Favourite Squarebill Crankbait 2024

Skspacemonkey reply :

What is everyone go-to squarebill crankbait? Brand,color etc. Thanks!

Russ E reply :

KVD 1.5. sexy shad 90% of time.

Robin reply :

Academy H2O. For $3.99 you cannot beat them. They flat out catch fish! Most colors works great.

1201vilbig reply :

Xcite Baits XB-1 in Copper Green Shad

Bluebasser86 reply :

I hate crankbaits, but if I'm going to fish one, it's going to be a Berkley Pitbull or custom painted 1.5 blank a lot of the time.

Angry John reply :

Kvd 1.5 bluegill

Dorado reply :

On 1/13/2018 at 12:42 PM, Angry John said:

Kvd 1.5 bluegill

One of my favorites too. I’ve had some determined bites on that exact pattern

smalljaw67 reply :

I don't know if I have a favorite as I like them all and some are good in just specific situations. That said, if I have to choose just 1 as a favorite it would either be a Mann's Baby X or a discontinued Xcalibur XCS 100 square bill. Honorable mentions would be the Storm Arashi square 3, Rapala DT-Fat 3, Bagley Balsa B2 and the Bagley Rattlin' Kill'R B and the Xcalibur XCS 200 real craw series square bill.

scaleface reply :

If you can find Rapala Crankin Raps in the clearance bins grab em . I think they are a Storm design . They resemble a Wiggle Wart with a square lip and tight action .

Quarry Man reply :

i like the 1.5s by kvd, lucky craft lc rto in brent gill i think.

rangerjockey reply :

I think the best plastic squarebills out there right now are the 6th. sense crush. I also like the old xcalilber if you can find one.

The color depends on water color and where you fish. On Table Rock I throw the live Threadfin Shad a lot. If the waters dingy I'd throw chartreuse /black back . Bill Norman used to have a color called Mountain Dew that i Really liked, I know a guy who custom paints it and calls it pizz ice but it looks the same

In Balsa, I throw Dave's, Wec, and black Labels... same deal, some kind of shad and something with chartreuse or Orange.

Bass craft is another good balsa and they are reasonably priced. Daves are basically a Bagley copy and will set you back about 50 bucks but they run perfect and each bait is hand painted and he personally runs every bait. The golden bream is a great color.

Sam reply :

KVD Strike King 1.5 in Sexy Shad.

Djohn reply :

KVD 1.5 color varies by conditions

scaleface reply :

I must be the only person in the world who hasnt had a lot of luck with the KVD 1.5 .

burrows reply :

Xcalibur

anderb54 reply :

For plastic, I like the Jackall Aska. Colors depend on water color, but I use the Tennessee Shad color the most.

For balsa, it's hard to beat the C Flash squarebills.

Boomstick reply :

Some of my favorite square bill crankbaits are:

KVD 1.5

KVD 2.5

River2Sea Ish Monroe Biggie

Lucky Craft LC Rattle In

Lucky Craft LC RTO

But my #1 favorite square bill crankbait is the Norman Fat Boy. Not too expensive, has a nice wide wobble, moves a lot of water and dives over 3ft easily on 17lb mono and at least 4ft on 12lb.

Munkin reply :

LC 1.5 in Copper Perch.

Allen

IndianaFinesse reply :

I fish areas where my squarebills have to be very shallow running to stay above the snot grass, so my favorites reflect that.

For my area my top 3 would have to be the Bandit 100, KVD 1.0, and the Spro baby fat john 50. Also like the LC cbds 0, baby 1-, and lc skt. I keep colors simple, something chartreuse in murkier water and something shad in clearer.

Scarborough817 reply :

On 1/13/2018 at 9:40 PM, scaleface said:

I must be the only person in the world who hasnt had a lot of luck with the KVD 1.5 .

no i havent either

DINK WHISPERER reply :

KVD 2.5 in various colors

npl_texas reply :

6th Sense Crush 50 and Crush 100 in bluegill fire and/or bluegill spawn.

KVD 1.5 and KVD 2.5

DSTN reply :

Bomber Square A with the KVD 1.5 a close 2nd. The Bombers don't have great hooks but they are cheap so a hook swap is no big deal.

Catt reply :

Bill Lewis Echo 1.75 ????

tander reply :

Livingston Primetyme Square 2.0 in true bream.

burrows reply :

On 1/15/2018 at 1:42 AM, Catt said:

Bill Lewis Echo 1.75 ????

This is a fairly new squarebill maybe a few years old I always am tempted to pick it up when I'm walking around my local tackle shop but don't know much about it. Is it more of a cold water bait I know it's loud?

Gundog reply :

On 1/13/2018 at 9:40 PM, scaleface said:

I must be the only person in the world who hasnt had a lot of luck with the KVD 1.5 .

I've had no luck with them either. Then again, square bills don't really fit in to the lake I fish at. Mostly weed choked with deep rocks. I throw 8-10 ft divers mostly. The few times I have thrown KVD 1.5s I've blanked.

Catt reply :

On 1/15/2018 at 4:08 AM, Burro said:

This is a fairly new squarebill maybe a few years old I always am tempted to pick it up when I'm walking around my local tackle shop but don't know much about it. Is it more of a cold water bait I know it's loud?

Do Rat-L-Traps only work in cold water ????

DomQ reply :

Pick your poison

Brett's_daddy reply :

I got a bunch of the Booyah Flex 2's after hearing nothing but stellar reviews on them (including from Bassresource's own Glenn May) and they really look sweet but haven't gotten to try them out yet.

whitwolf reply :

Rebel wee r's. They don't make them anymore but I luckily have plenty.

craww reply :

Lucky craft RC or RTO. Adjust size depending on water/mood and manipulate the rod tip for depth variance....Ive used many others including the LC a bunch without the same results...Regarding the LC, whether its mental or there is an actual difference I dont know- but they just dont get the bites the clunns do for me.

CTBassin860 reply :

KVD 1.5 in bluegill,perch or chili craw

Glenn reply :

I'm a big fan of the Booyah Flex II crankbaits. Bluegill and Hazel Craw are my favorites.

https://www.bassresource.com/fishing_lures/flex-II-squarebill-review.html

Cranks4fun reply :

I use lots of squarebills from April through June and occasionally all the way through October, but when the water gets really warm in July I tend to use deeper diving crankbaits more, like Bandit 200's or Fat Free Shads unless I am creek/ river fishing, FAVORITES? I like them all: Cordell Big O's, Rebel Wee-R's, KVD 1.5's, Lucky Craft RC's, Xcalliburs, Berkley Pitbulls, Luck-E-Strike RC2's, etc. MY MOST PRODUCTIVE squarebills in lakes and ponds, without a doubt, has been the H2O Xpress CRS and CRUL (Academy Store brand). I gravitate toward different colors for differing conditions but I love the H2O CRS in "Live Pumpkinseed" color. We had a three-man kayak tournament once and I literally cast that bait 5 ft. beside one of my competitors (we only do that among close friends to annoy each other) and pulled in two bass while he was dragging soft plastics and getting zeros. I love squarebills.
By the way, it is absolutely NOT true that you have to bang them into structure or bottom to catch fish. I use that method when that is what the bass want, but I catch just as many straight cranking as I do rock and tree banging, but it differs from day to day.

drscholl14 reply :

KVD 1.5 and 2.5 in either sexy shad or chartreuse black back (they come in a lot of great colors). Here in MN running them through the tops of weedlines/beds is deadly. Haven't found a reason to try any other brands honestly.

snake95 reply :

Rapala crankin rap if you can find it.

Sizes 03 and 05 in firetiger have been great producers for me in southern stained waters.

Can't for the life of me understand why Rapala discontinued it. Was the lure that got me into bass fishing.

TOXIC reply :

Only crankbait that I have literally worn out on fish....SPRO Little John (original) in Cell Mate. Computer chip crank that catches fish year round. My favorite of all time. If I have a crankin rod on the boat, this is tied on.

Cranks4fun reply :

I have 1 spro little john and 2 spro little john md's. I have only fished them one (and MD and the regular) and I did not get a bite. I only tried for about 45 minutes. I have read great reviews on these lures and I love the way they look. I need to get out and run them again. I know flat cranks and cold water often go together (Shad Raps & Flat A's). Have you fished them in water under 50 degrees? I really want to try these Spros again.

On 1/15/2018 at 7:49 AM, DomQ said:

Pick your poison

Domq, We discussed these earlier in 2017. Have you done well on the Arashi Square 3's and 5's. I have some and haven't caught anything yet on them but I have hardly used them. What kind of water conditions have you used them in, if you don't mind me asking. I have the flat 7's too. Got em cheap on sale! Haha!

mbtharp1 reply :

Academy H20 Express brand squarebills. They go on sale for 2.99 pretty often, come with vmc hooks, and take a beating. They're also heavy and cast well for a 1.5 sized crank.

JoePhish reply :

I'm another guy in the SK KVD fan club.

Chrome Sexy Shad in 1.5 & 2.5, Black Back/Chart in 1.5 and Natural Shad in 1.5.

Robin reply :

Another vote for Academy H2O Xpress. Best deal going and they catch as many or more fish than any other squarebill

I have used. Great color selection and the price cannot be beat. They make rattling and silent versions so buy some of each.

TOXIC reply :

On 2/2/2018 at 1:01 PM, Cranks4fun said:

I have 1 spro little john and 2 spro little john md's. I have only fished them one (and MD and the regular) and I did not get a bite. I only tried for about 45 minutes. I have read great reviews on these lures and I love the way they look. I need to get out and run them again. I know flat cranks and cold water often go together (Shad Raps & Flat A's). Have you fished them in water under 50 degrees? I really want to try these Spros again.

They were made for cold water. The trick is to s-l-o-w down. They use Tungsten coated bearings to make a different type of rattle. I fish them on St Clair in cold water, I fish them here in VA year round. No matter the season though, they need to be retrieved slower.

Cranks4fun reply :

Thanks, TOXIC for the reminder. I am going to put some hours in on my Spros in a couple of weeks. I try to fish slowly in cold weather but I can gear it down even more I'm sure.
I should add my creek fishing (clear water smallmouth) choice of square bills. It is the CORDELL BIG O in the Brown/ orange crawdad color. I have shared this before here on BR, but that bait has been unbelievable for the last two years. I change the hooks out to triple grips and they catch fish. I have not done as well with other colors but I will try to fish the other colors more this year.

DomQ reply :

On 2/2/2018 at 1:01 PM, Cranks4fun said:

I have 1 spro little john and 2 spro little john md's. I have only fished them one (and MD and the regular) and I did not get a bite. I only tried for about 45 minutes. I have read great reviews on these lures and I love the way they look. I need to get out and run them again. I know flat cranks and cold water often go together (Shad Raps & Flat A's). Have you fished them in water under 50 degrees? I really want to try these Spros again.

Domq, We discussed these earlier in 2017. Have you done well on the Arashi Square 3's and 5's. I have some and haven't caught anything yet on them but I have hardly used them. What kind of water conditions have you used them in, if you don't mind me asking. I have the flat 7's too. Got em cheap on sale! Haha!

I have had great success, the 5ft in clean water using the rusty craw colour pattern especially. It was 5-6 foot of water, very rocky bottom and I had three 3-4lb smallies crush it. The hooks help up fantastic, I also dressed the rear hook with some feathers and flash. I also caught a musky on a chartreuse 3ft. My all time favourite.

Sellersrobe reply :

Mine has to be a Carolina Custom Crank. He will custom paint EXACTLY how you want them for $10.

iceintheveins reply :

KVD 1.5, Norman Fat Boy, and Bomber Square A. Bluegill, red craw, and fire tiger are my faves.

Primus reply :

For regular size squarebills the Strike King and Lucky Craft RC baits are very good baits. That said my favorite is the Strike King Mag 8.0 , terrific bait for low light conditions and it seems to draw bigger bites more consistently than regular size squarebills. I just picked up a MegaBass Grenade which is even bigger, looking forward to trying out this spring.

Jerryj33 reply :

Another vote for LC RTOs. 1.5, 2.5 in oh so many colors, specifically the BE Gill, Pearl Threadfin, and American Shad

6595

Favourite Squarebill Crankbait 2024

related Fishing Tackle topic

previous topic

next topic

most viewed Fishing Tackle topic