Mark Daniels Jr. sheds some helpful insight on squarebill crankbaits and what makes them such effective lures when fishing around hard cover such as wood and rocks. As he explains, it all starts with the bill. Unlike a typical rounded bill, a quality squarebill crankbait should have a broad lip extending beyond the bait’s width. The bill functions as a guard to the treble hooks as the lure collides, careens, ricochets, and deflects off the cover.
FEATURED TACKLE (retail links)
- SQUAREBILL – Bill Lewis SB-57 Squarebill Crankbait
- ROD – Favorite Fishing Rush Casting Rod, 7’3” Medium Heavy
- REEL – Bass Pro Shops Johhny Morris Platinum Signature Casting Reel, 6.8:1
- LINE – Seaguar AbrazX Fluorocarbon, 12-pound
Professional anglers like Daniels seek cover-rich environments to fish their arsenal of squarebills, while most anglers cringe out of fear of snagging. Perhaps this fact is a contributing factor to their success — less use around cover means the bass aren’t as conditioned to seeing a hard-charging crankbait, so they’ll usually pounce on it as it claws through and over fish-holding cover. Lastly, Daniels shows us what a prime stretch of squarebill shoreline cover looks like, his approach to fishing them, and his preferred rod setup.
