When to Use Flat-Sided vs. Squarebill Crankbaits

When it comes to shallow diving crankbaits, two popular choices rise to the top: the flat-sided crankbait and the squarebill. While they share some similarities, their subtle differences can make a big impact on your fishing success. 

Let's dive in (pun intended) and explore what sets these crankbaits apart.

Body Shape:

Flat-Sided: As the name suggests, these crankbaits have, well, flat sides. This gives them a wider profile and a more subtle wobble compared to their squarebill counterparts.

Squarebill: These crankbaits have a wider body and prominent, square-shaped lip that deflects off cover and digs deeper. This creates a wider wobble and a more aggressive action.

Action and Vibration:

Flat-Sided: The flat sides creates a tighter wobble with a higher-pitched vibration. This can trigger more reaction strikes, especially in colder water, in finesse situations or when fish are pressured.

Squarebill: The square lip creates produce a wider, rolling action with a low-frequency vibration. This can be deadly when aggressive bass are hanging around shallow cover waiting to ambush unsuspecting forage.

Diving Depth and Use:

Flat-Sided: Can dig a little deeper, allowing you to crank around thicker cover or target sluggish, suspended fish.

Squarebill: Choose for situations when bass are staging on shallow cover and bumping the cover helps trigger reaction strikes.

Bass pro Bill Lowen loves cranking the shallows for bass throughout the year. Take a few minutes and watch as he explains his process for chosing between squarebills and flat-sided baits as well as the line he uses to maximize success with each...

Let Roadbeds Lead You to Prespawn Bass

Roadbeds can be productive areas for catching prespawn bass since they serve as migration routes for bass moving from deep water to shallow water areas.

Here are several tips for fishing roadbeds for prespawn bass:

Locate the Roadbeds: Look for areas where roadbeds run parallel or perpendicular to the shore near drop-offs that lead to deeper water. Roadbeds can also be identified on a lake map (see image below), so it's worth doing some research before heading out on the water.

Fish the Drop-Offs: Target the drop-offs along the roadbed with a slow-moving bait such as a jig, Texas-rigged worm, or creature bait. Focus on the areas where the roadbed transitions from shallow to deep water as this can be a prime location for staging bass.

Try a Crankbait: Square bill and lipless crankbaits can also be effective on roadbeds. Use a slow and steady retrieve and make sure the lure bumps the roadbed occasionally to mimic struggling forage.

Experiment with Different Depths: Vary the depth of your bait until you find the depth where the bass are holding. Try fishing at different depths along the roadbed until you locate staging bass.

Keep an Eye on Water Temperature: The prespawn/spawn period is triggered by the warming of the water, so monitor the water temperature regularly. When the water temperature reaches around 55-60 degrees Fahrenheit, the bass will start moving up to shallower water to spawn.

Use a Slow Presentation: During the prespawn period, the bass are often lethargic and not as aggressive as they will be in a cool water period. Start by using a slow presentation and then experiment with different retrieve speeds and actions then let the bass' reactions identify the best prsentation to trigger strikes.

Take a moment and watch the following video by bass pro Shane LeHew as he gives an "on the water" demo on cranking roadbeds for prespawn bass:

Making Crankbaits Suspend

When most anglers hear the term suspending baits they likely think of the most common suspending lure type, the jerkbait. 

But many savvy bass anglers realize there are limitations to what can be accomplished with a standard minnow-style jerkbait and have modified different types on billed crankbaits to suspend as well.

The most common floating to suspending crankbait modification is usually performed on one of the best cool/cold water crankbaits on the market, the Rapala Shad Rap (<== post link).

Some of those same methods can be applied to other diving crankbaits as bass pro Matt Stefan illustrates in this insightful video:

In additon to the methods Matt discusses in the video, the addition of Storm's Suspend Strips or Dots also helps with crankbait modifications as well.

It definitely provides some food for thought when out trying to entice cold water bass into biting!

Need additional components to modify baits or make your own fishing lures? 

Check out the wide variety of bait making and modifying items available at Lure Parts Online by clicking on the following image!

Cranking Creek Arms for Prespawn Bass

As warming trends build through the prespawn, the water in the backs of creek arms heats up quicker than other areas of a lake. Warming water brings all types of microbes and water bugs to life which draws bait and ultimately game fish like bass to those areas to feed.

Though a number of different baits can work, shallow running and lipless crankbaits are highly effective tools for finding and catching these hungry bass.

Take a moment and hear how bass pro Ott Defoe approaches finding the productive cover and catching gorging bass from the creek flats...

Tips for Fishing Crankbaits in Cool Water

Many bass anglers struggle when it’s time to fish cool to cold waters and the fish are keyed-in on baitfish such as shad and perch…

Selecting the right type of crankbait and combining with the correct presentations will greatly increase every bass angler’s success during the cool and cold water periods…

In the following video, Bassmaster Elite Pro, Mark Menendez identifies his “go to” crankbait type, the equipment he uses as well as presentations to maximize his success with cool water bass…

Enjoy!

What's your favorite cool water crankbait?

Mine is a thin-bodied bait like the Rapala Shad Rap!

Just saying 💣