If you want to change things up this year, when it comes to bass fishing, Scott Petersen suggests you give a new try to an old favorite—the squarebill.

When spring starts to take over the landscape, it can be any call in what a bass fisherman ties on the end of his line that given day. Spinnerbaits are often at the top of list, tubes will get some time and some will throw squarebill crankbaits into the mix as well.

Squarebills date way back to the Cotton Cordell Big O days of many years ago, when that was the lone early squarebill on the market. At the time, it was not even called a squarebill; it was just billed as a shallow crankbait. The Big O had some built-in action that other crankbaits did not have. In fact, the Big O became somewhat of a secret bait that many fishermen kept under wraps and only took out when needed.

Since 2011, when Kevin VanDam switched from spinnerbait to a squarebill and won the New Orleans Bassmaster Classic by a considerable margin, sqarebill fishing has been brought back to the forefront. Let’s take a closer look at squarebill tips and tactics to help you put more bass in the boat this season.

Be square all year long

In some circles, squarebills are thought of as a bait to grab and use mainly during spring and fall—times when bass are starting to move into the shallows. That is somewhat true, but there is more to a squarebill than just that.

Squarebills are limited in the depth that they can reach and that really makes them excel in spring and fall. During summer and winter, squarebills can still stand out when and if given a chance in the right conditions.

Throughout the year, I have at least one rod on the deck of my boat with a squarebill tied on, and when the time is right, I add another or more to take advantage of the bite.

Not all squarebills are equal

Just like any other crankbait, buy a few baits to start and build from there. You will soon find that you get certain squarebills to do things that others may not. The first dividing point will be rattle vs non-rattle baits. Rattle-armed squarebills are mainly used in dirty- or stained-water conditions; I use non-rattle squarebills in clear-water conditions. But rules are made to be broken. Many times, I use rattle squares in clear-water conditions when fishing in and around weeds. My plan is to adjust to get my squarebill to go over the weeds, but get hung just enough, so I can rip the bait free with a quick jerk that triggers strikes. In this case, I use the rattles to help the bass key in on the bait.

Wood vs. plastic

There is one category that separates squarebills, and that is wood vs. plastic construction. Comparing the two, wood is more buoyant than plastic and usually does not have built-in rattles.

Wood squarebills depend on built-in action for their fish-catching ability. Wood naturally floats, so getting these baits to rise will not be a factor. Wood squares also have a wider wobble action than plastic, allowing you to slow the bait down more if needed. When fishing rocks or wood, these squarebills tend to have better deflecting capabilities and will get hung up less in the cover. Many times, if you get the bait hung, you can just stop reeling and the bait will float free, not only freeing the bait, but triggering strikes in the process.

Plastic squares have a tighter action and most of the time come with built-in rattles. When fishing in dirty water conditions, plastic squares are often the baits of choice because of the sound factor. Bass have an easier time finding these baits compared to wood squares. When stopped, they hold in the strike zone longer as they do not have the same amount of buoyancy as wood. Use this factor to your advantage when fishing in dirty water. Bass can track the bait down by sound and it will not move far when stopped because of the plastic construction.

Equipment

When fishing squarebills, fluorocarbon line has less stretch and will get your bait down about a foot deeper using the same line size. Also, with less stretch, it is easier to break your bait free from weeds. Monofilament line floats and has more stretch, so this will limit the depth that your bait can reach. I use mono when trying to keep my bait above the cover or work my bait through the cover.

When it comes to rods and reels, there are a few different things to consider. If I am fishing shore targets, I opt for a 7-foot, medium-action cranking rod. My choice of rod is a Denali Attax (AC702M). I pair this with a Lew’s BB-1 cranking reel with a 5-1:1 gear ratio, spooled with Sunline Super Natural Mono 10- to 12-pound line.

If I am fishing weed or rock areas, I many times move up to a 7-foot, 4-inch, medium-heavy cranking rod: a Denali Attax (AC743GC). I team this with a Lew’s BB-1 spooled with 12-pound Sunline Assassin. The longer rod length gives me more casting distance and allows me to get a little better hookset with added line out. These little added differences can add up to more bass in the boat.

Keep an open mind to the retrieve you are using. Some days, it can be just a cast-and-reel day, getting your squarebill to make as much contact as possible with the cover on the way back to the boat. Then there will be days when you will have to play cat-and-mouse with the bass to get them to strike. The options are endless; keep trying different retrieve options till you figure out what the bass want that day, or in that area.

Squarebills can be fished all season long, but you have to pick your battles. Many use them as backups. If you want to lead the pack, throw a squarebill first and follow that up with a spinnerbait. You will see your catch results go up along the way.

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