Lures/Baits/Artificials

Collectors Lures.

A work in progress which all will appreciate I'm sure!

Many thanks to Mike, Derrik, Rob, Henrik, Hans, Steen, Uffe and many others in the future

1960's

Following the success in the American market in the 1950s, Abu continued to grow its business in the 1960s by promoting its tackle in other countries.

By the 1960s, the economy in countries like the UK was starting to recover from the shortages which followed the Second World War. Demand for quality tackle, at reasonable prices, was met by Abu. Throughout its product range Abu could supply tackle to suit any pocket. Lures like the Svängsta spinner and the Droppen were specifically designed to be made and sold cheaply and yet they were incredibly effective baits.

In many ways the 1960s were a golden age for Abu. Many new lure designs were produced, some only sold in Europe for a handful of years but then taken to America and developed further and sold for many more years.

Rakan / Shrimp

The jury is still out on this lure in terms of actual date of sale and all colours sizes.

The lure first appeared in 1966 Tight Lines catalog and yet had disappeared by 1970. There was no apparent big promotion with words and graphics like NEW! etc as other items were introduced. One suspects it may have been made by Burke Industries in USA (they made the innovative soft bodied Cello/Cello Dip lures)

I have also seen a black Rakan/Shrimp (image below kindly provided by Derrik, ABUfreak inGermany) without any documentation in catalogs.

The story will unfold further I'm sure.

Unfortunately even going to my friend Len Borgstom, the highest authority, is unable to throw any more light on the matter.

More recently Steen has supplied image of a previously undocumented and certainly uncatalogued yellow Rakan photographed along side a regular red Rakan.

Pep

The Pep lure is a delightfully curved bait introduced in 1966 but lasting only 5 years or so.

It was available in 18g size and 65 mm long only and in the three popular colours of S, G and K

I believe one of mine is a rare pink Champagne colour due to a possible contamination of annodizing process. Never seen another like it, please advise if I am wrong.

Despite looking like an excellent bait, due to superb choice of curvature of spoon, it was not successful I supect because there were not enough weight variations created.

My calculations, based on newer and very successful similar lures made more recently in Asia like the wonderful Pegron, indicate for this length the weight should have only been 10/12 g ie press from metal aproximately half the thickness.

There is no reason to think short lighter 4/8 g 45mm versions would not have been great stream fishers fro trout also.

The Svangsta Spinner (Svängsta-spinnaren)

This is the second lure made by Abu to carry this name. This version was released in 1962 and was intended to be an effective lure at a low price. In the UK it was initially listed in Tight Lines in sizes 1/8 oz, 1/4 oz and 3/7 oz. In the colours G, S, K and Z. Later, around 1964 the 1/16 oz lure was introduced. The last year of sales in Europe was 1966 when it was replaced by the Droppen.

However the lure was catalogued by Garcia from 1962 initially in the 1/8 oz and 1/4 oz sizes but with different colours specific to the American market, these included Red and White, Red and Silver and I have seen Blue and Silver examples.

The Abu Optic Fly Range

These flies commenced in 1967 with a streamer fly called the Abu Optic. The Optic range were identified by their "bulbous beguiling eyes". The Streamers were single hooked, in sizes 8 and 10, and were designed to target Trout and Grilse in Europe.

In 1968 the Abu Optic Tubefly was introduced with a size 14 treble hook.

In 1969 by the Abu Optic Chillimps was introduced, it was a shrimp fly for Atlantic Salmon and it came in 6 different hook sizes.

In 1970 the Optic Salmo was introduced, it was a single hooked Salmon fly that also came in 6 different hook sizes.

Finally in 1972 the Optic Keel fly came along in size 6 only.

With the exception of the shrimp coloured Chillimps the Optic flies came in 4 colour schemes which were cheekily named Playboy, Pin-up, Streamtease and Callgirl !

Cello /Cello Dip

My friend Kalle Bornefelt from Sweden is a recognized expert in these lures and we hope our collaboration below helps extend your knowledge and appreciation of this unusual lure.

The images he has supplied indicated his depth of appreciation of the marque.

Len Borgstrom has confirmed to me this is a very interesting lure originally outsourced by ABU in USA to Burke Industries.

A fascinating lure was an evolving design in two forms ie a cupped-front surface-running popper in one size only and its bigger brother, a deep running aluminium bibbed version of completely different elongated shape.

We will learn much and I look forward to uploading more information when it comes to light and is collated.

ABU CELLO was first introduced in Napp & Nytt in 1967 and later the diving CELLO DIPP version came in 1969.

Cello and Cello Dip were sold by ABU until the late seventies.

The Cello is made in a soft plastic with a rubber feeling.

Both Cello and Cello Dipp are floating, even after sustaining plenty bitemarks of pike.

The Cello and Cello Dipp originate from lures made by the American company BURKE.

Both Cello and Cello Dipp were created in four colours: BGL, D, S and RH.

Slight variations have been noted in body design, hook hangers and actual hooks used.

The story will be updated as new information unfolds.

I am attempting here to create (with the help of others), the greatest collection of images and information about Record ABU lures ever collected together and freely available for all to learn from. Obviously image copyright for alternative publishing purposes always remains with the owners.

Please feel your input, help , criticism is very welcome and I look forward to expanding with network of Record ABU lure collectors and appreciators.

Contact me here to assist.

If you have any other lures, that are un-needed or doubles in your collection and are available for swapping or a reasonable fee, I would be very pleased to hear from you.