Roll dice under docks, on a drop-shot, even Texas rigged.
Have you tried the new freshwater baits called “dice?” In a recent article I noted how they’ve taken bass fishing by storm with anglers likening them to when the Senko was introduced. Bass go nuts for the cube shaped, appendage laced soft plastic that quite frankly looks like nothing in the water a bass would eat! There is probably not a bait manufacturer out there that does not either carry a “dice” bait by whatever name they call it, or has plans to introduce a “dice” bait.
As for the dice bait, I cannot get my head wrapped around the fact they work, but also in the variety of ways you could employ them. These baits can be slid under docks, fished on a drop-shot rig, Texas rig and other applications. They come in small nugget styles, longer worm style, round, square, sinking, floating… you name it, someone makes it.
However, using these new baits comes with one drawback – they are not cheap. Similar to when the Senko arrived, the “dice baits are pretty expensive. Coming in at $8 plus per five pack is pretty steep if you ask me.
After using some, catching some bass, and seeing they were similar to most worm baits when bass fishing, and that was soft and easily torn apart. There are not too many durable baits out there with Z-Man probably the one exception.
Sitting in my garage one day going through an assortment of soft plastics from stick worms, Ned, drop shot, fat, skinny and dice baits, I longed for something even more drastic. Something that I could call my own, and heck, maybe it would put that large bass in my live well.
I decided to start playing around with my own version of the dice bait. One I could customize to my color preference and specifications. Something I could create out of other soft plastics I had lying around, and utilize the old, broken worms I had on hand. Lo and behold I came up with my version, which in fact could be “your” version should you decide to follow my lead. Making these baits is not that difficult and I would bet every bass angler out there would have the supplies in their tackle box, boat or garage.
The first item, obviously, is some form of soft plastic bait. We all have an assortment of soft plastics, so don’t be afraid to think outside the box. Sure, the original dice bait was small and either round or cubed, but since they arrived, longer ones and different shapes have arrived. Start off by first deciding what size body you want – oblong, slightly rounded, long, fat or whatever you can conjure up. In fact, if you really want to go wild, get out some Berkley glue and glue a light-colored piece to a dark colored piece!
Once you have the desired body in place, it is just a matter of sewing in the legs. When I say sew, I really mean penetrate and protrude. The legs, which I made from spinnerbait skirts, can be easily installed. Simply thread one or two strands through a needle, then push it through the soft plastic. Don’t be afraid to go wild and make these legs/appendages, thick or thin by adding the desired amount of skirting.
I would highly suggest that you start off slow and not make a ton of different color/size combinations until you find the pattern that “works.” Take a page from some of the manufacturers play book and then alter slightly. I would however make at least three of each variation you come up with. You don’t want to be bailing fish, then come up short on the number of “special” dice baits you came up with.
I know it may sound a bit odd, but I also believe the dice style baits have their place in saltwater too. I would bet money, blackfish, sheepshead, triggerfish feeding on barnacles would jump all over them. How about one fished on a hi-lo rig for sea bass? Although they will eat anything, one fished behind a snapper popper should get a few in the bucket.
Dice baits are the new wave and are already flying off the shelves at an ungodly pace. Before you head out this year, grab some spinnerbait trailers and old soft plastics and make a few up… it will definitely be worth it.
