The Swimbait That Refuses to Die: Why Huddlestons Still Produce Giants
In 2007, a lot of anglers east of the Mississippi learned the word “Huddleston” the same way I did — watching Steve Kennedy absolutely wreck Clear Lake with soft-body trout. One hundred and twenty-two pounds of bass later, the Hudd and the Basstrix weren’t just baits…they were legend.
Nearly twenty years later, that moment still gives pros chills — and here’s the thing most people forget:
These baits didn’t fade away. They just quietly kept catching giants.
If you’re ready to stop collecting “almost big” fish and start targeting the ones that don’t eat every day, the Huddleston Deluxe is still one of the best tools you can put in your hands.
Learn from the Masters
TacticalBassin -- Swimbaits Retrieves: How to Fish a Huddleston Swimbait
Butch Brown's Huddleston Swimbait Modifications and Setup
Geoffrey the King -- This Is The Greatest Big Soft Swimbait Ever Made! The 8" Huddleston Deluxe!
Southern Swimbait -- Swim Signature: Huddleston 68 Special
Deep Dive: Huddleston Tech, Mods & Rigging
If you really want to understand why Huddlestons behave differently than other soft swimbaits, these long-form breakdowns are required reading:
Huddlestons aren’t cheap. They’re also typically not for catching numbers.
They’re for days when you’d trade twenty 2-pounders for one bite that makes your knees shake.
Pick two or three proven colors, order them from Tackle Warehouse, and fish them with intention — slow, around key structure and nasty cover, where the biggest bass in the lake live when nobody else is getting bit.
