WORKING THE SWIM STICK

I designed the Coastal Swim Stick with a bulbous body to accommodate a 1/0 off-set hook but with a thin, flat tail which gives it maximum movement as the lure is worked amongst kelp, through gullies and around rocks and boulders.

Once the lure has settled after casting out, give it several small 50mm flicks before letting it drop again on a slack line. I generally let the lure sit for around 4 or 5 seconds before working it again as quite often wrasse will strike once the lure is paused.

I also alternate the retrieval style, sometimes giving it three or four larger 150mm flicks before letting it drop, a slight change in presentation can trigger a strike

Repeat this process all the way in, even working the lure right to your feet, as quite often wrasse will be patrolling the edges of rocks in search of food. I’ve caught wrasse to over 5lb right under the rod tip

The main thing to remember though, is however you retrieve these lures, make sure you let it drop back down, as wrasse live and feed on the bottom

I rig these on the Texas rig with a glass bead and a free sliding cone weight. As the weight is free sliding, it will create an audible clicking sound as the weight hits the glass bead against the hook, a good attractant for any wrasse in the area that hasn’t seen the lure