So, a while back I traded somebody for a Hudd and the second I squeezed the bait it seemed like something was wrong with it. It has a hollow section in the tail that starts just posterior of the internal weight. I never put much thought into it until a friend started talking about it the other day.

The question is does anybody know if this is how ALL Hudds are being made now? Or is Ken playing around with new ideas (meaning if you buy one new now you never know which one you will get, solid or hollow).

They've had these hollow spots for as long as I've been using them. How he manages to pour a hollow section in there is the mystery.

The way he pours them causes that. You see, Ken is using a double sided mold that's been injected. That's the only way you can get a round hand poured bait without a flat side. Since your using so much plastic to make each bait, the results can be inconsistent as far as body consisitency goes. But knowing Huddlestons, Ken probably put the hollow spot there so the bait would feel more like a real trout...:-)

Hmmmm, I dont know what to think. Ive owned over 20 Hudds and only one has that odd hollow spot. Plus, I know somebody that recently went to a tackle shop, played with every Hudd they had, and purchased the only ones without the hollow spot (and they were by far the minority; since the bait is readily available now, seems obvious most of the new ones have the hollow spot).

Seems to me Ken is playing with a new idea, one I personally do not like.

I can assure you the hollow spot has existed for at least 2 years. I just checked some of my really old yellowed rof 12s, and they all have one. I'm assuming that's what the little hole right behind the dorsal fin is for. FWIW.

Nico, Im not certain we are talking about the same thing. All of my baits have the hole, only one has this odd empty space hollow spot in it. If this has been going on for at least two years, it is extremely odd that me and those I fish with have only seen this happening recently. I should send you the bait (its brand new), but only if you promise to send me a new one too only without the hollow spot :P

Hey Matt, pipe in here would ya

i have 6, and all are solid. The first one i felt that was hollow was about 4 hours ago at Fred Hall's

Nico,
What he's talking about is a true hollow tail. The worst one that I've found actually had a HOLLOW TAIL. There was no material in there, just a big air pocket. But the majority just have an empty space inside that runs all the way into the tail, then stops. And to top that off the paint jobs have taken a serious dive in the last few months. I noticed that the colors were getting lighter and the spots were diminishing but didn't realize how drastic it was until I got out a new bait from 6 months or so ago.

Matt

Just curious but I would imagine that the hollow spots may be engineered into the bait for the ROF factor. Maybe not, but it does sound logical.

Maybe you guys are talking about the air bladder that is on the harness of the bait? Some poeple squeeze them too much and pop the seal and it feels like it's hollow. The bladder is there to help balance the bait I think, but not really sure. Only Ken knows for sure.

Magmaster, I wish I could put one of these baits in your hand. 2 seconds later you'd be saying, "why in the world is the entire tail of this bait hollow?!?" I'm telling you these baits have never been like this, a bad run or maybe more has come down the line. All of a sudden the baits are different, where they used to be SOLID MATERIAL there is now a hollow area. I'm trying to think how else to describe it... If you took a knife and cut off the last 1/2 inch of the bait, right down the tail so that you cut off the end of the "boot" you would be able to see right up the inside of the bait like it was a big tube bait. Does that make sense?

Ok A quick lesson in swimbait manufacturing.
Plastisol shrinks as it cools. Anybody who has poured baits knows what I am talking about. Hudds are made in a two piece mold and they are injected. The Plastisol is under preasure and forced into the mold. They remain under presure untill the mold has been cooled. this is done to help reduce shrinkage. The plastisol expands when it is hot, so the hotter it is poured the more it shrinks. Now how does this apply to the Hudds? Well, its simple. The bait is under preasure so insted of getting a "dent" in the surface as it shrinks it creates a hollow spot usualy in the biggest part of the bait. Now since the lead/foam insert is in the front half of the bait the hollow spot should and does occure in the area just behind it or in the tail.
Why do some come out solid and some hollow? There are several variables that determine this and any slight variations will cause diferences in the baits. I have held a bunch and I have never felt a solid one. I dont think this will have any negative affect on the bait unless the plastisol is thin around the hollow spot. Than it could potentialy be a weak spot. But the baits that I have seen torn usualy have the tails missing.