The unique shape of a square-bill’s lip (spoiler: it’s square) makes it ideal for banging off cover such as rocks and branches without getting hung up That disturbance caused by a crankbait hitting and deflecting away from cover is often what triggers nearby fish to bite.
What is the difference between square bill and round bill crankbaits?
Standard theory goes: Square-bill crankbaits are used for fishing shallow around thick wood or grass cover. Round-bill crankbaits are used for any other diving application, but primarily for deeper work.
When should you throw a square bill?
Squarebills will catch fish all year long, but the spring and fall are prime squarebill seasons Bass move shallow to spawn in the spring and to feed in the fall, squarebills run at the perfect depth to target these bass. In the spring, look for shallow weed flats and rocky banks where bass will stage before the spawn.
How deep do square bill crankbaits dive?
Square bill crankbaits are best for running in the shallows from 1 to 4 feet , while a plug with a 1-inch bill will dive to about 10 feet deep. Some crankbaits with even longer bills have the ability to reach depths down to 25 or 30 feet.
Do crankbaits have to hit bottom?
Since wide wobbling crankbaits best imitate crawfish, you should crank your plug down to the bottom to deflect it off the rocks Retrieving a thin-sided crankbait at high speeds triggers strikes from prespawn bass on clear-water lakes when the water temperature rises into the low 50s.
When should you throw crank bait?
Fall. Fall is arguably the best season to use crankbaits This is when the baitfish become most active and the predatory fish begin to chase them. In lakes that have shad, a white or shad-pattern crankbait with a fast retrieve is the best lure to use to cover water until you locate a concentration of fish.
Will walleye eat crankbaits?
Practically everyone learns to catch these often-tricky fish with worms on spinners, minnows on jig heads, or leeches under floats. But, if you stick with the walleye game long enough, you’ll learn that you also better become comfortable using crankbaits.
What gear ratio do you use for crankbaits?
Low gear ratio reel | 5.1:1 thru 5.4:1 A lower fishing gear ratio reel is ideal for big baits that pull a lot, such as deep crankbaits.
What is a coffin bill crankbait?
The John Hott Lures Kill’r H-1 MR Coffin Bill Crankbait is built after the old Bagley Kill’r B-1 Crankbait, but with a modified coffin bill It has a round body with a poly carbonate coffin bill and the line tie comes through the bill.
How do you know how deep a lure will dive?
The diving depth of the lure can be roughly determined by the size of the bill ; the bigger and longer, the deeper it will dive.
What kind of fishing line is best for crankbaits?
The best multipurpose line is monofilament It has been an all-around great bass fishing line for years and is affordable. Monofilament has more stretch than fluorocarbon or braid so it is ideal for running shallow-diving crankbaits through wood or rocks.
What can you catch with crankbait?
From cold water species such as trout and salmon, to warm water fish like bass, pike, walleye, perch and panfish , a properly selected crankbait can often be one of the most important lures in an angler’s tackle box.
What makes a crankbait dive?
Crankbaits come in countless colors and sizes, different bills or “lips” and weights. Depending on what type of fishing you’d like to do with a crankbait, the lip size is an important factor Typically the larger and bigger the bill, the deeper it will dive.
What are crankbait lips made of?
6. Lip Material. Most lips are either aluminum, Lexan, or stainless steel.
How far behind the boat should I troll?
Bait Position and Distance Behind Boat Proper distance for most boats will be anywhere from 20 feet to 150 feet behind your boat. Whether you have inboard diesel or outboard gas engines, your power dictates the distance you troll your baits and lures.
How fast do you reel a crankbait?
A large spool picks up more line per turn that a small spool. The same thing is true if your spool is full or half empty. Everything works together. The correct speed of any crankbait reel is 21 inches of line pick-up per turn of the reel handle.
How much line should you let out when trolling?
Let out 50 feet of line and clip into the release. If that’s not enough distance to prevent your lake’s wary walleyes from seeing the ball.then let out 150 feet of line! Just remember, the flat-line diving depth of your crankbait still applies behind the ball!.
What is the best bait for bass in a lake?
Shad, minnows, or shiners are some of the best live baits for bass, hands down. Baitfish come in different sizes and can be used in all types of bass waters, but they are incredibly productive in deeper water to target huge bass.
Can see fish but not biting?
Your leader could be too heavy given the water clarity or conditions and it may be visible to the fish Try downsizing your leader to a lighter weight, and then see if you start getting a few bites. Downsize your hooks. You may also want to try downsizing the size of your hooks and bait if you aren’t getting any bites.
Why is my crankbait floating?
If a crankbait naturally floats, it is meant to be reeled a certain amount to get it to depth The amount you have to reel to get it to depth depends on how deep it dives. And how deep it dives depends most on the size of the lip.
What is the best color crankbait?
Whites, silvers, and anything flashy that resembles a shad works wonders when it comes to crankbait fishing. It is always a good idea to have several shad-pattern crankbaits ready to go. Bright shad patterns like white excel in both clear and dirty water, and the more translucent shades are best for ultra-clear water.
What’s the difference between crankbait and jerkbait?
Crankbaits are generally shorter and fatter, while jerkbaits are slender and longer Jerkbaits mostly have three treble hooks, while crankbaits have two. The most common types of bills for both jerkbaits and crankbaits include square bills, diamond-shaped bills, and rounded bills.
What’s the best walleye bait?
Minnows. Minnows are the most popular bait option for walleye anglers, I have found consistent success with shiner and flathead minnows When targeting bigger fish, shiners in the 4-6″ range are the mainstay, these will weed through some of the smaller fish and get you on 25″+ Walleye.
Why are walleyes so hard to catch?
It’s not impossible, but walleye seek out deep water and shade to avoid the harsh sunlight, and they tend not to feed actively during these conditions , so you’ll have to adapt your fishing locations and tactics accordingly.
What’s the best bait to catch walleye?
Live Bait. Live bait can be highly successful for walleye, which usually involves still fishing, drifting, or trolling the bait. A bottom-bouncing rig or slip sinker is effective for drawing the walleye’s attention in clear water. The best choices of live bait include leeches, minnows, and nightcrawlers.
Sources
https://majorleaguefishing.com/tips/2018-11-08-how-to-fish-square-bill-crankbaits/
https://majorleaguefishing.com/archives/2009-05-30-crankbaits-to-the-max/
https://www.basspro.com/shop/en/bass-pro-shops-xps-square-bill-crankbait