The Tail: It’s no secret that the Huddleston Deluxe Rainbow Trout bait is as realistic as they come. It has become the standard by which all soft bodied rainbow trout imitators are measured. However, another key characteristic of these baits, of course is that tail. The now patented Vortex Tail is as much a trademark of Huddleston’s baits as the Eight Inch Deluxe trout is itself. While this tail works great on the eight inch bait, one quiet criticism amongst many Huddleston devotees has been the lack of this same kick in the six inch baits.

The tail of the 6" Huddleston baits is much maligned.

Many have even resorted to cutting the tails off of their perfectly fine eight inch baits and fusing them onto the six inch to give the smaller baits that much of an extra kick. Hard to believe? Recently, the company offered a limited run of a new product - the “68 Special.” These were factory made baits featuring the six inch body with the eight inch bait’s tail. They sold out in less than 24 hours after the email blast was made.

They do move in the water - even at slow speeds - just not the same as its larger, 8" sibling.

In actual pool tests, the six inch weedless’s tail has the same action as the standard six inch baits. The tail does move at all speeds, just not with the same thump as the eight inch version.

The 6" weedless is available in ROF's of 5 and 12.

Thing is, in a heavy cover environment, the more subtle tail kick is probably a bit more effective as its less likely to hang up as you’re coming through branches, reeds, tules, or grass.

Good through cover, not so great in hair algae, but really, nothing is.

Weedless or not? So, just how weedless is this bait? I’ve thrown the six-inch weedless Hudd through submerged trees, dense clumps of tules, and thick growths of hydrilla. It swims through all of these environments amazingly well. The only issues I ran into really, were when algae growth was thick. In these situations it’s pretty much hopeless as any bait will come back covered in a mop of this intake clogging muck.

On bodies of water like Clear Lake, CA, the fish have seen it all.

Hookups: The other question, of course, is the hook up ratio of this bait. My success rate was maybe fifty fifty. You really have to concentrate on your hookset with this bait. Any moment or instance of bad technique and position and you’re hosed. The hook does come out of the bait so you can get a good set, but you really need lay into those sets, so be sure you have a rod that is stout enough to handle your swing.

But in amongst the tules, they don't expect to see a bait like this.

Availability: All Huddleston Deluxe Rainbow Trout baits are now far more available than they have ever been. What’s more is they are all far more affordable than ever before as well. Huddleston has really stepped up production which I guess is both good and bad. Its great that you can get the baits quite easily, but that means so can everyone else. This in turn means if you’re fishing in a body of water were others throw big baits, chances are the fish have all seen this bait from others. It just goes with the territory really.

Swing HARD to set that hook and direct the fish out of cover.

Conclusion: With a product as seemingly simple and now, available as a soft bodied trout imitating bait, it’s tough to keep things fresh and new. Limited runs of special colors is almost all you can do to distinguish yourself from the competition. Simply being the original is not enough in today’s ultra competitive bait market. Huddleston’s weedless innovation on their six-inch trout bait has gone over relatively quietly and with some skepticism amongst diehards because of tough hook up ratios and too subtle of a tail action.

Not your traditional swimbait fish, but fun nonetheless. Thanks Huddleston!

What everyone seems to be missing is you can throw this bait where you cannot throw any of the other “me-too” baits. And that’s into some of the thickest, and nastiest cover you can find. In other words, in places most bass do not expect to see a bait that looks like this. Sure, you’re still going to miss some fish. Throwing a bait into heavy cover alone is a low hook up percentage proposition. But isn’t it better to experience the excitement of a big hit than to not get bit at all? And in that moment where it does all comes together perfectly, and you’re able to put that fish in the boat? Well, that’s the reason we’re all into this crazy past time anyway, isn’t it?

Looking for the Huddleston Weedless Trout? Try Tackle Warehouse