# Square bill cranks vs. round bill cranks



## jcustunner24 (Aug 20, 2007)

Square bills seem to be getting some hype lately because KVD is designing his own and won the classic in part because of them.

My question to my fellow OGFers is, which do you prefer? Is the square bill effective for you this early in the season considering the typically run shallow? 

I'm relatively new to using lipped cranks of either sort, so I'd appreciate some feedback. I've read articles about the differences between the two (pros/cons) and I know depth has a lot to do with the choice, but assuming you're using a 2-5 ft. round bill or a 2-5 foot square bill, which do you buy?

Side note to mods: I put this in the lounge because I've caught 5 different species on crankbaits. If you deem it to be more relevant in the bass fishing forum, feel free to move it.


----------



## lordofthepunks (Feb 24, 2009)

i know its a generic answer but sqaure bills deflect well because the corners of the bill catch on cover which causes an eratic bounce off whatever it has hit. i have had alot of luck running square bills along large laydowns and along riprap. they seem to be better suited for fishing heavy cover then round bills.


----------



## JIG (Nov 2, 2004)

Thought the square had more side to side action like a hot n tot and the round more of a wobble like a stick bait or bommer. Hot to cold water.


----------



## Tokugawa (Apr 29, 2008)

jcustunner24 said:


> Square bills seem to be getting some hype lately because KVD is designing his own and won the classic in part because of them.
> 
> My question to my fellow OGFers is, which do you prefer? Is the square bill effective for you this early in the season considering the typically run shallow?
> 
> ...


Buy both. I prefer the right bait for the right cover. If you want to lose a lot of baits, toss a round bill toward wood. The square bill will come through a lot better. I tend to use round bills in more open areas.

Good luck!


----------



## legendaryyaj (Nov 1, 2005)

^I concur.

They've always been around and KVD jus blew up the whole square bill thing as he was supposed to. Go throw a squarebill in a lay down and watch it come through vs a regular round bill. I throw my squarebills in the nastiest laydowns. It's almost like a snagless crankbait.


----------



## Bassin4 (Feb 16, 2011)

How the square bill comes through the lay downs amazes me. Square bill in the cover and a round bill that digs the bottom seems to work for me. I have caught a few fish shallow with the square bill this season as the water temp begins to warm.


----------



## Wow (May 17, 2010)

I started cutting off some of my round bills 20 years ago. I broke the bill on a deep runner and reshaped it on a grinder. It worked great . I'd use a hacksaw to cut and a grinder to bevel the edges. they would run better off of wood and tick off riprap with a truer path with fewer snags. They lost some depth, but they weren't working if they didn't contact something. When square bills became popular, I just laughed. They gave you 20% less bill but charged you 20% more.LOL! --Tim..........................................................................................................................................................................................


----------



## jcustunner24 (Aug 20, 2007)

Wow said:


> I started cutting off some of my round bills 20 years ago. I broke the bill on a deep runner and reshaped it on a grinder. It worked great . I'd use a hacksaw to cut and a grinder to bevel the edges. they would run better off of wood and tick off riprap with a truer path with fewer snags. They lost some depth, but they weren't working if they didn't contact something. When square bills became popular, I just laughed. They gave you 20% less bill but charged you 20% more.LOL! --Tim..........................................................................................................................................................................................
> View attachment 43723


This is EXACTLY why I asked OGFers about them. I've known about and owned them long before KVD started pimping them, but I've seldom used them. There are a handful of guys on OGF who could tell me to throw just about anything and I'd try it. Unlike many fishermen, I will admit I am a novice with certain techniques. Questions like this let me hone in on the experience of guys like Tokugawa and you, monkey man.

Thanks for all the feedback.



_OutdoorHub Mobile, the information engine of the outdoors_


----------



## JamesT (Jul 22, 2005)

I prefer the trapezoid lip.


----------



## NewbreedFishing (Apr 15, 2004)

I have been using squarebills for 3-4 years now and shallow bass cant resist them. I like the Norman 'fatboy', Excaliber and Peppers make some really nice ones $$. 

They are great for fishing cover as others have mentioned but I have found them to be really usefull in covering shallow flats. The just seem to be an overall great search bait when water temps are over 60+. Probably worth it to mention as with most lure that line sizes and types can really effect the way they work.


----------



## st.slippy (Oct 3, 2008)

Yep they say if you want to bounce your lure through cover use mono and a square bill. Corners catch and then deflect. The round bills will turn sideways a little and kind of ride along cover. I think of round bills as search baits for a little more open water thumping the bottom, or even rocks. Round lips tend to have a tighter wiggle as well


----------



## sbreech (Jun 6, 2010)

I lost my favorite crankbait of all times last year to a fish I couldn't stop or turn.... I got it back in the late 80's. It was a square bill shallow floater diver made by Mister Twister in silver with orange belly. I cannot find anything just like it, nor can I find reference to it on the internet! That darn thing produced more fish for me than any other lure. I just bought a boatload of Bomber Square A from BassPro when they were on sale for $1.97 each - a good deal on a good lure...


----------



## ShutUpNFish (Apr 17, 2007)

I'm a muskie guy, but the square lips generate a more erratic action IMO. The depth is determined by the length of the lip as well, so don't believe that they are all sallow runners. The longer you make the square lips on plugs, the harder it is to get the baits to run true due to the erratic action......Its all about action and vibration for me....thats why I prefer the square over the round.


----------



## Wow (May 17, 2010)

jcustunner24 said:


> Questions like this let me hone in on the experience of guys like Tokugawa and you, monkey man.
> 
> Thanks for all the feedback.
> [/I]


Glad to help out Wolver-weenie! --Tim....................................................


----------



## Fisherman123 (Apr 30, 2011)

Experiment and see which is better for certain conditions. and use the one you catch more fish with. but you will be surprised sometimes the lures you never catch stuff on will burn um up! so keep both in mind


----------



## bass (Apr 14, 2004)

We have a local pro thats fished square bill cranks for years and he sales them at Dixie. Gary Dees


----------



## Dan44149 (Apr 12, 2011)

My square bills outfish everything else in shallow water. They have a great wobble to them that seems to draw reaction bites. I'm not one to jump on a bandwagon of whatever bait some heavily sponsored (and compensated) pro is using... but I got one from a friend a few years ago, and I've bought several since. They are nice in that they only dive to around 2'.


----------

