Strike King® KVD Signature Square-bill Crankbait

Target Species: Largemouth Bass
Also Good For: Smallmouth Bass, Walleye, Northern Pike

Today, you'll find a greater selection of squat body crankbaits on the market than ever. As science evolves and the sport becomes more popular, research is producing some of the best reaction-enticing lures ever available. The Kevin VanDam square-bill is one of the latest next generation crankbaits available in rattling or silent models. For our testing, we chose a rattling 1.5 in the Sexy Ghost Minnow color.

First Impressions

Imagine a hook-up before you can even throw the package away. That's what happened here, except the catch was my thumb. What it told me is that this puppy is armed with some sharp hooks! Other features include a body that is proportionally fat with an oversized, square bill as the name suggests. Additionally, the construction is spot on and the color fantastic – more on that in a bit.

Fishing the Lure

The KVD 1.5 square bill has a diving depth of 3-5 feet making it an excellent option for most areas. The lure is buoyant so pulling out of obstructed areas is easily managed, and the action is tight with the ability to vary from a slow shimmy to a brisk quiver on the jerk. What really sets this lure apart from similar models however, is it's bill.

With it's oversized, square lip this crankbait excels at stump bumping and rock pounding between 4-5 feet.

Fishing rocky dropoffs between 2-10 feet, this lure was able to take a beating and continue to impress. When working with Berkley Fireline, you can actually feel the bottom through your fingertips giving you unsurpassed "visibility" into the unseen depths.

What About Color?

I've been searching for years to find a crankbait that actually has the same tone and contrast as a live fish...underwater. I think I finally found that in the Sexy Ghost Minnow color. I can say that this is the first lure I've ever fished that had the same tone and contrast as the sunfishes diving out of it's way. And that's just one of the regular colors. Strike King also offers a collection of Kevin's "secret colors" available only as a set.

Review Summary

The size of the Strike King KVD Square Bill, its diving depth and action make it a great all-around option when trying to gauge the bite. I found almost every predatory fish attracted to it from Pumpkinseeds to Northern Pike, but certainly its sweet spot is for bass – both Largemouth and Smallmouth. Coming in between $5-6 retail, it's what you'd expect for an upper-mid level crankbait and a little more. We keep our Sexy Ghost Minnow in the go-to box and it's a regular staple. Excellent.