Hey squarebill guys and gals...

[Catt]

2 hours ago, BlakeMolone said:

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?

 

Muddy or clear doesn't matter ?

 

The Movement 80X ain't your traditional "squarebill", it's unique body profile & bill shape deflects off hard cover extremely well. It's also comes through grass fairly easily & is killer in open water.

 

Some will disagree but I firmly believe 6th has the best crankbaits on the market.

[Columbia Craw]

For me, this selection of models covers it all.

Top to bottom, left to right

 

Excaliber 200,300

Yozuri 3DB

Xcite 200

6th Sense Movement L7

KVD 2.5

 

Normans Fat Bot

KVD 1.5

Luhr Jensen Speed Trap

6th Sense Crush 50 ( and Cloud 9 Mini Mag)

Normans Speed N

[Columbia Craw]

11 hours ago, scaleface said:

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

 

 

Like these?

[GetFishorDieTryin]

12 hours ago, scaleface said:

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

 

 

 

13 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

Always have one tied on in my boat.  Little tough to fish from the bank sometimes, either way hard to beat.

[DSTN]

My most productive has been a Bomber Square A, although they quit making my favorite color some time in the last couple years. The KVD 1.5 is close behind. Been doing well fending off the bait Monkey lately but all these posts about the 6th Sense baits are getting to me...

[Bluebasser86]

This bait is a balsa bait that has been a killer for me the last couple years when the fish get up shallow chasing shad. It only dives a couple feet deep but it bounces off everything since it's balsa.

[Kev-mo]

21 hours 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?

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

the 6.99 silent LC work just fine. so do the more expensive silent or rattling ones. 

[mikey z]

Berkley Frittside 5. Just bought it last week, received it Friday, fished it Saturday morning. Brutally slow morning. Only the Frittside got me bit. It was a 3 lb, my biggest bass since July on it. A certified hawg in my neighborhood ponds.

[NittyGrittyBoy]

19 hours ago, Catt said:

Some will disagree but I firmly believe 6th sense has the best crankbaits on the market.

I sure dont disagree. ? ssshhhhhh...

[r3825]

22 hours ago, kdubracing said:

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

I love the bx brat,  always have one tied on

[ChrisD46]

On 11/1/2020 at 11:23 AM, 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.

 

 

*Curious what specific things  did you not like about the Rapala Brat ?

[PourMyOwn]

The Norman Fat Boy is a great 5-6 dollar squarebill. I like the Rapalas, Bagleys, and Bombers too, but nothing I have used is quite like the Fat Boy. 

[Fishes in trees]

I think you've got enough square bills for now.  For the record, my favorite baits of this type are Timber Tigers, mostly in the DC8 , DC5 & DC4 sizes.   They have been long since discontinued, but for now I have a reasonable supply.   Maybe they will bring the bait back sometime - but I doubt it.

 

You could focus on fine tuning your color choices for different water colors, that that could get expensive and kinda unnecessary.

 

If I were you, I'd focus on getting off the bank.  Get a small to medium size Jon boat that you could tow with your car - or some kind of plastic pond boat like the BPS Pond Prowler and a little trailer.   If you're fishing strip pits from the bank there is a LOT of good water that isn't available to you because you're bank bound.   Get a kayak if you have too.  Don't stay bank bound.

 

Be mindful that should you get off the bank, there is quite a bit of stuff you might need to re- learn.   IMO , when I was bank bound and then got a boat, I had lots of bad habits that I had to re- learn.  Most of this involved fishing soft plastics and learning how to fish down hill instead of up hill, going parallel to the bank rather than in & out.   Takes a while to expunge bank fishing habits that don't really transfer well to boat fishing.

[BassNJake]

On 11/1/2020 at 10:54 PM, DSTN said:

My most productive has been a Bomber Square A, although they quit making my favorite color some time in the last couple years. The KVD 1.5 is close behind. Been doing well fending off the bait Monkey lately but all these posts about the 6th Sense baits are getting to me...

Earlier this year I saw a snagged bait in the top of a tree branch in about 8-10 feet of water (no depth finder on)

I tried to reach it by using my 7 foot rod but just grabbed some line.

The line was attached to the crankbait and after a few pulls it comes out and promptly gets eaten by a smallie about 12 inches in size

 

So for that 6th sense deep diver I didn't even have it tied to my rod and caught a fish with it!!

 

I have a few black crankbaits that absolutely deliver especially when there is pressure

Well they kinda let the cat out of the bag by offering it in some of their cranks.

 

I fish a lot of cranks fall-->late winter and I'm a grinder

Reel them to the bottom and then grind them as slow as you can over every rock

(too slow and you'll get hung, too fast and you're missing bottom contact)

The 6th sense baits hold up to the grind and I like the stock hooks as well

[DitchPanda]

12 hours ago, Fishes in trees said:

I think you've got enough square bills for now.  For the record, my favorite baits of this type are Timber Tigers, mostly in the DC8 , DC5 & DC4 sizes.   They have been long since discontinued, but for now I have a reasonable supply.   Maybe they will bring the bait back sometime - but I doubt it.

 

You could focus on fine tuning your color choices for different water colors, that that could get expensive and kinda unnecessary.

 

If I were you, I'd focus on getting off the bank.  Get a small to medium size Jon boat that you could tow with your car - or some kind of plastic pond boat like the BPS Pond Prowler and a little trailer.   If you're fishing strip pits from the bank there is a LOT of good water that isn't available to you because you're bank bound.   Get a kayak if you have too.  Don't stay bank bound.

 

Be mindful that should you get off the bank, there is quite a bit of stuff you might need to re- learn.   IMO , when I was bank bound and then got a boat, I had lots of bad habits that I had to re- learn.  Most of this involved fishing soft plastics and learning how to fish down hill instead of up hill, going parallel to the bank rather than in & out.   Takes a while to expunge bank fishing habits that don't really transfer well to boat fishing.

This is kind of an interesting look at it. I recently watched a video where 2 guys said bank anglers are better at casting angles and efficiency than boat anglers. They never mentioned bad habits. I fish from a boat a decent amount...all my buddies have them my uncle too...and I had a kayak for a decent amount of time. I'm really considering a kayak as I do enjoy it.

Kinda funny that several people have told me that I have enough square bills...didn't know there was a number to reach. Its funny to me only because I've seen guys post on here saying they have hundreds of crankbaits...nobody told them to stop buying!

[Cgolf]

My goto square bills are the Bandit 100, Xcalibur XCS 200, SK 1.0 and that about does it. Have others that have caught fish but not as consistently as those 3. The ones that have been a huge miss for me are the SK 1.5 and 2.5, no idea why but they just don’t produce. 
 

The bandit 100 has been my most most consistent crank for many years. It excels in shallow rocky rivers. 

[jimmyjoe]

13 hours ago, BassNJake said:

I fish a lot of cranks fall-->late winter and I'm a grinder

Reel them to the bottom and then grind them as slow as you can over every rock

 

   Perfect description .... absolutely perfect. That's squarebill heaven.     jj

[Mbirdsley]

Kvd’s are hard to beat.  I have had good success on the Rick clunns that are sold at Walmart might be by lucky strike? Also don’t forget bandits 

[Bluebasser86]

Just picked up a couple of the KVD 1.5 Hard Knocks and a Norman's Speed N. Excited to put them through their paces.

[Teal]

On 11/1/2020 at 11:23 AM, ww2farmer said:

 

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.

 

 

On 11/1/2020 at 11:23 AM, ww2farmer said:

 

I agree with this.  I have a few rapalas, LC, Sk and even megabass lures.  But KVD and Arashi are really my favorites.

 

I just got a butt load of storm arashi from Ollie's back in july for 3 or 4 bucks each.  

 

@DitchPanda if you want to try a few in 2.5 size.  Send me your address and I'll mail you a few.  I have all sorts of colors.

[DitchPanda]

1 hour ago, Teal said:

 

 

I agree with this.  I have a few rapalas, LC, Sk and even megabass lures.  But KVD and Arashi are really my favorites.

 

I just got a butt load of storm arashi from Ollie's back in july for 3 or 4 bucks each.  

 

@DitchPanda if you want to try a few in 2.5 size.  Send me your address and I'll mail you a few.  I have all sorts of colors.

I really appreciate the offer but I don't really like the 2.5 size...plus I'm looking for baits that run slightly shallower that's why I was looking at the LCs. Thank you tho.

[Cptndeez64]

On 11/1/2020 at 10:23 AM, 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.

 

 

Man, I'm surprised you dissed the Brat. I've had a ton of bites with mine this year.

[Boomstick]

If I had just one crankbait to cover all situations, it would be the River2Sea Ish Monroe Biggie, probably in the smalls size. They have a moderate wobble to them but I've casted them next to baitfish, and the movement blends right in! I have a Lucky Craft silent model that is badly beat up which I think is a LC silent and that is very similar as well. KVD 1.5 and 2.5s are also very well suited to just about any situation I'd ever throw a squarebill as well.

 

When bass really hammer them, I have had good success with the Megabass S-Crank in the 1.2 and the 1.5 (the 1.2 is the size of your typical 1.5), and my youngest son has really had a field day on a few occasions on a Booyah 2 in similar situations but I will note he did break the bill off of a couple in which I felt was a little prematurely.

[papajoe222]

Haven't seen them mentioned, so I will.  Live Target makes some of the most realistic looking baits and in the clear water I frequent, the bluegill pattern is tops. I really like the thin body and the hooks are top shelf.

[ww2farmer]

On 11/5/2020 at 5:21 AM, ChrisD46 said:

*Curious what specific things  did you not like about the Rapala Brat ?

Didn't dive deep enough into the grass for me. We don't have a lot of traditional "square bill" water here, so they get used a lot of the time for me to crash through the grass....kinda like a lipless crank, but they come through better. Baits that don't dive deep enough into the grass rarely get bit for me, and baits that get too far into it and really dig in are infuriating to fish. The KVD square bills are about perfect for this, and once I change the stock hooks out to the 1x strong, 2x short mustad KVD triple grips, they come through even better, and give that bait a slight pause before it slowly rises when I feel it contact grass. That slow rise is also key, helps me keep it down in the grass, there's nothing worse than having to stop it to rip it out of grass of have it float back out of a wad and it comes to the top quickly.