Bass Fishing's Wild Urchin Bait Craze and Other Top Stories from Fishing on SI

These 3 stories captured our Sports Illustrated fishing reader’s attention on Fishing on SI this past week.

Inside Bass Fishing's Wild Urchin Bait Craze; What It Was Like to Be Charged by an Alaskan Brown Bear—and What I Learned; Fly Fishing for Brook Trout on the Appalachian Trail | Kurt Mazurek | Ken Baldwin | Jasper Taback

In case they slipped by you, following are the most read fishing stories of the week: Inside Bass Fishing's Wild Urchin Bait Craze; What It Was Like to Be Charged by an Alaskan Brown Bear—and What I Learned; Fly Fishing for Brook Trout on the Appalachian Trail.

1.) Inside Bass Fishing's Wild Urchin Bait Craze

One bait in focus, and imitators filling in behind it — the exact scene playing out on tackle shop shelves right now. | Photo by Kurt Mazurek

If you’ve been able to get your hands on an original Hideup Coike in the past month, you’re either very lucky or well connected. “Sold Out” is what the rest of us are finding. After multiple high-profile tournament wins, proven success on both sides of bass fishing's biggest technology debate, and nearly every soft plastic manufacturer—from garage crafters to industry giants—racing to build its own version, the urchin-style bait category has quickly transitioned from a popular trend to a full-blown craze.

Baits like these started to creep into the consciousness of American bass anglers after a couple of strong showings by Elite anglers, Taku Ito and Kyoya Fujita. While their performances were worth noting, those guys are well-known as specialists who utilize forward-facing sonar. That put those “crazy looking baits” they were throwing in a category that a huge percentage of anglers wouldn’t touch.

But then, during a one-month period late this past spring, anglers won three major tournaments on three different lakes throwing an urchin-style bait—without FFS…GET THE REST OF THE STORY HERE.

2.) What It Was Like to Be Charged by an Alaskan Brown Bear—and What I Learned

Eyes focused on the sockeye salmon that fill up these rivers during the summer. | Photo by Ken Baldwin

Twenty seasons of guiding in the Alaskan tundra, on rivers that fill with salmon and trout every summer, meant bears were a regular part of my day. The first few years were intimidating. At times, they were downright terrifying.

I’ve had hundreds of bear encounters, but simply seeing a bear doesn’t count as one. Raft down Moraine Creek in Katmai National Park, and you might see 100 bears in a day. Those don't automatically count as a bear encounter.

A bear feeding on salmon across the river is a sighting. A bear walking past camp without looking your way is an experience.

For me, an encounter begins when the bear notices you. Now you’re part of its decision-making, and what happens next depends on how both of you respond…GET THE REST OF THE STORY HERE.

3.) Fly Fishing for Brook Trout on the Appalachian Trail

An eastern brook trout caught along the Appalachian Trail. | photo by Jasper Taback

The Appalachian Trail spans more than 2,000 miles, crossing through fourteen states on its way from Mount Springer in Georgia to Mount Katahdin in Maine. 

Following the spine of the Appalachian Mountains, the trail crosses countless cold-water streams that flow through the native range of one of my favorite fly rod fish: the eastern brook trout.

I was in Vermont last week, in a small town that the Appalachian Trail passes through. I had my two-weight rod with me, and I was looking for a stream to catch these diminutive, colorful fish.

I pulled up OnX on my phone and found a blue line that crossed the Appalachian Trail a few miles outside of town. I parked on the side of the road near a small wooden bridge, where I dropped down to the bank and started to follow the stream up…GET THE REST OF THE STORY HERE.