Kvd 1.5-2.5 Squarebill

[fisher of bass]

Hello, i caught a couple bass swimming it thru weeds and allowing it to float back up. the strikes for me when i rip it thru the grass and let it rise till it floats anybody else have any suggestions tia

[Bluebasser86]

Haven't got to fish the KVD bait very much yet but I usually catch most of my bass on squarebills banging them through cover and with a stop and go retrieve.

[senile1]

I like the action of the 1.5 and 2.5 square bills. The bait almost rolls over on its side and it draws strikes from active fish, large and small. I have heard some complaints about the hooks ripping out and fish coming unbuttoned. I have fished the 2.5 quite a bit lately and, during that time, I have had three fish come unbuttoned and one was pretty large. I use a pretty soft medium action crankbait rod and I don't horse crankbait fish so it could be the hooks or just coincidence. I'm going to replace the hooks and see if there is an improvement.

[jack1]

It's the real deal. I fished with the 2.5...swapped the hooks out for the new KVD trebles...caught some dandy smallies and northern pikes already...on just one squarebill. I've had smallies slapped at it and some of them were barely hooked.

I tend to not buy into the hype of lures, but with the success I've had with just this one KVD squarebill & the treble hooks...I'm pretty much sold on it.

[SausageFingers]

I've caught a bunch of fish this season on the 1.5 and 2.5 with stock hooks. Only had one toss it at the boat.

[Hooligan]

Swapping hooks won't stop fish from throwing them. That's a pilot error issue most of the time, either failing to get a good hook set, or pushing the limits on moving the fish on the hook set you have. I've not had a single problem with the 1.5 hooking fish. I caught 38 from 10" to 18" on the same bait last week pre-fishing and all were landed. If you're fishing the bait on an ultra soft rod, you're not going to like the bait, it fishes very well on a little stiffer rod.

[ww2farmer]

I have only had one fish come off a KVD so far this year, and that was my own stupid fault. I tried to swing a 3.5lber that was barely hooked. I am using the stock hooks, then when the are dull/rusty/broke etc... I will swap them out with Mustad KVD's. I have used the KVD alot the last few weeks, been very pleased with the results.

[senile1]

Swapping hooks won't stop fish from throwing them. That's a pilot error issue most of the time, either failing to get a good hook set, or pushing the limits on moving the fish on the hook set you have. I've not had a single problem with the 1.5 hooking fish. I caught 38 from 10" to 18" on the same bait last week pre-fishing and all were landed. If you're fishing the bait on an ultra soft rod, you're not going to like the bait, it fishes very well on a little stiffer rod.

Well,it is highly likely that it isn't pilot error in my case, and yes, swapping hooks does often make a difference in fish throwing them. Many people use a hook change to avoid this circumstance including KVD himself when the stock hooks are not up to snuff. I fish plenty of crankbaits and have fished them for years so I learned years ago not to horse a crankbait fish, especially one of size. Also, as I said I use a pretty soft medium action rod, not an ultra-soft or light rod, but I first tried it with a medium-heavy. The first two fish I lost on the bait were with the medium-heavy which is why I went to my softer crankbait rod. I have also read of a number of others who have experienced this issue with these baits. It may not be every bait but it appears to happen enough to warrant a hook change. And to add more evidence, I do not lose fish with my other crankbaits.

By the way, I have only experienced it with the 2.5 size, but I assume the 1.5 will be similar. I have caught well over 60 fish with this crankbait this Spring and I have lost three fish, including one of decent size. That's three too many. It is a good bait, but I am definitely going to add hooks that I know are good quality to eliminate that possibility.

[ynnhoj86]

i used them this last fishing trip for the first time, and was surprised how well they worked. Gonna go back and get me some more KVD's.

[Aluma-Bass]

i have them both and only really used the 1.5 so far and have done well!! I likem!

[fisher of bass]

i have them both and only really used the 1.5 so far and have done well!! I likem!

i agree they really work well and i have not had any fish throw the hook yet, but how are you fishing them

[Hooligan]

Well,it is highly likely that it isn't pilot error in my case, and yes, swapping hooks does often make a difference in fish throwing them. Many people use a hook change to avoid this circumstance including KVD himself when the stock hooks are not up to snuff. I fish plenty of crankbaits and have fished them for years so I learned years ago not to horse a crankbait fish, especially one of size. Also, as I said I use a pretty soft medium action rod, not an ultra-soft or light rod, but I first tried it with a medium-heavy. The first two fish I lost on the bait were with the medium-heavy which is why I went to my softer crankbait rod. I have also read of a number of others who have experienced this issue with these baits. It may not be every bait but it appears to happen enough to warrant a hook change. And to add more evidence, I do not lose fish with my other crankbaits.

By the way, I have only experienced it with the 2.5 size, but I assume the 1.5 will be similar. I have caught well over 60 fish with this crankbait this Spring and I have lost three fish, including one of decent size. That's three too many. It is a good bait, but I am definitely going to add hooks that I know are good quality to eliminate that possibility.

That's debatable at best. It has more to do with getting a hook set than anything. If you sharpen the hooks that come on the bait, you'll get a better hook set, thereby reducing the chance of throwing the bait. Which is exactly the reason KVD changes hooks, hook set and strength. Now, if your hooks are bending, you're in a different situation and should ease up on the fish, or change hooks.

In regards to pilot error, don't be too high on that issue, none of us are perfect. I mess up on fish still, it happens, I'm humble about the fact that I lost the single fish that would have put $875 in the boat from our tournament this weekend- totally pilot error.

I said ultra soft, which would include many of the glass rods on the market today. Rods like the Loomis Crankbait, the Deepflex, the Shimano Crucial Crankbait, the BPS Crankin' Stick are all too soft to effectively set the hooks on the 2.5. Compare any one of those rods to the KVD Tour and you'll understand immediately what I'm saying. They're moderate, yes, but much more powerful than the others listed. I fish them on a Cumara Reaction 7-0 in M and MH. You need to fish them with a rod that has some meat on its bones in order to control the bait properly as well as set the hooks.

The 1.5 isn't anywhere near the 2.5 in terms of driving it home. I've not changed the hooks on them yet, and have lost only one fish that was admittedly pilot error. Trying to horse a fish out of timber.

[senile1]

Thanks for the explanation, Hooligan. I do agree with you that sharpening the hooks would make a difference but I have basically stopped sharpening hooks over the last few years and just started replacing them with hooks that I know are sharp to begin with like Owner brand hooks. Call me lazy but I have read that it is impossible to get a modern hook as sharp with a file as some modern hooks arrive in the package due to the methods used in sharpening at the factory.

[Hooligan]

I don't think you're lazy for that, you're probably smarter to just do it and get it out of the way. Whereas I'm the dummy that will sharpen them first until they go bad, then change them, all the while knowing I was going to change them in the first place.