i hear bass anglers talk about square bill crankbait, since i been out of the click for 25 yrs. what is the difference over my old crankbaits, are they prover to be better is certain applications

 

 

chet

Squarebills tend to deflect off cover better and have a short bill typically. So they shine for fishing around shallow cover.

Yep, definitely try to make it hit every piece of cover possible. A tactic for that is to let it deflect off and then give it a pause. Will get alot of strikes doing that. Don't worry too much about hanging up. They tend to back off and un-hook themselves if they do hang. I can't even remember the last time I lost a squarebill. 

 

If you are in a boat I would parallel the bank and try to keep it in that 3-5 foot zone as much as possible. 

Square bills are sort of the 4 wheel drive of crankbaits. As has already been said, they come through cover well and are meant to be banged off of cover/structure or the bottom, generally 5' and under depth. I usually fish them faster than you might think ideal with an erratic stop and go retrieve and if I can't consistently crash my bait into something I will choose a different bait altogether. 

They are also productive in weed lines and holes or pockets of Lilly pads. Good bait to have a few of. Try the SK KVD’s. They are productive and don’t break the bank $$$. 

Crankbaits are designed to be running and digging into the bottom. This action is designed to trigger a strike.  Squarebills are designed with a wide wobble, run shallower, and are designed to entice suspended fish.  It is true that cover enhances their production, but don’t think they cannot catch suspended bass in deeper water.  I fished a tournament this last weekend and four of my keepers came on a Squarebill in 20 feet of water.

I don't get a lot of opportunity to bang squarebills off of anything because in many places I fish there's nothing to hit. I've caught most of my crankbait fish in more "open" waters.

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