i was out fishing last night with a 8 in hudd. I got some followers up to the boat and got a few strikes but could not connect with any of them. My setup is a phenix m1 7'7 swimbait rod and I was using 40 pound braid with a 12 pound leader. Any tips on how I could hook the fish?

You throw an 8" hudd with a 12# leader?

   I am not familiar with a M1 that is 7'7". What power is the rod? You may not have enough power to really drive the hooks. The larger than average fish you will catch on a big bait  have hard mouths. If they get it down in there crushers its hard to move the bait with a heavy power rod. You are using extremely light line. With a braid and leader set up the absolute lightest I would go would be 65lb braid with a 20lb leader. 

Someone correct me if I'm wrong, but I could have sworn I seen a video a few years back where butch brown said he uses 15# seaguar fluoro for 8" hudds. Either way, it seems a bit light to me.

Followers on hudds are just part of the game. How slow are you reeling it? Try crawling it as slow as possible.

If you are using a 12 pound leader you are certainly one cast away from a disaster.  I would up it to 20 or 25 to feel good about my investment.

We don't have that big of bass here but do have musky that are really finicky with big baits. Can you tell what type of strikes you are getting, are they bumping it or getting to the hooks. Are you getting the hits on a steady retrieve or are you switching it up? I have seen big fish follow a steady retrieve, and not make a solid strike until the lure does something different. If they are just bumping it a random move could commit them.

It's not about the rod, it's not about the leader pound test, the issue is about not connecting with fish that are following and others striking but not being hooked.  When this happens to me I think something is just not quite right about the presentation.  Size, color, action, lure type, etc.  A lot of possibilities, but the fact that they are following and some are sort of striking indicates you are close.  So just change something a little and they may strike with more conviction.

Yeah as heavy as an 8" Hudd is I would go with a minimum of 20 pound fluoro leader too. Follows and short strikes just flat out happen with swimbaits. As others said, a slight change up could seal the deal.

You are 1backlash away from loosing your swimbait! You have 2 knots that are about 10# line strength, you need 2X that with a 4 oz lure.

Are you using a weedless 8" Hudd?

Tom

I would use minimum 20lb FC no leader and a big reel for that bait.  I know nothing on the rod you mentioned.  I would use either a revo toro, shimano curado 300e or a good, large round bait caster.   

 

Good read from TT

 

http://www.tackletour.com/reviewhuddleston.html

I don't get this frustration because I have no idea what it's like to see down in the water. My water here is usually murk

I don't get this frustration because I have no idea what it's like to see down in the water. My water here is usually murk

There's some clearer water around, and even our little fish will eat an 8" Hudd!

add a stinger hook and get rid of that 12lb. I'd use 20-25 but that's just me. As far as I know the M1 swimbait rode is 8' or at least mine are.