EBB TIDE TACKLE - The BLOG: ASWB Lures - seriously good stickbaits

by Mark Harris

ASWB Lures have been around since 2004 but for much that time have not been available to the vast majority of anglers.

Since about 2007, they have been available commercially but it has been the massive impact on angling of social media in the past 4 or 5 years which has seen them become so widely known. The growth in the profile of these lures has been BIG in recent years and they now form an integral part of the arsenal of many serious salt water lurers, and especially so with GT anglers.

I freely admit that I was a little sceptical at first (I usually am!) but after getting my hands on a few and giving them serious water time, I could easily see what all the fuss was about.

Beast of a GT caught in foaming water on ASWB SS185

ASWB SS185

The great thing about these stick baits is that anglers with only moderate rod skills can get them swimming nicely. I know I am not the only one who gets annoyed by the elitism in GT fishing circles - hugely expensive lures that require considerable skills to use properly - and ASWB lures are the perfect antidote to that. Beginners will get them swimming just fine, and in the hands of an experienced angler, they can be made to do an awful lot.

The lures are made from Australian pine (understandably, the maker will not be more specific than that) which is hardened with a cocktail of hardening agents before the finishes are applied. The finishes themselves are quite excellent whether you are looking at the standard lures, or one of the special limited edition ranges. Heavy duty stainless wiring and swivels complete the picture.

Naturally given the type of fishing I mostly concentrate on, my main use of ASWBs has been at the larger end for GTs.

Excellent fish on a slow day came in on Bungarra 130

Two of my special favourites are the floating Bungarra in both 130 and 170 gram sizes, and the slow-sinking SS185. Compared to some floating lures, it is a breeze getting the Bungarra to swim with a nice tight S shape and/or with a strong tail kick. It also holds the water nicely even in moderately choppy conditions. Rather than allowing it to sink, I treat the SS185 as a sub-surface lure to be used in serious chop, or be thrown into raging whirlpools. It holds just below the surface and can be worked to great effect with a simple twitch, or with tip-beating.

ASWB Bungarra 170

Those are just two of my favourites which suit the conditions in which I normally fish for GTs. Others have had great success with the smaller models (down to 70 and 90 grams) for tuna, kingfish, mackerel, and various reef predators.

I have no hesitation in recommending ASWB Lures be it for GT fishing or more medium weight saltwater angling. These are fine lures which really work and owning a few will not break the bank

Check out the ASWB range currently in stock at The Lure Locker!