaker make me a batch.   Amazing custom colors.    They flat out catch fish.     Not sure if he’s still doing squarebills but these are the best I’ve every used.   
 

 

[scaleface]

No longer available   but I'm keeping an eye out for them . Rapala Crankin Rap .

 

 

[A-Jay]

15 minutes ago, scaleface said:

No longer available   but I'm keeping an eye out for them . Rapala Crankin Rap .

 

 

https://www.ebay.com/itm/Rapala-Crankin-Rap-CRR5-Shad-NEW/114396644441?hash=item1aa2924459:g:70wAAOSwPGhdlqqF

 

Perhaps get a few & have them painted ?

 

A-Jay

[ww2farmer]

The best producing squarebill I have ever used is a Strike King KVD 1.5 + 2.5

 

The just get bit, and do what I want them to do.

 

The last few years I have thrown them little, due to wanting to try other stuff, but that experiment is over and I'll be busting them back out and making them a go-to again.

 

Here's what I have tried and used in the meantime, and my thoughts on each:

 

Lucky Craft 1.5 + 2.5's: Good bait, they dive shallower than the SK baits, which for some can be a plus, but for me it's not as desirable most of the time. They are also EXTREMELY buoyant for a plastic bait. If you stop this bait it rises quick...I personally don't like that. I know it can be modified to slow the rise....but I don't have to do much with the SK baits other than change hooks and they do what I want.  I have not caught nearly as many, or as quality of fish on these baits as the SK's either.

 

Rapala DT Fat 3: Another good one, but not durable. Part of that is  my fault, slapping balsa baits on the water to get grass off the hooks is a known no-no, but it's a habit I can't shake, and I have broken too many of these to know that me and balsa are not compatable. 

 

Berkley Square Bull: Not a fan. These things come through grass terrible...and that's a big deal for me, as I'm just as often cranking the tops of milfoil with a square bill, as I am to be banging it on hard cover. I need a bait that can do both. This ain't it.

 

Spro Fat Poppa: EXCELLENT BAIT....but it's pretty expensive, and when pike are on the prowl, it stings too much. Plus they DO NOT catch 2x the bass as the SK, even though the are  2x the price. 

 

Booyah XCS: Dud for me, I was never a big fan of the Xcaliber XCS, and that carries over. They dive too shallow for me, and they just don't work out in my routine. The one exception was the little smallmouth bass color Xcaliber XCS that was lights out in cold, gin clear, super shallow water for me. Booyah didn't re-introduce that color, and OG Xcalibers in that color are big big $$$ if you can find one....I didn't/don't love it enough to pay the stupid prices they now fetch. I'll have a buddy painting me up that pattern on the "nude" SK 1.5's for that little niche situation when I need that bait.

 

Rapala Brat: Total dud. I bought one, and was glad when a pike bit it off.

 

Storm Arashi: I actually like these. Durable, dive to the depths I need them too, and have caught fish consistantly when I use them. If I had to pick a #2 behind the KVD's, these just might edge out the LC 1.5's and 2.5's because of the slightly deeper running ability. The $9+ price tag they carry at TW and other vendors is too much though. But if I see them in clearance bins (which I often do) I grab a few.

 

 

[DitchPanda]

1 hour ago, detroit1 said:

Sounds like you have enough already, buy something else. ?

Oh I have enough of everything...but that's not the point!

[jbrew73]

Bomber.  

[DitchPanda]

8 minutes ago, ww2farmer said:

The best producing squarebill I have ever used is a Strike King KVD 1.5 + 2.5

 

The just get bit, and do what I want them to do.

 

The last few years I have thrown them little, due to wanting to try other stuff, but that experiment is over and I'll be busting them back out and making them a go-to again.

 

Here's what I have tried and used in the meantime, and my thoughts on each:

 

Lucky Craft 1.5 + 2.5's: Good bait, they dive shallower than the SK baits, which for some can be a plus, but for me it's not as desirable most of the time. They are also EXTREMELY buoyant for a plastic bait. If you stop this bait it rises quick...I personally don't like that. I know it can be modified to slow the rise....but I don't have to do much with the SK baits other than change hooks and they do what I want.  I have not caught nearly as many, or as quality of fish on these baits as the SK's either.

 

Rapala DT Fat 3: Another good one, but not durable. Part of that is  my fault, slapping balsa baits on the water to get grass off the hooks is a known no-no, but it's a habit I can't shake, and I have broken too many of these to know that me and balsa are not compatable. 

 

Berkley Square Bull: Not a fan. These things come through grass terrible...and that's a big deal for me, as I'm just as often cranking the tops of milfoil with a square bill, as I am to be banging it on hard cover. I need a bait that can do both. This ain't it.

 

Spro Fat Poppa: EXCELLENT BAIT....but it's pretty expensive, and when pike are on the prowl, it stings too much. Plus they DO NOT catch 2x the bass as the SK, even though the are  2x the price. 

 

Booyah XCS: Dud for me, I was never a big fan of the Xcaliber XCS, and that carries over. They dive too shallow for me, and they just don't work out in my routine. The one exception was the little smallmouth bass color Xcaliber XCS that was lights out in cold, gin clear, super shallow water for me. Booyah didn't re-introduce that color, and OG Xcalibers in that color are big big $$$ if you can find one....I didn't/don't love it enough to pay the stupid prices they now fetch. I'll have a buddy painting me up that pattern on the "nude" SK 1.5's for that little niche situation when I need that bait.

 

Rapala Brat: Total dud. I bought one, and was glad when a pike bit it off.

 

Storm Arashi: I actually like these. Durable, dive to the depths I need them too, and have caught fish consistantly when I use them. If I had to pick a #2 behind the KVD's, these just might edge out the LC 1.5's and 2.5's because of the slightly deeper running ability. The $9+ price tag they carry at TW and other vendors is too much though. But if I see them in clearance bins (which I often do) I grab a few.

 

 

I've been eyeballing the LCs alot and this is the info I'm looking for. I've always liked the KVD 1.5s but wanted a bait that runs a little shallower since I'm a bank angler. Also I like a bait that rises quickly and is more buoyant in general for fishing around wood. Are you using the $6.99 silent ones or a different version? Any go to color in the LCs?

1 hour ago, A-Jay said:

The 6th Sense Crush Flat X75 is a must have in my book.

It's accounted for some very special days on the water for me and a few other folks here as well.

Check it out. 

https://6thsensefishing.com/collections/crush-flat-75x

A-Jay

These look good as well but if remember correctly these baits are very large compared to other baits like them? May be thinking of the wrong bait

[ww2farmer]

18 minutes ago, DitchPanda said:

I've been eyeballing the LCs alot and this is the info I'm looking for. I've always liked the KVD 1.5s but wanted a bait that runs a little shallower since I'm a bank angler. Also I like a bait that rises quickly and is more buoyant in general for fishing around wood. Are you using the $6.99 silent ones or a different version? Any go to color in the LCs?

 

Yes the $6.99 one's. I don't have a "go-to" color. I bought a few to try, but they don't get used much because they don't fit my needs, so I really couldn't tell what color is better for me. About the closest thing I have for a go-to is the color BE gill. It's a good bluegill imitation in clear to mildly stained water. I'm letting go of my small collection of LC baits in favor of just sticking with known producers for me, so unfortunately that's about all the insight I have, or will have on them for the forseeable future.

[NorthernBasser]

6th Sense Crush 50x is another good one. Smaller size like the SK 1.5. Faint rattle to them and no need to upgrade the hooks. 

[A-Jay]

19 minutes ago, DitchPanda said:

These look good as well but if remember correctly these baits are very large compared to other baits like them? May be thinking of the wrong bait

Large is a relative term.

I've been using them for smallmouth for several years, quite effectively I might add. 

Here's a throw back clip from when I realized the bait's 'magic'.

A-Jay

[DitchPanda]

2 hours ago, ww2farmer said:

Yes the $6.99 one's. I don't have a "go-to" color. I bought a few to try, but they don't get used much because they don't fit my needs, so I really couldn't tell what color is better for me. About the closest thing I have for a go-to is the color BE gill. It's a good bluegill imitation in clear to mildly stained water. I'm letting go of my small collection of LC baits in favor of just sticking with known producers for me, so unfortunately that's about all the insight I have, or will have on them for the forseeable future.

Gotcha...well thanks for the info

2 hours ago, A-Jay said:

Large is a relative term.

I've been using them for smallmouth for several years, quite effectively I might add. 

Here's a throw back clip from when I realized the bait's 'magic'.

A-Jay

Yeah I guess large is relative. I must have been thinking of something else...that's not a big bait at all. Ill give them another look.

[Catt]

6th Sense Movement 80X 

 

Pre-spawn ?

[BlakeMolone]

2 hours ago, Catt said:

6th Sense Movement 80X 

 

Pre-spawn ?

Are you mostly fishing this bait in muddy water? I have a few and the action is crazy but I haven’t fished them much. Have you thrown the movement squarebill at all?

[DitchPanda]

2 hours ago, Catt said:

6th Sense Movement 80X 

 

Pre-spawn ?

This is one I've looked at as well

[WRB]

8 hours ago, A-Jay said:

The 6th Sense Crush Flat X75 is a must have in my book.

It's accounted for some very special days on the water for me and a few other folks here as well.

Check it out. 

https://6thsensefishing.com/collections/crush-flat-75x

A-Jay

Impressive assortment of color choices. 

If I was still fishing would give a few try. My favorite square bill was Bagley B's.

Tom

[Hook2Jaw]

The H2O Xpress CRS has served me well, the VMC hooks stick fish and these bad boys work wood over like a sawmill.  They absolutely do not stop for any hard cover and on the off chance you manage to lose one, you're out four dollars.

 

On the other end of my cranking is the 6th Sense Crush 50.  I like how quickly these float.  While the H2O comes through most all cover, these will float up and out of whatever stops them.

[GReb]

LC 1.5 in Golden Shiner has been killer for me this fall. 
 

Ive always had good luck with the Brat. There’s one lake nearby that the Brat out fishes other square bills 3 to 1. I think it’s just the smaller profile that really works well some places 

[kdubracing]

My favorites are 6th Sense Crush 50, Flat 75, and the Lucky Craft 1.5. KVD 1.5 is close behind those. 

[garroyo130]

This LC 1.5 kit is a good start/value 

 

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B082DQST55/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&psc=1

 

Although lately ive been throwing this shallow diver from Academy with good success. While its not a squarebill, it fishes about the same.

 

https://www.academy.com/shop/pdp/h2o-xpress™-crank-s-shallow-running-crankbait#repChildCatSku=026121426

 

[kdubracing]

1 hour ago, GReb said:

LC 1.5 in Golden Shiner has been killer for me this fall. 
 

Ive always had good luck with the Brat. There’s one lake nearby that the Brat out fishes other square bills 3 to 1. I think it’s just the smaller profile that really works well some places 

The Brat is on my to try list. It looks like it should be good.