Rick Bramwell Column: Exciting news from the fishing lure front

Rick Bramwell’s column looks at how “urchin”-style soft baits are translating the success of the topwater Whopper Plopper into new, effective fishing applications. He recalls that around 2010 the Whopper Plopper drew attention for staying on top like a buzzbait but floating. More recently, the “Urchin” bait—round with tiny tentacles—has spread after being used to win a Bassmaster tournament. Bramwell says he only saw panfish value after a friend, Norman Coulter, gave him urchin-type baits. At Geist Reservoir, using the Urchin on a jig, he and his son Greg caught redear, shellcrackers, bluegill, crappie, and bass, then later downsized to a 1/64-oz hand-tied jig tipped with a wax worm. He concludes by emphasizing readiness with light-line finesse jigs when bites slow.