Huddleston 68 Special Weedless For Smallies!?

[jjconnaire]

So I just picked up a few Huddleston 68 special weedless 6" swimbaits and I intend to use it for smallies. Now there are largemouth up to 10+ pounds in this lake and I wouldn't be surprised to see a 7lb smallie in this lake. This shouldn't be too big for smallies rite? You don't see to many guys chucking big baits for smallies. I've seen umbrella rigs but not many swim baits. Anyone have any success on them for smallies?

[mod479]

Multiple threads here detailing exactly what you're asking. Hudds will work for both large and smallmouth in the right situations/locations.   

 

10Lb+ largies ya say? 7lb smallies too?

 

Must be nice....

[jjconnaire]

Yea I'm thinking I'll be fine with the 6" hudd. I'm very new to these. If I would have seen these a year ago I would have said its way too big.

[everythingthatswims]

Smallies love s-wavers

[Dogmatic]

I've had Smallies savage 8" Hudds, so yeah, you should be fine.

[Bluebasser86]

Smallies love s-wavers

and slide swimmers 

[jjconnaire]

Oh boy just got a new set up.... Calcutta 201B on IRod 7'8" jr swimbait

[A-Jay]

I throw the 68 a fair amount for largemouth but not so much for smallies.

 

Never caught a smalliie in the 7 pound class though either, actually have never seen one in person.

 

I'd be very interested in your results for big brown bass with that bait.

 

Please keeps us informed and do post pictures.

 

Good Luck

 

A-Jay

[Dwight Hottle]

I think a hudd 68 weedless is a poor choice for smallies. They have to choke down that bait pretty far before the hidden hook comes into play. Don't get me wrong smallies will hit big baits & get hooked up but they have difficulty eating a big bait that size.

[J Francho]

Why weedless anyway? Are your smallies buried in the weeds?

[jjconnaire]

My lake has a prominent weedline about 15-25ft off the bank at about 8-15ft deep. This weedline forms bc they draw the lake down during the winter to kill the shallow weeds. They like to coast up and down the weedline and hunt after spawn, into summer and early fall. I've had great success throwing weedless (6/0 swim bait hook)5.8" keitech swing impact fats along the weed line contour. They also stock this lake with fingerling and smaller trout (rainbow, brown, and brooke) to get the population up. I figure that these dumb stockies are definitely viewed as an easy food source for the bass so I thought the rainbow trout 68 special could fool the big girls into thinking it's easy prey. I'm going to be getting some regular 68 and put a stinger on the top as well but have a feeling that it will catch the grass. As you can see I also got a ms slammer as well to wake and dive to 1-2ft above the weeds.

Does this make sense? This is just me trying to think outside of the box. Also there are big largemouth in this lake too. I've heard reports from the tourneys that an 7-8lb largemouth aren't rare.

[SPEEDBEAD.]

I agree with Dwight 100%

 

It's not that they can't or won't choke a bait, you just have a better percentage with the jig hook and, IMO, a treble on the belly. Obviously, this is dependent on how you are fishing and what cover/structure you are fishing as well.

[SPEEDBEAD.]

Smallmouth like to slash at baits.

 

BB rigging (I'd not go to the trouble for largemouth on a 68, but would for smallies) or fishing jig hook top / treble bottom is going to give you better results.

[jjconnaire]

Yea I definitely see what you are saying and I'm sure I will try a stinger. But wouldn't you think if a 2.5lb smaller can choke a 5.8" keitech they could choke a hud?

I'm excited to test this out bc you definitely don't hear of too many guys throwing big baits for smallies

[jjconnaire]

Is there an eye on the bottom of the hud to attach a treble? Or do u have to rig one?

[SPEEDBEAD.]

On the 68, there should be an eye to stick a treble on.

 

While the length of a 5.8 Keitech is similar to the 68 Hudd, there is a big, big difference in bait mass. Even a 7lb smallmouth doesn't have THAT large of a mouth comparatively speaking (I've only ever seen up to about 5.5lb but can't imagine the head dimensions being too different).

[jjconnaire]

This fish was 4lb13oz 21". I would say he has about the size mouth as a 2.5-3lb largemouth. Thoughts?

[jjconnaire]

Woods here's the smallie

[SPEEDBEAD.]

It's hard to tell from the pic but 2.5-3lb largemouth have bigger IMO.

[jjconnaire]

Maybe. Well we will consider this an experiment lol. I will measure the mouths of the smallies along with their weight and do the same for largemouth and we can compare. That actually will be pretty interesting to see some results of that. Let me know a couple measurements of the bass you guys catch as well.

[jjconnaire]

Wow I attached the wrong smallie. That guy was only 2.2lbs. This is the big girl I got from last year. I'm actually surprised that there isn't a huge difference between the 2

[jjconnaire]

Big girl

[Dwight Hottle]

This smallie went 7lb-6oz and measured 22.5" by 17"

She choked the perch rapala taildancer shown in the 2nd picture. There is a Hudd 68 special include for comparison. Yes fish will attack fish that are too big to consume & die shortly afterwards. But it is not a common occurrence. The biggest bait I use for smallies are LC pointer 128.  

 

 

[SPEEDBEAD.]

Perfect example of similar length baits that have greatly different other dimensions.

 

That's a lot of plastic for a smallmouth to ball up in it's fish hole.

[jjconnaire]

That's an absolute monster!!! Lake Erie?