Pulse tail mullet as a hudd alternative?

[Tatulatard]

As someone new to swimbaits since last year I have now only recently discovered that crawling a hudd with a wedge tail in coldwater is a thing.  This sounds like the 1st swimbait presentation I should try this season targeting big fish off points transitioning from winter to spawning coves.  Great. There is one problem.  All the 68 special rof 12s are all backordered. 

 

As a possible alternative to the 68 special I see there is a savage gear mullet in what I assume is a slow sink 6" and 8" as well as a fast sink 6" only.  They are line throughs with hopefully a top hooking option like other SG baits.  The fat wedge tail and narrow base of body there the tail is located gives me hope that these may be more willing to thump at slow speeds compared to their pulse tail trout.  There is a jig hook pulse tail but it's small and my experience with jig hook SG trout boot tails is that they are nose heavy and will plow into the bottom rather than belly slither.  

 

These mullet line throughs look like a decent 68 alternative but there are no reviews? I have an 8" and 6" on the way.  Not that I've ever caught a fish on a hudd to compare but I can give some feedback once I fish them.

[softwateronly]

Never tried the mullet but I think it would work.  Although a different profile, the tails on the jsj hitch and trash fish move nice and subtle as well in cold water. 
 

scott

[camman]

While I haven thrown this bait, I’ve thrown a bunch of other baits that were “supposed” to be similar to a Hudd 68…I always end back throwing a Hudd, IMO it’s  one of the best swim baits in the market.

[Big Swimbait]

You can crawl this one from Savage Gear.

https://www.tacklewarehouse.com/Savage_Gear_8_Pulse_Tail_Trout_RTF_Swimbaits/descpage-SG8T.html

 

 

[Dwight Hottle]

Check out burrito baits sold thru Mike Bucca. They are available in a 5” 6” size & a bit heavier than the Hudd 68 special rof 12. Made as a top jig hook style. 

 

https://www.tacklewarehouse.com/Bacca_Burrito_Swimbait/descpage-MBBUR.html

[gulfcaptain]

So you're trying to compare 6" baits that have the "wedge" style tail. Problem you're going to run into is the 68 Hudd isn't a 6" tail. It's the tail off the 8" bait which is bigger hence the 68 special.  It's oversized for the size of the swimbaits.  You'd have to cut the tail and Mend-it off an 8" bait to a 6" bait to get similar results. Have 68's and honestly the 8" hudd gets bit better if you're fishing LM, if I were fishing spots/smallies,  I'd fish the Savage  Gear RTF trout since it has a stinger hook and built in slot for it.

[Hammer 4]

These guys have 68's in stock. https://swimbaitcity.com/html/storehuddleston.html#hud

[Tatulatard]

On 3/8/2023 at 4:11 PM, Big Swimbait said:

You can crawl this one from Savage Gear.

https://www.tacklewarehouse.com/Savage_Gear_8_Pulse_Tail_Trout_RTF_Swimbaits/descpage-SG8T.html

 

 

I have one of those coming too. They have a more subtle action in the tail than the 68 special.  We'll see if any of my rods can handle it.  That's part of the appeal of the 68 special too.  My existing big bait rods can handle them no problem.

[Fat Ika]

10 minutes ago, Tatulatard said:

I have one of those coming too. They have a more subtle action in the tail than the 68 special.  We'll see if any of my rods can handle it.  That's part of the appeal of the 68 special too.  My existing big bait rods can handle them no problem.

13 hours ago, Big Swimbait said:

You can crawl this one from Savage Gear.

https://www.tacklewarehouse.com/Savage_Gear_8_Pulse_Tail_Trout_RTF_Swimbaits/descpage-SG8T.html

 

 

 

I use the 6" pulse tail trout rtf along with 6" hudd, 68 hudd, and 68 weedless. Mostly bank fish these. I prefer the savage gear as long as there's minimal grass and no known wood, no patience for placing a rear stinger on a jighook hudd/or butch browning, and just don't want to tear the back of a hudd with a rear stinger. Always creeping these on bottom and prefer the rof 5 regardless of depth to prevent less resistance on the bottom or potential rock crevice snags. They need to come out with more colors, not sure it matters, but I'll buy the snot out of bass and perch patterns. Also, 4" and 5" profiles of these would definitely sell. Still use single jighook hudds, but the Hudd rof 5, 6" and 68s are heavier than the savage gear 6" rof 5s.