Using Squarebill Crankbaits to Catch Fall Bass

Even though air and water temperatures cool quickly, bass fishing starts to heat up in the fall. These changes trigger bass to start aggressively feeding up for winter and will strike reaction baits worked around their prime fall haunts. 

One of the best lures to use during this transitional season is a squarebill crankbait. 

Here's how to use this effective lure to catch more fall bass:

Choose Your Squarebill: Squarebill crankbaits feature a square lip that gives them an erratic darting action ideal for triggering reaction bites. Pick a model that dives down to 2-8 feet to target bass relating to cover and structure. Standard squarebills are about 2 inches long, but going bigger with a 2.5-3 inch version can be even more effective on big fall bass. Opt for shad, perch or crawfish patterns in natural colors to match local forage.

Target Shallow Cover: Focus your squarebill retrieves around shallow cover that bass are using as ambush points to attack prey. Target areas with cover types like laydowns, rocks, stumps, dock pilings, and grass edges in depths from 2 to 8 feet. The squarebill's wobbling action will grab the attention of bass hiding around shallow cover.

Work the Crankbait Properly: It's essential that you work the squarebill crankbait at the right speed and retrieve cadence to trigger aggressive strikes. Use a medium-fast 6.3:1 reel and keep the rod tip down for maximum diving depth. Crank the lure as fast as you can while still bouncing off cover and keeping it near the bottom. Try using a stop and go retrieve to make the bait kick off to the side and dart erratically.

Experiment with Different Retrieves: One of the best things about a squarebill is you can vary your retrieve to appeal to how active the bass are. Burn it steadily back on a straight line for aggressive fish. Kill the lure and let it float up when the crankbait hits something for a deadstick pause. Pop your rod tip during the retrieve to make the bait slash and dance. Experiment until you find what triggers the bass that day.

Take a few minutes and watch as the folks from Lurenet demonstrate some of the finer points for catching fall bass around shallow cover with a squarebill...

Fishing Squarebill Crankbaits During the Summer

When it comes to summer bass fishing, anglers are always on the lookout for effective techniques and lures. One lure that consistently proves its worth is the squarebill crankbait. Renowned for its ability to dive through shallow cover and provoke aggressive strikes, the squarebill crankbait is a go-to option for targeting bass during the warm summer months. 

Here are several pointers on the art of fishing squarebill crankbaits that also reveal some great tips to help you maximize your success this summer:

Understanding Squarebill Crankbaits

Squarebill crankbaits are characterized by their square-shaped diving lip located right at the front of the lure. This design allows them to deflect off obstacles in the  shallows (< 5’ deep), making them ideal for fishing in areas with submerged rocks, docks, timber, or weeds. The erratic wobbling action of the squarebill crankbait mimics an injured baitfish, triggering a bass's predatory instinct into striking.

Selecting the Right Rod, Reel & Line Combo

Before hitting the water, ensure you have the appropriate gear for squarebill crankbait fishing. A 6'6" to 7.25’ medium-heavy power, moderate-fast action casting rod with a low-profile, 6.8 gear ratios baitcasting reel is recommended though spinning gear can be used if preferred. The robust rod provides the strength needed to handle the fish and keep it away from obstacles in the water. Match the rod with a high-quality fluorocarbon line in the 12-20 pound test range, offering good sensitivity and abrasion resistance.

Choosing the Right Squarebill Crankbait

Squarebill crankbaits come in various sizes, colors, and associated diving depths. For summer fishing when bass are often targeting smaller forage, opt for smaller sizes with diving depths ranging from 2 to 5 feet. Natural colors such as shad, crawfish, or bluegill patterns are often effective in clear water and use brighter colors like chartreuse in murkier water or low-light conditions.

Scouting the Fishing Spots

During the summer, bass tend to retreat to the shaded areas of heavier cover in the shallows. Look for weed lines, submerged rocks, fallen trees, or docks close to drop-offs, points or creek channels. These spots provide ideal ambush points for bass to target prey, making them prime locations to work with your squarebill crankbait.

Retrieval Techniques

The key to success with squarebill crankbaits often lies in the way it’s retrieved. Start by casting your lure near the target area, letting it sit for a moment after it touches the water, and then start reeling it in with a steady retrieve through the cover. The squarebill's design imparts its erratic wobbling action during the retrieve typically drawing the attention of nearby bass. Keep the retrieval speed medium to fast, varying it occasionally to trigger reaction strikes.

When your crankbait bumps into rocks or other cover, let it pause for a moment since its natural buoyancy will cause it to rise slightly, and then give it a slight twitch or pop to imitate a distressed baitfish. This action often entices bass to strike, thinking they've found an easy meal. Remember, it's crucial to keep the lure close to the cover so it maintains periodic contact with it.

Adapt to Environmental Conditions Each Trip

Pay attention to the water temperature, clarity, and the bass's behavior to adapt your presentation. During hot summer days, bass may become lethargic, so consider slowing down your retrieval speed and imparting more subtle movements to tempt finicky bass into biting. In murky water, choose lures with more prominent rattles or vibrant colors to help bass locate your crankbait. Conversely, in clear water, opt for more natural and subtle presentations.

Fishing with squarebill crankbaits for summer bass can be both challenging and rewarding. As you gain experience and fine-tune your presentation techniques, you'll develop a knack for pinpointing the ideal cover and retrieves thereby triggering more strikes from even the most reluctant bass.

Fishing Squarebill Crankbaits for Spring Bass

Fishing with squarebill crankbaits in the spring can be a great way to catch bass. Warmer temperatures and longer daylight hours trigger the bass to become more active and feed more aggressively. 

Following are the basics of squarebill crankbait fishing in the spring, including what gear you'll need, where to look for fish, and how to retrieve the bait.

Gear for Squarebill Crankbait Fishing in the Spring

Before you hit the water, you'll need to make sure you have the right gear. Here's a breakdown of what you'll need for squarebill crankbait fishing in the spring:

Rod: A 6.5-ft to 7-ft medium or medium-heavy power rod with a fast tip is recommended for fishing squarebill crankbaits. This will allow you to cast the bait more accurately and farther to present the squarebill around bass holding cover.

Reel: A baitcasting reel with a 6:1 or 7:1 gear ratio is ideal for squarebill crankbait fishing, as it allows for fast retrieves and quick hook sets.

Line: A 12-20 lb fluorocarbon or monofilament line is recommended for squarebill crankbait fishing, as it provides good sensitivity allowing you to feel the bait and detect strikes.

Bait: A squarebill crankbait in natural color patterns, such as bluegill, shad brown or green crawfish in clear water and  black-back chartreuse, chartreuse or red crawfish when fishing in stained water, is a good choice for fishing squarebills in the spring. A good starting size when fishing squarebills in the spring is a 1.5 size then experiment with smaller and larger sizes and let the bass indicate their preference during that outing.

Where to Look for Fish

In the spring, bass tend to move from their winter haunts in deeper water towards shallower areas where they can feed and spawn. In early spring start your search around points and breaklines closest to main lake wintering areas. As you move deeper into spring, look for areas with shallow water and cover, such as weed beds, docks, fallen trees, boulder fields or rock banks. These areas provide cover for the bass to hide and ambush prey.

Basic Squarebill Retrieve

When fishing with a squarebill crankbait, the key is to make the bait look as natural as possible. To do this, you'll want to retrieve the bait in a stop-and-go motion, with occasional twitches and pauses to mimic the movement of prey.

Think Squarebills for Shallow Bass

There is a school of thought in the bass fishing world stating that a decent percentage of the bass population in most waters lives around cover in shallow water. I know from extensive personal experience that most of the bass I catch from ice-out until ice-in were enticed from cover in less than 5 or 6 feet of water!

Though there are many baits used to fish shallow water cover, one of the best is the squarebill crankbait...

Unlike other shallow cranks with rounded lips, the design of the squarebill's lip allows it to contact different types of cover like rocks and branches and still deflect away from it rather than hanging. A definite advantage since many anglers will opt for other types of baits like spinnerbaits, weedless-rigged soft plastics and jigs. This means shallow bass hanging around those types of cover do not see as many crankbaits and maybe less gun shy when your bait suddenly bounces by...

Take a moment and watch the following short video where B.A.S.S. Elite Series pro, Randall Tharp discusses the basics of fishing squarebills around shallow cover...