THE NEXT BIG THING
The growing popularity of fuzzy dice and urchin baits is taking the bass-fishing world by storm. But will it last?
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Canada’s Chris Johnston used urchin baits to help record his second Bassmaster Elite win (photo: B.A.S.S.)THE BENEFITS
These baits work in challenging scenarios, whether it’s heavy fishing pressure, fussy fish riding out cold fronts, or suspended fish on the graph that just won’t commit. The urchin is at its best in 10 feet of water and shallower. The fuzzy dice has a wider range, especially when fish are on the bottom.
If the urchin is not getting reactions, the first move is to change the weight inside the ball to slow the fall. If fish are looking but not eating, try changing the action to convert them into biters by switching from an internal nail weight to an external set-up, such as a Jika rig (the weight is attached to a split ring on the eye of the hook). If wind makes a weightless or lightly weighted bait unfishable, go heavier to keep it in the strike zone.
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Currently, the only time the baits themselves genuinely need to be swapped out is when fish refuse to commit after several rigging changes. You can see this on forward-facing sonar—the fish look, follow, then turn away. Only when that pattern repeats itself after multiple rigging adjustments should you go back to conventional plastics.
Otherwise, keep following this bit of key takeaway advice from Teofilo, whether you opt for the fuzzy dice or urchin style of these baits: “Throw it with confidence. It’s gonna catch fish.”