My favorites from Asso
August 7, 2026
106 cm of happiness!
Text and photographs by Marco Altamura
After a summer and the month of September marked by unbearable heat and extreme drought, October finally brought cooler weather, although temperatures were still above seasonal averages.
My first few outings on “my” Lake Maggiore were very disappointing, with only a few small pike caught and an almost total lack of periods of predatory activity. Using casting gear was, in itself, intended to target impressive specimens; however, those were few and far between, attracting only small- to medium-sized fish that, with their voracity, did not hesitate to strike at 20–24-centimeter-long silicone shads.
My favorite setup for this exocide hunt consists of a casting rod with a maximum casting weight of 4 ounces and a size 300 spinning reel spooled with the excellent Asso 8XPE Perfect Storm line, 0.32 mm in diameter, and as lures, the aforementioned shads rigged on stinger rigs equipped with No. 2/0 hooks.
This reliable and powerful gear allowed me to land the pike shown in the accompanying photos, getting the better of it, at a spot characterized by moored boats and their lines—which are extremely dangerous for almost all high-strength braided lines—with the exception of Asso’s 8XPE Perfect Storm, which, thanks to its extreme abrasion resistance, withstood countless instances of friction.
In fact, the fight required a forceful maneuver in a confined space full of potential hazards to the wire’s integrity, and it was successfully completed thanks to the exceptional quality of all the components in the combo.
When tenacity and reliability are needed, Asso is synonymous with safety and quality!
