Asp

Asp lures – speed, distance and surface strikes

Asp fishing is about timing and casting range. The asp (Aspius aspius) hunts by sight in open water, smashes into bait shoals at the surface and is gone again before you have picked your lure up. That puts two demands on your tackle: the lure has to reach the fish, and it has to be retrieved fast enough to look like something escaping.

This collection is built around that. Compact, dense lures that cast a long way and keep working at speed, plus the surface baits for the moments when asp are visibly feeding.

Casting spoons and dense casting baits

Distance wins more asp than any other factor. The Abu Garcia Toby Spoon 15 g is the reference lure for open water, thin enough to flutter and heavy enough to reach a boil three quarters of the way across a canal. The Fiiish Power Tail Evo 50 is the soft equivalent, a one-piece weighted shad that cuts through wind and swims at any speed you retrieve it.

When fish are holding deeper, the Savage Gear 3D Jig Minnow 20 g gets down quickly and can be worked back with sharp lifts.

Sinking minnows and hardbaits

A heavy sinking minnow is the most versatile asp lure you can carry. The BlueBlue Blooowin 60S imitates the small baitfish asp feed on and casts far out of proportion to its size, and the BlueBlue Snecon 90s adds a wider, rolling action for coloured water. The Nays LPR and its silent version cover the same job with a different sound profile, which is worth having on pressured stretches. More in hardbaits.

Topwater for feeding asp

Asp feeding at the surface is the reason most people target them. The Rapala Precision Xtreme Pencil Saltwater walks fast and stays on top in a chop, and the Rapala Skitter Pop Elite is the noisier option when you need to call fish up from further away. The full range is in topwaters.

Vibration and softbait options

In coloured water or along snaggy edges, vibration does what flash cannot. The PXS Guppi SP Spinnerbait and the PXS Copper Head Blade both put out a strong signal at speed. For a softbait that still flashes, the Fish Arrow Flash Jerk Spin 4" carries a spin tail on a slim body.

Where and when to catch asp

Asp hold in large rivers, canals and open lakes, and concentrate around current: bridge piers, groynes, locks, weirs and any seam where baitfish get pushed together. Early morning and late evening are usually best, and the season runs from spring through early autumn. A light to medium spinning setup with thin braid and a fluorocarbon leader covers almost all of it.

Frequently asked questions about asp fishing

When is the best time to catch asp?

Spring through early autumn, with early mornings and late evenings usually the most productive. On warm days asp are often active at the surface for short, intense spells.

What is the best lure for asp?

Something compact, dense and long-casting. Casting spoons, weighted casting shads and heavy sinking minnows account for most asp, with topwater lures taking over when fish are visibly feeding.

Do asp feed at the surface?

Often, and spectacularly. They push baitfish upwards and hit them from below, which is why a surface lure dropped on the edge of a boil works so well.

Where can you catch asp in Europe?

Large rivers, canals and open lakes across much of the continent. In the Netherlands and neighbouring countries the big rivers and their canals are the obvious starting point.

Buy asp lures at Charlie's Fishing

Charlie's Fishing is a specialist predator webshop based in the Netherlands, shipping across Europe and beyond. Our asp lures are chosen on how they actually perform on the water rather than on what the packaging claims, and we are happy to advise on how to fish them.