Hudd 68 Special tips and tricks needed

[CT Angler]

Hi all,

I just recently got into swimbaits and need so help with the Hudd 68. Any help you could offer would be appreciated.

 

• In two trips I've lost two baits trying to creep/drag it onto the bottom by getting the bait wedged in between rocks. Is there any trick to avoiding this?
• Several times I've had the wedge tail get caught on the top hook. Am I doing something wrong with my retrieve? Does this just happen sometimes with the bait? Is it possible that the bait is getting hit an folded up in the mouth of a smaller bass?
• I've had several followers but have yet to get a fish to fully commit. I've tried dead sticking the bait and it seems to turn the fish off and a steady retrieve hasn't worked either. Should a speed up the retrieve once I see the fish or is there some other technique I can use to trigger a bite?

[bigpoppabass]

Never understood the bait nor does Ken Huddleston if you watch his vids describing it. It throws the naturally swimming vortex tail principle out of the window.   It is basically a super thumping swimbait that should be used accordingly as a fast retrieve triggering bait.  Don't slow it down and pretend it is like an ordinary Hudd. Finger the casts if bait is balling up, so tail turns over.  Fish one side by side with a normal Hudd to get a sense of their differences.

PS.  It took me over a decade to get my first hit on a normal Hudd. Not kidding. I then fished with a couple peeps who loved them, and then committed a rig to them. 

Edited December 3, 2023 by bigpoppabass

[Mossyback Angler]

7 hours ago, CT Angler said:

Hi all,

I just recently got into swimbaits and need so help with the Hudd 68. Any help you could offer would be appreciated.

 

• In two trips I've lost two baits trying to creep/drag it onto the bottom by getting the bait wedged in between rocks. Is there any trick to avoiding this?
• Several times I've had the wedge tail get caught on the top hook. Am I doing something wrong with my retrieve? Does this just happen sometimes with the bait? Is it possible that the bait is getting hit an folded up in the mouth of a smaller bass?
• I've had several followers but have yet to get a fish to fully commit. I've tried dead sticking the bait and it seems to turn the fish off and a steady retrieve hasn't worked either. Should a speed up the retrieve once I see the fish or is there some other technique I can use to trigger a bite?

I’ll offer you my thoughts and see if it helps: 

- Fishing rocks and rip rap  can be tricky. What rate of fall (ROF) are you using? I typically use a ROF 5 in those type of area. The bait wont be as heavy and wedged into the rocks as easy. Maybe consider fishing the 68 Weedless. Are you sure you’re getting wedged into the rocks? The reservoir I fish tends to have some fallen trees that have been pushed against the dam, so I do find timber submerged in the area. 

- As for the wedge tail getting caught on the tail this is part of the game at times. Could be a myriad of things going on. Casting ability, gear, how aggressive your working the bait, ect…. Try using the 68 Weedless. 

- Followers are part of the game, it is what it is. If you’re new to swimbait fishing, be prepared for what is called “the grind”, you’re not looking for numbers, you’re looking for size. This take time, especially learning a new technique. There is no magic bait. If you want numbers, go back to using a NED Rig. 

However, this is what works for me: Slow and low is the key for me. I use the reliable Shimano Cardiff with a 5.8:1 ratio to keep me honest with my retrieval speed. I tend to bounce it along the bottom at times, almost like a man walking on the moon. Working up the rip rap dam in the same fashion. So also to avoid it slipping in the cracks and getting wedged (see question 1). I believe what triggers most of the bites is the predatory / prey behavior of missing a meal. As that bait is coming up the dam, and gets closer to the top the bass has to decide to eat or loose out. 

 

 I do this with either the 68 or 8” top hook. 
 

Sorry for the long winded response, just trying to offer some advice. Others with great experience will chime in and offer some helpful information . Learn what you can, and find out which methods works for you and your waters. What works for one, may not work for others. Good luck. 
 

Some Hudd 68 and 8” fish, fishing rip rap dam. All these NJ bass were caught “bank fishing” off the dam.  

2023: 5lb-14oz on 8”

2022: 5lb-14oz on 68 Weedless

Late winter bass on the 68 Weedless: 

 

A 6lb-8 oz from 2021 on the 68 Weedless.

 

Edited December 3, 2023 by Mossyback Angler

[Mossyback Angler]

Two more quick tips: 

Get in tune to what the bait is doing if you fish it “slow and low”. Similar to fishing a jig, feel what’s going on down there. Don’t be so inclined to “force” the bait if you feel it hang up. Try lifting the rod tip and work it over the obstruction. Sometimes coming over a boulder or log will trigger a bite as the bait falls over the other side. 
 

Last but not least: get a bottle of Mend-It. Can’t stress that enough. Hudds are soft, and damage easily, but Mend-it will save a bait  and get you back in the game. 
 

“Thats all I’m gonna say about that”

[bigpoppabass]

58 minutes ago, Mossyback Angler said:

I’ll offer you my thoughts and see if it helps: 

- Fishing rocks and rip rap  can be tricky. What rate of fall (ROF) are you using? I typically use a ROF 5 in those type of area. The bait wont be as heavy and wedged into the rocks as easy. Maybe consider fishing the 68 Weedless. Are you sure you’re getting wedged into the rocks? The reservoir I fish tends to have some fallen trees that have been pushed against the dam, so I do find timber submerged in the area. 

- As for the wedge tail getting caught on the tail this is part of the game at times. Could be a myriad of things going on. Casting ability, gear, how aggressive your working the bait, ect…. Try using the 68 Weedless. 

- Followers are part of the game, it is what it is. If you’re new to swimbait fishing, be prepared for what is called “the grind”, you’re not looking for numbers, you’re looking for size. This take time, especially learning a new technique. There is no magic bait. If you want numbers, go back to using a NED Rig. 

However, this is what works for me: Slow and low is the key for me. I use the reliable Shimano Cardiff with a 5.8:1 ratio to keep me honest with my retrieval speed. I tend to bounce it along the bottom at times, almost like a man walking on the moon. Working up the rip rap dam in the same fashion. So also to avoid it slipping in the cracks and getting wedged (see question 1). I believe what triggers most of the bites is the predatory / prey behavior of missing a meal. As that bait is coming up the dam, and gets closer to the top the bass has to decide to eat or loose out. 

 

 I do this with either the 68 or 8” top hook. 
 

Sorry for the long winded response, just trying to offer some advice. Others with great experience will chime in and offer some helpful information . Learn what you can, and find out which methods works for you and your waters. What works for one, may not work for others. Good luck. 
 

Some Hudd 68 and 8” fish, fishing rip rap dam. All these NJ bass were caught “bank fishing” off the dam.  

2023: 5lb-14oz on 8”

2022: 5lb-14oz on 68 Weedless

Late winter bass on the 68 Weedless: 

 

A 6lb-8 oz from 2021 on the 68 Weedless.

 

Your comments remind me of those made by my Hudd fishing mentors. Great info.

PS. My struggle is I can't go slow enough to become a top tier Hudd stick. When folks have said slow they mean slow like fishing a jerkbait with a 10 second pause slow. Not easy.

PS.1. To help with that, I use old deep spool green curados with 5 0 1 retrieves. And still those reels are so slow they make me uncomfortable, because I feel like I am not retrieving anything. 

Edited December 3, 2023 by bigpoppabass

[Fried Lemons]

Hudd 68 is the second swimbait I ever caught a fish on and got me completely hooked. I got bit doing the traditional ultra slow creep.

You don’t necessarily need a super slow reel, just barely turn the handle and have confidence the bait is doing its thing. Snagging is part of the game but if you’re snagging excessively go with a lighter rof.
 

The fact you are seeing followers means you are probably in the right areas but you are hitting them from the wrong angles or you are too close. I would try and get as far away as possible from the spot by either making a long cast or making your normal cast and walking/trolling away to create distance. With these baits once you can see the fish following imo you blew your shot because there’s not much you can do with the bait to trigger a bite.

[CT Angler]

56 minutes ago, Mossyback Angler said:

Two more quick tips: 

Get in tune to what the bait is doing if you fish it “slow and low”. Similar to fishing a jig, feel what’s going on down there. Don’t be so inclined to “force” the bait if you feel it hang up. Try lifting the rod tip and work it over the obstruction. Sometimes coming over a boulder or log will trigger a bite as the bait falls over the other side. 
 

Last but not least: get a bottle of Mend-It. Can’t stress that enough. Hudds are soft, and damage easily, but Mend-it will save a bait  and get you back in the game. 
 

“Thats all I’m gonna say about that”

Thanks, I'll try that. I've have a Magdraft and rising son so I'm very familiar with Mend-It

[CT Angler]

31 minutes ago, Fried Lemons said:

Hudd 68 is the second swimbait I ever caught a fish on and got me completely hooked. I got bit doing the traditional ultra slow creep.

You don’t necessarily need a super slow reel, just barely turn the handle and have confidence the bait is doing its thing. Snagging is part of the game but if you’re snagging excessively go with a lighter rof.
 

The fact you are seeing followers means you are probably in the right areas but you are hitting them from the wrong angles or you are too close. I would try and get as far away as possible from the spot by either making a long cast or making your normal cast and walking/trolling away to create distance. With these baits once you can see the fish following imo you blew your shot because there’s not much you can do with the bait to trigger a bite.

I'm fishing out of a Kayak and was using a ROF 5 in 20-30 ft so I definitely noticed that that I was getting blown towards the bait since I was waiting so long for the bait to hit the bottom. I'll also have to work on hitting the same areas from different angles. Thanks

[Mossyback Angler]

51 minutes ago, CT Angler said:

I'm fishing out of a Kayak

Get a plug knocker if you’re fishing out of a kayak.
One that is heavy enough for swimbaits, not the little “hound dog” thing for crankbaits and such. Something in the 1lb realm will suit you good for the small Huddleston 68’s While they seem costly initially, if they save you one or two baits, they have paid for themselves. 

The ones on the right are examples of the smaller one I speak of. If you throw larger baits, go with one a little heavier like the ones pictured on the left. 

[maiti]

I have a kayak too! Well, I actually have two lol. Get an anchor if you want to fish hudds low and slow. Slow to me means 6 to 10 minute retrieves.

When you're dragging the bottom and you feel the bait come to a rockpile/ snag/ whatever, stop the retrieve for a few seconds; if there's an active fish, you'll likely get bit. Then use your rod to gently guide the bait over the obstacle, and then stop for a few seconds; you might get bit here to. If no one's home, carry on to the next snag. I learnt that from Don Moorman a long time back, and it served me well.

I personally feel the 8" and the 8" weedless are way more productive (for me). Never did much good with the 68 although I have caught a few on them (over the last 12 years).

[Jon P]

17 hours ago, CT Angler said:

Hi all,

I just recently got into swimbaits and need so help with the Hudd 68. Any help you could offer would be appreciated.

 

• In two trips I've lost two baits trying to creep/drag it onto the bottom by getting the bait wedged in between rocks. Is there any trick to avoiding this?
• Several times I've had the wedge tail get caught on the top hook. Am I doing something wrong with my retrieve? Does this just happen sometimes with the bait? Is it possible that the bait is getting hit an folded up in the mouth of a smaller bass?
• I've had several followers but have yet to get a fish to fully commit. I've tried dead sticking the bait and it seems to turn the fish off and a steady retrieve hasn't worked either. Should a speed up the retrieve once I see the fish or is there some other technique I can use to trigger a bite?

The Hudd 68 is one of the baits I’ve always got tied on. It’s the perfect size for getting bites and is applicable from ice off through summer and into fall. It excels both as a super subtle finesse bait or a fast winding search bait. The ROF 5 is what I usually use for creeping the bait. The lighter weight keeps the bait from digging bottom or sinking into grass and rock. The ROF12 I use as a search bait as it’ll stay down on a fast retrieve, but it can be a little more snaggy in shallow water. Also if you’re getting it stuck between rocks be sure you’re not retrieving it up hill into large rocks, which will snag any bait, and secondly make sure you’re retrieving fast enough to just tick rock bottom. The 68 is a pretty slim bait and the head will wedge into rocks and get caught pretty easily.  the 316 Rising Son is a good option to turn to if rocks are catching the 68. It’s broad head acts like a football head and it will roll over rocks better.

As for the wedge tail getting caught on the hook, sometimes that happens on impact with the water, often you get fish that fold the tail over the hook and spit the bait.

If you’re getting fish following to the bank either slow it down as close as you can get it to a dead crawl. No matter how slowly you move it, it’s still swimming and still drawing fish. If the bottom’s to snaggy to crawl it on the bottom, retrieve slowly enough to just tick bottom. 
 

[bigpoppabass]

On 12/3/2023 at 9:12 AM, CT Angler said:

Thanks, I'll try that. I've have a Magdraft and rising son so I'm very familiar with Mend-It

If you get hit on the magdraft let me know. I have been using the 6 inch one with not even a sniff. 

[brootalititties]

On 12/2/2023 at 8:46 PM, CT Angler said:

 

• In two trips I've lost two baits trying to creep/drag it

I’ve lost too many baits fishing it like Tim Allen (tactical Bassin) screams about on his channel, that ish doesn’t work for me and I’m not gonna keep throwing baits away. I fish them the same way I fish a 2.3” keitech on a ball head. Let it sink to the bottom (you’ll see your line go slack) then I give it a little pop to get it up out of any grass or rock and retrieve it as slow as possible till it starts hitting bottom then speed it up or raise my rod tip to keep it just off bottom. The line tie on top is very conducive to fishing this way and I’ve got some really nice fish 

[brootalititties]

On 12/2/2023 at 8:46 PM, CT Angler said:

 

• In two trips I've lost two baits trying to creep/drag it

I’ve lost too many baits fishing it like Tim Allen (tactical Bassin) screams about on his channel, that ish doesn’t work for me and I’m not gonna keep throwing baits away. I fish them the same way I fish a 2.3” keitech on a ball head. Let it sink to the bottom (you’ll see your line go slack) then I give it a little pop to get it up out of any grass or rock and retrieve it as slow as possible till it starts hitting bottom then speed it up or raise my rod tip to keep it just off bottom. The line tie on top is very conducive to fishing this way and I’ve got some really nice fish 

[CT Angler]

On 12/3/2023 at 10:17 AM, Mossyback Angler said:

Get a plug knocker if you’re fishing out of a kayak.
One that is heavy enough for swimbaits, not the little “hound dog” thing for crankbaits and such. Something in the 1lb realm will suit you good for the small Huddleston 68’s While they seem costly initially, if they save you one or two baits, they have paid for themselves. 

The ones on the right are examples of the smaller one I speak of. If you throw larger baits, go with one a little heavier like the ones pictured on the left. 

Awesome - will definitely make sure I order a couple of those.