![Squarebill Crankbait Gear Guide](https://img.tacklewarehouse.com/graphics-resizer/marketing/SBGUIDE-article.jpg)
![Bagley Balsa B1 Squarebill Crankbait](https://img.tacklewarehouse.com/watermark/rs.php?path=BAGBB-BCS-1.jpg&nw=455)
Overview
Perfect for bass feeding on small forage around light to medium cover, the Bagley Balsa B1 Squarebill Crankbait is built with a highly buoyant heat compression molded (HCM) balsa wood body to create its classic wide-wobbling action. Featuring the perfect blend of lively balsa wood, a square bill, and short, fat body, these crankbaits deflect off of rocks, timber, and heavy cover with a special hard-thumping wobble that has been catching fish all over the US for years.
Bagley has been making some of the best balsa wood crankbaits for over 50 years, and their unique production process allows for a full through-wire design to create greater lure strength and durability so you can easily horse fish out of cover. Equipped with premium components and available in a wide variety of colors, the Bagley Balsa B1 Squarebill Crankbait are deadly shallow water crankbaits especially when you are targeting bass submerged in trees and stumps.
Bagley | Length | Weight | Depth | Class |
Balsa B1 | 2" | 7/16oz | 5-6ft | Floating |
Previous Feedback
Comments: Never had cracking issues even after grinding these things off wood, rock, and riprap for days at a time. I like both sizes but the B2 just draws big bites no matter the time of year.
From: TM: Minnesota 3/29/22
Comments: I used to use Bagley Baits religiously. I bought 6 balsa B3s to help replenish my squarebill stock. As usual I had to tune 4 of them, which I am OK with & when I got them tuned they had great action. On about my fifth cast of fishing and not tuning, I hooked up on a 2lb largie off a breakwall on Erie. Got the fish to the boat & noticed the bill was completely gone. I was upset but tied on another one and got it tuned. About 15 minutes later on the same breakwall, I hooked up on a 3lb fish. Got it to the boat and again the bill was missing. Very disappointed in the product that I used to use all the time.
From: Orian: OH 9/19/16
Comments: This is a amazing bait bass will go for this all day, you will never have to switch baits. Less switching it up and more reeling in the big one
From: Jack: USA 9/12/16
Comments: I've got several of each of the B2 and B3 sizes. The larger B3 has a longer body, which may be the reason it has a more pronounced wiggle action than the smaller B2. Definitely still a fish killer. However, I'm not happy with action on the smaller B2. It has almost no action at all. its like pulling a floating golf ball subsurface through the water. It does kick a little left and right at the right speed, but with no body wiggle Ive even tried bending the line tie down towards the bill to get it to wiggle. Perhaps if Bagleys put the line tie on the plastic lip instead of on the nose of the bait it might wiggle more.
From: Big John: NY 9/10/15
Comments: Forget all the talk about brass, I'm here to talk about performance! I'm a huge spro fan but bagley has earned a spot in my crankbait box. This crankbait will hunt like a hound dog. If you burn it, it will kick out left or right up to a couple feet (ocassionally will helicopter under extreme speed). The balsa is very buoyant and really helps worming through wood. The con is that the available colors are outdated but they are time tested. When I'm throwing into laydowns or need to burn for a reaction strike, this is my choice.
From: Montanaro: Touchdown City, WV 7/13/15
Comments: First time fishing the bait today in a tournament. Had a good fish on, felt a release and all that was left was the split ring to my knot. Action +1 Durability -1
From: Tommy: Columbia, MO
Comments: Bagleys have always had a problem with cracking paint, the old school fix is clear nail polish.
From: Dave: Columbia Md
Comments: Guys who are cracking them, if your smacking them against the water to get the weeds off, this may be the case. Since they are Balsa wood, you can't treat em like plastic square bills. On the plus side, these things flat out catch fish! wish they had the yellow black back, but I know where to get that color when I need it. The Tennessee shad is a killer as well. They have such an erratic movement in the water, it's just crazy. Check out the 2004 Bassmaster Classic highlights if you don't believe me. Taka caught 3 fish in 3 casts with this same bait to win the classic.
From: Angel: Chicago, IL
Comments: Same problem here Brandon. Not to be a one upper but I have one b3 and two b2's and they ALL have cracks in the body. two right down the sides coming off the lip and one straight down the back coming off of the line tie. for $8.50 i expect great action, which they have, but i want to be able to fish them more than one day. hopefully its just the paint cracking because I did catch a 3lb spot on the coosa with one that was already cracked and it still held up.
From: Mike: AL
Comments: What a let down. Never the same after they closed up. Didn't even survive an hour on lake fork last weekend. Had full length cracks down each side of the bill on TWO lures...I'll be in the market for better square-bills for sure.
From: Brandon: Troy, OH
Comments: I dont care about line ties and all that crap even though the new ones are better and dont bend like the old ones. These baits are flat out the best crankbait ever.Use the red crawfish one on river smallies and they will let ya no. So happy bagleys back now they just need to add to the line up bring the fat cat back.I wish i could go back to a smalltown department store in the early 80s and pick up the whole line.Id give my left testicle for some of there old balsa musky plugs.
From: Tyler: Susquehanna River,PA,USA
Comments: all of you complaining about not having brass line ties must not know much about metal. brass is way too soft and bends so easily it should never be used for a line tie or a hook hanger.
Comments: Wish they had chartreuse black/back like they used to. And firetiger. These new ones do have some great action however.
From: Austin: Joplin, MO
Comments: I see these comments about the brass line ties but I have to admit that I am happy that the line ties are no longer brass. Brass is a very soft metal and as a result, my old Bagley cranks required constant tuning. I am well aware that tuning is required at some point with all cranks but the less time I spend doing it the better. I may have just gotten lucky but I have noticed that these new ones stay in tune much longer. If it performs better, who cares what it is made of?
From: Jared: Perris, CA
Comments: I have to admit I was disappointed that they don't have brass hardware like the originals. But I was pretty impressed with it's action. It's got a nice tight wiggle, very similar action to a Rapala DT. Bagley said the brass doesn't make a difference... But seeing as how original balsa B's are going for over $400 on eBay... I tend to think bagely would sell a lot more of these new versions if they were built to original spec with brass hangers & line tie.
From: Brian
Comments: bagley went on & on about how these would be identical to the original, including brass line ties. All photos on their website show brass ties- NONE of the new baits have brass ties. Very disappointing. Mine just arrived... I don't even want to fish it.
Comments: this bait is the best square bill crankbait period!!!!!! the wood balsa makes all the difference there is just something about wood. i have used all and i mean all from kvd to luckycraft and jackall. this bait outperforms all of them and then some for the price it is a steel all of the japanese wood baits from mega bass and some other japanese companys are very exceptional but they are three times the price of the bagley so in my book its money in the bank buy one !!!!!!! the very best
From: Jim: Lake Tomahawk, WI