Northern Bass Fishing with Urchin Baits: Rigging, Rods and Line Setup

Article Author:  Jeff Gustafson

To stay competitive in bass fishing, we have to keep an eye on the trends that catch fire each season. Over the past few years, we have seen minnow baits, extreme finesse presentations and oversized glide baits all have their moment. In 2026, without question, one of the biggest bass fishing trends has been the rise of the urchin-style bait.

The Hideup Coike was a closely guarded secret among select bass pros for the past few years, but it has blown up in 2026 with tournament wins on multiple professional circuits, including the Bassmaster Elite Series. As the season gets going for northern anglers, it is going to be fun to add these baits to the arsenal and see how smallmouth and largemouth bass react to the urchin craze.

Choosing the Right Urchin Bait Size for Northern Bass

The original Hideup version initially came in three key sizes that we can use as a reference point. The oversized Full Cast model is the big bait that anglers have been using to throttle largemouths in the South through the winter and spring.

The 17 mm size is what I would call the medium option. It is a strong choice for northern bass anglers fishing areas where they could catch either smallmouth or largemouth. I also used this size to catch a bunch of spotted bass down south over the winter.

The 13 mm size is the small option, and it should appeal to smallmouth anglers in particular. It can be fished in a traditional wacky-style presentation, but it also works well on a drop-shot when you want a more finesse-oriented approach.

How to Rig Urchin Baits

We have seen a variety of rigging methods for urchin-style baits over the past few months, and I think that evolution will continue. At first, I saw anglers using traditional wacky rig hooks with a nail weight or Gika-style weight attached to the hook.

That approach has evolved, especially with larger baits. Treble hooks and two-prong frog-style hooks give anglers more hook points and a better chance of connecting when a bass swipes at the bait. On the bigger sizes, the multiple-hook-point options seem to be better, while single-hook options remain fine for smaller baits.

When I want to add a small amount of weight around shallow cover, a nail weight between 1/32 and 1/8 oz inserted into the plastic works great. When I need more weight to fish deeper water, I usually add it by attaching weight to the hook, either with a Gika-style setup or a drop-shot weight.

Best Rod Setup for Urchin Baits

Your fishing rod should match your hook choice, bait size and the type of cover you are fishing. I keep it pretty simple. For the 13 mm baits with a wacky-style jig head, I rely on the G. Loomis NRX+ 842S SJR.

For the 17 mm baits, I have come to really like the G. Loomis GLX 893S JWR spinning rod. It gives me the best of both worlds: a nice tip for skipping the bait around docks and cover, plus enough backbone to muscle fish once they are hooked.

With the 20 to 25 mm baits, I have alternated between the same GLX 893S spinning rod and an NRX+ 893C JWR casting rod when I want a little more power. I can skip the bait under trees and docks better with spinning gear, so I generally prefer it, but casting gear gives you more control around heavy cover and bigger fish.

Braid and Fluorocarbon Leader Setup

For smaller urchin baits, I fish them with 8 or 10 lb PowerPro braid. With the GLX 893S rod, I will bump up to 15 lb braid because the rod has more power. I can still cast 15 lb braid really well, and it gives me a little more insurance with the heavier setup.

With a good leader knot, like an FG knot, you can attach a heavier-than-normal fluorocarbon leader. These baits are not cheap and, as of now, can be hard to get, so you do not want to fish line that is too light and risk breaking off your bait.

For small baits, I have been running a 10 lb fluorocarbon leader. For medium-sized baits, I have found success with a 14 to 16 lb leader. It may seem heavy, but when you are throwing these baits around docks, trees, stumps or grass edges, you do not want to go too light.

For full-sized urchin baits, anglers are using 20 to 22 lb fluorocarbon leaders or tying direct with fluorocarbon on casting gear. I have also been using the new Shimano Exsence 3000 spinning reel, and it has been a pleasure to fish these baits with. It is lightweight, but strong enough to crack a big fish with the drag tightened down.

Where and How to Fish Urchin Baits

Urchin-style baits are not something you use to cover a lot of water. Instead, save them for high-percentage targets, visible cover or fish you can see on your electronics. In tournaments I fished over the winter, most of my fish came from docks, stumps or standing trees.

Surprisingly, I have had very few bites on the fall with these baits. Before using them, I assumed the presentation would be similar to fishing a wacky worm, where most bites happen as the bait falls. That has not really been the case.

Instead, anglers are fishing urchin baits almost like a jerkbait, using a jerk-jerk-pause cadence to trigger strikes. Anglers are twitching them beside cover or using forward-facing sonar to cast at specific targets and watch how fish react.

Often, when a bass follows, the twitching ramps up as the fish comes closer for a look. It is all about generating a reaction. Like other reaction baits, try to keep the bait above the fish and make them work for it.

Final Thoughts on the Urchin Bait Trend

I am looking forward to learning more about these baits this season and making them a bigger part of my arsenal next year when I hit the tour. They have already proven they can win tournaments, so for me, urchin baits are something that need to be included in the lineup.

It will be interesting to see how northern bass react to the urchin madness. One thing I know for sure: these baits are going to put fish in the boat. Shimano and G.Loomis are known for providing the right tools for the job, and when the urchin is the bait, having the right setup is no exception.