The Four Rates of Fall and the 8" Huddleston Deluxe Rainbow Trout

What is the difference between the four rates of fall available in the 8″ Rainbow Trout Huddleston Deluxe swimbait? How do you tell a ROF 12 vs a ROF 16, especially if there is no marking on the tail? How do you tell the ROF 5 vs. ROF 0 in your tackle box? The answer is below:

The Different ROFs of Huddleston Deluxe Trout — There is a wealth of information in this photo. Notice the subtle differences between the ROFs as far as lead and harness material is considered. There is very little actual weight difference between the Huddleston ROFs. The difference is in the gut of the Hudd, where by adding more or less ballasting, you have a faster or slower Rate of Fall (and Rate of Stall).

ROF 12 vs ROF 16

Both the ROF 12 and ROF 16 have a top hook, so you might have a top hook 8″ Huddleston in your hand and not know which ROF it is. Ken no longer paints the ROF on the tail, so, how do you tell the difference? You have to ‘feel’ for it. You literally take your finger and feel the underside belly trying to feel for the extra bulb or extra weight in the belly. You can feel the additional bulb of lead on the ROF 16, by poking your finger into the Hudd, as if you are a doctor playing prostate examiner! You can feel the ROF 12 has a shorter keel on the harness, and doesn’t have the ‘bulb’ that the ROF 16 does.

ROF 16 vs ROF 12 — You need to feel the underside of your Hudd, between the belly ring and anal fins, and you’ll start to notice the difference in the internal ballasting (ie, the big bulb of extra lead on the ROF 16). That is how you tell the different top hook ROFs.

ROF-16-examination — Feel in this area, to determine if there is an extra bulb of lead on the harness, and that will tell you if you have a ROF 16 or ROF 12. The ROF 16 has more lead, the extra bulb you can feel, push on the Hudd just above the anal fins, and you’ll feel it.

ROF 5 vs. ROF 0

Both the ROF 5 and ROF 0 come out of the package without a top hook and again, it can be confusing, which bait are you holding in your hand? The ROF 5 has a definite keel that can be felt between the belly ring and the anal fins. There is something hard there that gives the underside ballast area some mass and bulk. With the ROF 0, you can just feel a notch, and have way more soft squishy plastic in the ballast zone, than you do with the ROF 5. Bottom line, you have to learn to feel the difference in your Huddlestons by doing a poke check with your fingers in the area between the belly ring and the anal fins to feel the harness.

ROF-5-examination — Same deal, feel the area just behind the belly ring on the underside of the Huddleston to determine if the bait you are holding is a ROF 5 or ROF 0, when you don’t have a top hook. The ROF 0 has a definite notch you can feel, and is mostly squishy and soft plastic in the gut area. The ROF 5, pictured above, is solid and hard for approx 2 inches behind the belly ring.

5 comments

Chris Jenkins November 6, 2012

sweet pics. I always wondered what layeth in the belly of the beast.

1. southernswimbait November 6, 2012
  
  It needed to be done. Been a long time procrastinating on this subject. 4 Hudds, dedicated their lives to science.
  
Tim November 6, 2012

Great article, as usual Matt! Having exposed “the belly of the beast” as Chris Jenkins mentioned, any thoughts on fine tuning opportunities that you may have found, especially for the odd, but occasionally poor running Hudd?

Steven March 2, 2015

Can we add tungsten weight inserts to these to make them sink faster or would that kill the action? Been trying these out in the salt for big lings just wondering what your take is

1. southernswimbait September 21, 2015
  
  Dude, yes. Add weights. Get down and get after em. I have plans of taking my Hudds into the ocean too. Keep me posted! MP