By: Jacob Wahdan

When you think of a square-bill crankbait, automatically you would think of “shallow water.”  This technique is very good for getting a “reaction bite.”  A reaction bite is when you bump or hit a piece of cover and it automatically triggers the bass to eat the bait.  An example of a reaction bite is a bass having a mouth full of shad and you bump the crankbait on a log that it is setting on, it would still eat your lure.  There are different sizes of crankbaits and different depths.

There are different types of square-bill crankbaits.  You have your long and skinny ones.  You also have your fat and short ones.  All of them are good but some work better on different days.  There are also different depths of square-bill crank baits.  The depths all depend on the length and width of the “bill.”  The longer the bill, the deeper it will run.  My all time favorite crank bait is the Strike King KVD 1.5.  These are deadly square bills.  You can throw a shallow crank around many different types of cover.

The types of cover that you could throw a square-bill around are docks, submerged timber or rock, and also around grass.  A square-bill has many different speeds of retrieval and types of retrieval.  

The speed of the retrieval is closely related to the mood and conditions the bass are in.  Your speeds are fast, medium, or barely even wobbling.  My most preferred speed would be fast.  Some may like different speeds, but I like the fast retrieval.  You also have different types of retrieves, there is the yo-yo retrieve, the start and stop, and the straight retrieve.  Like always, these are used for the different moods of the fish.  Now that you know where and what kind of retrieval to use, let’s get to the rod, reel, and line to use.

My most preferred rod would be the Bass Fishing Underground 7 foot medium square-bill crankbait rod.  This rod helps you get those long casts that will get that bait down to the right depth and helps you get a better hook set.  When it comes to your reel, you want a fast and smooth reel.  A 6:3:1 Quantum PT Energy is a great reel.  A great reel should be matched with great line.  Fluorocarbon line should be used for this type of fishing.  The lighter the line the deeper it goes.  Why fluorocarbon?  It is virtually invisible, superior knot strength, and great castability.  It also has less stretch.

My favorite time to throw a square-bill would have to be in early spring and late fall. When the water is cool or starts cooling down.  This is when I love to throw a square-bill. You can throw them all year around but from experience this is the best time to throw a square-bill.

N

ext time you are on the water and are shallow cranking, I hope you can use these tips and techniques to help you catch more fish on those tough days.  Maybe these tips will help you be a better square-bill crank bait fisherman.