Cranking a Squarebill

[Bitethis]

So I am exploring something I haven't used in the past; squarebill crankbait. I hear a lot of talk (and read a lot of articles) on how effective this bait is. Everything from it being good 12 months of the year, good on chunk rock, good on laydowns and obstacles, and for scraping the bottom. I have heard to rip it fast non-stop, and to do a stop and go retrieve. Use silent, get em with rattles. The list goes on, and I can only make the assumption that a lot of it boils down to the body of water you are on.

So, what is your favorite squarebill, favorite color, and how are you all fishing them and when?

[fishinwrench]

It wiggles and goes a little crazy when it bumps off of things, and bass hit them pretty good when in colored water. Otherwise there are no rules.

A few things I've learned:

A Rattle trap type crank is a good comeback bait when they miss or refuse the square bill, and just might be a better choice in the first place. I throw a Red eye shad if my partner is throwing a Square bill and I usually spank them with it.

I think the soft (glass) rod theory that everyone accepts for crankbait fishing is baloney. I've never seen that help one bit over using a regular med.action graphite rod.

[waterpossum]

It wiggles and goes a little crazy when it bumps off of things, and bass hit them pretty good when in colored water. Otherwise there are no rules.

A few things I've learned:

A Rattle trap type crank is a good comeback bait when they miss or refuse the square bill, and just might be a better choice in the first place. I throw a Red eye shad if my partner is throwing a Square bill and I usually spank them with it.

I think the soft (glass) rod theory that everyone accepts for crankbait fishing is baloney. I've never seen that help one bit over using a regular med.action graphite rod.

So I am exploring something I haven't used in the past; squarebill crankbait. I hear a lot of talk (and read a lot of articles) on how effective this bait is. Everything from it being good 12 months of the year, good on chunk rock, good on laydowns and obstacles, and for scraping the bottom. I have heard to rip it fast non-stop, and to do a stop and go retrieve. Use silent, get em with rattles. The list goes on, and I can only make the assumption that a lot of it boils down to the body of water you are on.

So, what is your favorite squarebill, favorite color, and how are you all fishing them and when?

I have some Bagley square bill baits made of balsa that I like, but haven't thrown in a long time. They are very buoyant. I prefer throwing them in off colored water on mud flats and narrow creek arms.

[5bites]

The h20 brand baits from academy are great square bills with good hooks and are usually only $3. I like the bigger version.

I use 15-17lb flourocarbon on a 6'10" med or medium heavy rod. Generally I use a fast retrieve but I'm not burning it. It's a fun way to catch fish.

[Unimog]

One of my favorite lures, however it's not a bite I've ever really seen materialize on the lower end of Stockton where I usually fish. Around home I fish them on 20# fluorocarbon and a heavy action 7' crankbait rod.