In most man-made lakes, anglers should look to the river arms or upper portions of the creeks where they can find stained water and shallow cover.
Spring squarebill cranking differs from traditional hot water squarebill cranking in terms of cover and retrieves. You will find in summer, fishing wood cover and deflecting the bait off the wood with a fast retrieve will produce the best. In contrast, April squarebill fishing is more rock orientated, with a slower, stop and go retrieve.
Retrieve rate, color and deflection are key factors in generating squarebill strikes in April. Here are a few key points to remember when fishing these baits right now:
- Use a medium stop and go retrieve- This will generate the most strikes in 55-65 degree water. As well, it is best to use a monofilament line because you want some stretch when the bass strikes.
- Experiment with color- Spring squarebill colors of crawfish/shad and perch are best. Generally, use brighter colors in dirtier water, and more subtle colors in cleaner water. As well, use brighter colors on cloudy/windy days.
- Make sure to hit cover- Deflecting off cover generates most squarebill bites. Once the bait hits an object, hesitate briefly then speed up the retrieve like a baitfish fleeing.