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How-To · Bass
Dice Baits Explained: A Breakdown of the Hottest New Bait on the Bass Fishing Scene
Dice baits — soft plastic cubes loaded with silicone skirt strands — are one of the most unusual and effective bass lures to emerge in years. Learn why they work, when to use them, and how to rig them right.
Last updated: October 2026 · By: FishUSA Staff
There's a new trend taking the bass fishing industry by storm, and it may be the most bizarre one we've ever seen. It's dice baits — cubes of soft plastic with silicone rubber skirt material pulled through them. It looks even more obscure than it sounds, but these baits catch bass. In this article, we'll cover why dice baits are so effective, explore the many available varieties, and break down how to fish these unique lures.
Why Dice Baits?
Like many American bass fishing trends, dice baits originated in Japan. A small number of heavily pressured tournament lakes inspired Japanese anglers to develop something bass had never seen before — subtle actions that trigger pressured fish to bite when nothing else will.
Unnatural Look, Natural Action
Dice baits obviously do not represent any prey items a bass regularly encounters, so why do they bite them? The answer is in their underwater action. All of those small silicone skirt strand appendages move and create drag when the bait is pulled and then let fall, displacing water and creating a tantalizing action. The appendages also send out subtle vibrations as the bait moves, giving even a small dice bait a significant presence when it enters a bass's strike zone.
Similar to burning then slowing down a spinnerbait to flare the skirt, or pausing a jig on the bottom, when a dice bait is stopped or slowed down the appendages flare out — a natural triggering mechanism for bass thanks to similar actions from crayfish and other aquatic invertebrates. In the end, it's more the dice bait's ability to mimic natural, prey-like movements that triggers bites rather than its appearance.
When to Fish Dice Baits
Dice baits excel when the fishing gets tough. The ability to fool finicky fish on highly pressured lakes or during calm weather conditions is what makes dice baits special. They offer an action that most bass haven't yet seen, which can be key to catching your kicker fish on tournament day when bass are at their most cautious.
- Pressured lakes — fish that have seen every traditional soft plastic time and again
- Calm, clear-water conditions — when bass are spooky and need a subtle approach
- Post-spawn — finicky, neutral fish that need a slow, natural presentation
- Forward-facing sonar — drop the bait right on a visible fish's nose for a reaction strike
- Deep finesse situations — when you need to keep a subtle bait in the strike zone for an extended period
How to Fish Dice Baits
Weightless "Wacky"
The most popular rigging method is to hook the bait through the middle of the body with a neko, wacky, or octopus style hook and fish it weightless — similar to a wacky rigged stickworm. For sinking varieties, this is great for livescoping suspended fish or working near shore cover, especially around the spawn. For floating variations, this allows the bait to be fished as a topwater or just barely subsurface.
Dropshot
A dropshot is an extremely effective way to rig dice baits. This method allows the angler to hold the bait in the strike zone for an extended period of time, whether on a piece of structure or directly in front of a visible fish. It also works very well when casting at bottom-hugging fish seen on forward-facing sonar — putting the bait right on the fish's nose with a fast fall can trigger a reaction strike as all those appendages wave then stop suddenly. For more on dropshot gear, see our guide: Best Dropshot Setup for Bass Fishing.
Neko Rig
A Neko rig is a great dice bait option if you'd like a slightly faster fall rate than weightless, but not as fast as a dropshot. Simply insert a nail weight of your desired size into the body of the bait and hook it like you would when fishing it weightless.
Carolina Rig
A less popular but very effective method for dice baits. The Carolina rig works especially well with floating varieties, as it allows the bait to hover just above the bottom — a killer presentation when bass are holding tight to hard bottom or ledge edges.
Dice Bait and Other Similar Options
As dice baits have grown in popularity, more manufacturers have entered the space with unique takes on the concept. Here are the top options currently available at FishUSA.
Three Brothers Baits Loaded Dice
Dice Bait Three Brothers Baits Loaded Dice Super Stretchy Plastic | 0.5" & 0.75" sizes | Long appendages
Shop Loaded DiceMade from Three Brothers' "Super Stretchy Plastic" for exceptional durability. This bait features very long appendages that can be trimmed if desired. Available in 0.5" (salted, slow sink) and 0.75" (unweighted, floating) sizes — the 0.5" is great for weightless finesse work, while the 0.75" excels on topwater or Carolina rig presentations.
Strike King Tumbleweed
The Strike King Tumbleweed puts a unique spin on the dice bait concept with a rounded ten-sided body rather than a cube. It's buoyant, so fish it on a Neko rig, dropshot, or Carolina rig subsurface — or weightless as a topwater when fish are shallow. One of the most anticipated dice-style baits from a major manufacturer.
Geecrack Imo Kemushi Cue Bomb
Finesse Dice Bait Geecrack Imo Kemushi Cue Bomb Salt + Aminos + Flavor | 1"–1.2" | Ultra-fine silicone hairs
Shop Cue BombMade from Geecrack's Salt + Aminos + Flavor soft plastic compound, the Cue Bomb features a spherical body surrounded by ultra-fine silicone "hairs." Despite being only 1"–1.2" long, those fine hairs create a lifelike natural action that displaces a surprising amount of water — ideal for the most demanding tournament finesse situations.
Geecrack Imo Kemushi Soft Bait
Caterpillar-Style Bait Geecrack Imo Kemushi Soft Bait Elongated body | 20+ rubber hairs | Soft Bait, Floating & Slim variants
Shop Imo KemushiAvailable in three variations — Soft Bait, Floating, and Slim — the Imo Kemushi features an elongated body with over 20 rubber "hairs" that wiggle enticingly. Originally designed to mimic caterpillars falling from overhanging trees, it has found a strong following among American smallmouth anglers dropshotting for highly pressured fish.
Hideup Coike JDM Fullcast Creature Bait
Creature Bait Hideup Coike JDM Fullcast Creature Bait 23mm body | ~½ oz | Thick tendril appendages | 4/0 hook
Shop Coike FullcastOne of a kind — the Coike Fullcast has a 23mm spherical body with thick, tendril-like appendages rather than fine silicone strands. At about ½ ounce, it can be fished weightless but is buoyant enough for topwater presentations. On a dropshot, Neko rig, or Carolina rig, this bait suspends perfectly right in front of pressured bass. Use a 4/0 octopus hook for rigging.
Hideup Coike JDM 17mm Creature Bait
Compact Creature Bait Hideup Coike JDM 17mm Creature Bait 17mm body | Same action as Fullcast | Smaller profile
Shop Coike 17mmThe scaled-down version of the Coike Fullcast. The 17mm variant offers the same thick-tendril action and buoyancy in a smaller, more finesse-oriented package — a great choice when you want to downsize without sacrificing the bait's fish-catching appeal.
Hideup Coike Original Shrimp
The Coike Original Shrimp features a 65mm elongated body with a split tail, covered in tendril-like appendages that quiver and "breathe" in the water. A reliable producer when the bite gets extremely tough, excelling on a dropshot, Texas rig, or Neko rig.
Hideup Coike Medium Shrimp
Shrimp-Style Bait Hideup Coike Medium Shrimp 50mm | 6g | Better casting distance | Same action as Original
Shop Medium ShrimpA scaled-down version of the Original Shrimp at 50mm, but weighing 6g — nearly double the Original. The Medium Shrimp balances finesse and casting ability, delivering the same fish-catching action in a profile that casts farther on light tackle.
Setups for Fishing Dice Baits
Since dice baits are largely a finesse technique, most applications can be handled on light spinning tackle. Your go-to dropshot, wacky, or Neko rig outfit — paired with 10 lb braid and a 6–8 lb fluorocarbon leader — will cover the majority of situations. For larger dice baits, heavier cover, or Carolina rigs, a casting setup may be preferred. See also: How to Choose a Bass Fishing Rod.
FishUSA Flagship Bass Spinning Rod
Spinning Rod FishUSA Flagship Bass Spinning Rod 6'10" MLXF / 7'6" MLMF / 7'8" MMF | Versatile finesse | Budget-friendly
Shop Flagship SpinningA great value rod for dice bait fishing. The 6'10" MLXF model excels for dropshotting dice baits, while the 7'6" MLMF and 7'8" MMF options give you extra reach for distance casting and covering more water.
Shimano Zodias Spinning Rod
Spinning Rod Shimano Zodias Spinning Rod Multiple lengths & actions | Highly sensitive | Finesse fishing machine
Shop Zodias SpinningA finesse fishing machine with a wide variety of lengths and actions to suit any dice bait application. Incredibly sensitive, so you'll detect even the lightest bites from cautious, pressured bass.
FishUSA Flagship BFS Casting Rod
BFS Casting Rod FishUSA Flagship BFS Casting Rod 6'6" Light power | BFS reel compatible | Casting finesse
Shop Flagship BFSPerfect for fishing dice baits on a bait finesse system. This 6'6" light power casting rod handles any dice bait with ease — pair it with a BFS casting reel and light fluorocarbon for finesse performance that matches any spinning setup. See our full guide to BFS Fishing for more.
St. Croix Victory Casting Rod
Casting Rod St. Croix Victory Casting Rod Multiple models | Lightweight | Sensitive | Heavy cover & Carolina rig
Shop St. Croix VictoryIf you're throwing dice baits on a Carolina rig, around heavy cover, or with significant added weight, opt for a heavier casting setup. The St. Croix Victory is available in a huge variety of models to suit any preference — each lightweight and sensitive for detecting subtle dice bait strikes.
Frequently Asked Questions
Dice baits are small cubes or spheres of soft plastic with silicone rubber skirt strands pulled through them. Despite not resembling any natural prey, they catch bass because the fine appendages create lifelike movement, subtle water displacement, and a flaring action on the pause — triggering strikes much like a crayfish extending its claws.
Dice baits excel under tough conditions — heavily pressured lakes, calm clear-water days, post-spawn periods, or anytime bass have seen too much of the same traditional soft plastics. They also shine when targeting fish on forward-facing sonar, where you can drop the bait right on a fish's nose for a reaction strike.
The weightless wacky-style rig (hooked through the center with a neko or octopus hook) is the most popular option. Dropshotting is extremely effective for suspended or bottom-hugging fish. Neko rigs offer a middle-ground sink rate, and Carolina rigs are best for making floating baits hover just off the bottom.
Most dice bait fishing is done on light spinning tackle — a medium-light spinning rod in the 6'10" to 7'8" range, paired with 10 lb braid and a 6–8 lb fluorocarbon leader. For larger baits, heavier cover, or Carolina rigs, a light-to-medium casting rod on a BFS reel with light fluorocarbon is an excellent choice.
Yes — dice baits are very effective on smallmouth bass. The Geecrack Imo Kemushi Soft Bait has developed a strong following among American smallmouth anglers, especially when dropshotting for highly pressured fish that have seen every traditional soft plastic presentation.
For most beginners, the Three Brothers Baits Loaded Dice in the 0.5" or 0.75" size is the best starting point. The 0.5" salted version sinks slowly for weightless rigs, while the 0.75" floats for topwater and Carolina rig applications. For an ultra-subtle approach, try the Geecrack Imo Kemushi Cue Bomb at 1"–1.2".
Final Thoughts
Dice baits may not look traditional, but they have absolutely proven their place in bass fishing thanks to a unique, lifelike action that pressured fish haven't seen before. As this trend continues to gain momentum, we can expect more manufacturers to enter the space — but there are already excellent options available right now.
Don't sleep on this trend. Grab a pack of dice baits and add them to your finesse arsenal. When the bite gets tough and every other technique stops producing, these unusual little cubes just might be the key to unlocking fish.
Looking to sharpen your finesse bass game? See our guides to Best Dropshot Setup for Bass and BFS Fishing: A Complete Guide.