No, square bills didn’t fare well in vegetation, but they were built to deflect off wood and rocks, and they felt new and trendy. They were winning tournaments and could be fished in many of the same places anglers were accustomed to tossing spinnerbaits. Square-billed crankbaits took some of the spotlight. In the early 2000s, events conspired to knock the spinnerbait off its pedestal. There was little reason to throw any other lure, but all that changed about 20 years ago. A spinnerbait was a big factor in the first six Bassmaster Classic wins (1971 to 1976), and expert after expert called it the most versatile bait in the bass world-a marvel that covered water, drew bass from great distances, appealed to bass senses that other lures ignored and came through cover like a beagle chasing a rabbit. The spinnerbait, or "blade" as it was often referred to, probably reached its greatest heights in the 1970s.
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During that time, no self-respecting bass chaser would be caught dead without a few at his or her disposal. It was a success from the very beginning, and it stayed in the spotlight for many decades. The venerable spinnerbait has been around for a long, long time-more than a century, in fact.