O.k. seen all the hype about square bill crank baits, so why are they such a hot item now and do they only work at certian times? What is the difference in how they fish than a regular billed crank bait? Trying to learn here.

Been using them for a long time. They are just another tool to use. They work year round and are most effective in shallower water. They can really work great in stained and dirty water and seem to catch pressured fish well. They can be used in the same places a spinnerbait is used. I like throwing ,ine into heavier cover as well. They are a reaction bait that just generates bites moreso than other moving baits. Its kinda like full contact fishing I guess. Here's something i wrote a few years back on it if you really get bored.
http://www.bbcboards.net/zerothread?id=135860&page=1

The square bill defects off of stumps, branches, and rocks without getting hung up as much. This generates more reaction bites.

So your saying that the square bill bounces off stumps where the regular bill would glance off stumps,so the square bill would sorta hit a stump solid and make more noise.

They push a lot more water putting off more vibration and are excellent at deflecting off cover. (Triggering aggressive reaction bites).
+1 to what Mark said above.

Squarebills have an erratic, "searching" action and work great around any kind of hard cover. They deflect well off of stumps, timber, rip rap, docks pilings, etc. and hang up less.

IMHO, they are a pain to fish around grass cause they seem to catch more grass than a standard bill crank. I know, I know, KVD et al were fishing around grass in the Fish Pond, but it was the stumps that were more likely the key to the squarebills success.

I have been using both the RC 1.5 and the KVD 1.5...several days on squaw creek and I had my butt kicked with the KVD. I am a believer in the RC but side by side the KVD out fished me hands down. I started using the KVD back in december mostly due to miker on here...they are 1/3 the price of the RC's as well.

oh and they don't stick to my chin....

Maybe you need to change out the hooks!!

I didn't read the other posts. But, in case someone didn't say it. One of the main things is the deflection you get off of stumps instead of hanging up as much.

Great baits during the spawn!

Well another reason I asked is that I was givin an old tackle box full of Bill Norman square billed crank's, that was bought from Wal-mart around 1975 or so for fifty cents a piece, and was wondering since KVD used them in the classic. All the Norman baits were in the original paper boxes,also in the box was several Mud bugs that had all the original paper work, just sorta interesting.

Nah, They stink. get hung up a lot. Lose tons of baits. Catch small fish... I would just store them in the back of your tackle room. Save them for collectibles.

I have thrown square bill cranks into areas that I would never consider throwing round bill cranks because of their ability to not get hung up as much. And having the hooks exposed gives me more confidence for good hook sets compared to throwing a weedless swimbait into the same areas and risk missing bites.

with alot of old lures the boxes are worth more than the lure in case you didnt know.