Local Tackleshop Vs. Retail Giants

[Rhino68W]

Do you shop at your local bait/tackle shops or at one of the many retail giants? I am studying business and have started to see the importance of keeping money local. Any thoughts?

[F14A-B]

Use to... Since BPS came to the area in about 2005, all the great local shops, had to close their doors. Sucks too, they were great, smart, savy fisher people's ... Now there's a cabelas, 4 DSG , and 2 Academy's , academy's are opening in early dec... I see no chance for the great little shops to ever compete around here, not now.

[HoosierHawgs]

I don't mind Academy. They are not too bad compared to DSG. I can't stand DSG, as has been seen in previous post. But I still prefer to shop at small local shops because I like to support them, but also, I usually am able to find a hidden gem/deal. A lot if the local guys can negotiate on certain things to. The guys at Westside Bait & Tackle, Tackle Service Center, and Wildcat Creek Outfitters are pretty good guys. They e treated me well, done me right, so I continue to go back to them when I need something.not of fan of Big Box, like Tackle Warehouse and the like.

[BassThumbAddict]

I try to buy everything in my life locally. Food, Essentials, Hobbies. 

[J Francho]

They aren't really many local shops that even carry what I'd use. 

[gardnerjigman]

Any local shop near my neck of the woods (before I moved) carried old outdated crap. If they had anything decent it was 2x what you would pay at the big box stores. The only business the local shop even got was on catfish bait and live bait.

[kadas]

I have to agree with j Franco--I find it harder and harder to find what I am looking for locally--if I can find it locally I will buy it but the biggest part of the time I have to order it online

[J Francho]

There's a shop on Sodus, where I launch my boat from.  I pay the $5 launch fee, and usually buy a couple of $8 bags of Senkos and some cold soda.

[F14A-B]

That's what I loved about local here, they had higher end everything, no junk. Even reel repair, custom rod builds/ display .. High end fly rods & reels, he spent 30 years doing it, I spent thousands in there... Miss it too...

[Choporoz]

I'm thankful that those aren't the only options. My 'local' options are very limited, so I'm pretty happy to patronize 'others' like Siebert, MegaStrike and Northstar.  Not because they're sponsors -- that doesn't sway me too much other than the fact that I'm more exposed to them.  I just like their passion and their participation here.

[HoosierHawgs]

That's what I loved about local here, they had higher end everything, no junk. Even reel repair, custom rod builds/ display .. High end fly rods & reels, he spent 30 years doing it, I spent thousands in there... Miss it too...

 

That is the same around my area.

[starcraft1]

I'm lucky enough to have Bass tackle depot just down the hill (25 mi. away) and they have everything you can think of for bass fishing. Just like some of the other guys are saying, the local shop has salmon and trout gear and lack as far as bass, but if you want to hear about "you better get your guns now before they out law them" B.S. You'd be in the right place.

I've been hearing that for the last 40 yrs.

[aavery2]

I use my local tackle shop for everything that I can, even if it means paying just a little more.   Jim Zeiner and his family have been in the tackle business for around 60 years, they are the only privately owned tackle shop that I know of in the Wichita KS area.   They carry things that you can not purchase at the Big Box stores.  Jim carries every Do-It mold made and lots of component items to make your own tackle.  

 

What I can't get through Jim, I use TW for.

[ColdSVT]

I support my local shop as much as possible...that and he is a good friend and occasional tourny partner lol

He best part is if he doesnt have it he will order it for anyone!

[bigbill]

I support my local mom and pop shop too. They have a clearance rack and I give the lures to the kids too. I get info on the local hot spots.

I look for deals or what's the hottest new thing. I try to spread the wealth after all everyone has to eat.

Remember to support our sponcers first. With out them we wouldn't have this awesome forum.

[BenB54]

I mainly do all of my shopping online but I try and support local shops when I can.

[jwwoodjr]

I use both. I buy lures from the local shops because the ones around here stock what is working on the local lakes. It's a little more expensive that way but the information on what the fish are doing is worth the money. Also, helping out local businesses is worth something to me. My basic terminal tackle, hooks, weights, line, ect, comes from whoever has it cheapest.

[VtGr0wn]

Mostly local however.... walmart has cheapest marine batteries around so it varies

[fishballer06]

I live close to the city of Pittsburgh, and there's no real Mom-N-Pop shops able to survive, so we have Dicks, Wal Mart, and Field & Stream. Dicks doesn't have the best selection, and their prices are only good if you find a good sale. WalMart has some great prices on some plastics like Senko's. Field & Stream is owned by Dicks, but they have a decent selection and average prices. When they have sales or I get my reward certificates, I can get some great deals. With all that being said, I usually have to shop online to get most of my gear.

[EmersonFish]

I buy local as much as possible, and I understand that means they need to get a few more nickels out of everything to get by because they don't sell the quantity the big guys do. As someone who fishes a lot for a variety of species, I know the value of a good "bait and tackle" store, versus a "big box" store; and I want them to be around for a long time.

I'd also recommend, if a local tackle shop isn't carrying the most "in demand" product, that you let them know what kinds of things you'd like to see in the store (or make a point of asking for it every time you go in). Trust me, if they know that what they put on the shelves will sell, most folks will be happy to put it out there; they just might not be as aware of what is popular right now, and they have to be very careful about what they stock. Some of these folks are a little older and "out of the game," so to speak. The bottom line for them is, they can't afford to make too many mistakes with what they stock, so they play it pretty safe. If you try and help them out, and they are jerks about it, that's on them.

[PAGreg]

I really try to use the local shop as I'd like to see them do well.  However, being smaller accounts, they have a hard time keeping stock of the stuff that I want and getting it when I want/need it usually take too long.  So, if I can plan ahead, I'll get it through the local guy, but if it's a rush deal, I'll go with the big guys that have what I need on the shelf and can get it to me in days versus weeks.

[Darren.]

Most of my gear is bought online or via BPS and DSG.

 

I buy live bait via one local shop, and get any repairs 

to rods at another local shop with a rod builder.

 

Most of the local shops do a ton of saltwater business,

moreso than fresh. No idea how the arrival of BPS 

impacted them, but none have gone out of business.

[Siebert Outdoors]

I support local when possible.

[Raul]

Keep trying to keep money local and sadly pretty soon you are out of money.

[John G]

I will buy some plastics from my local DSG and WalMart but as far as rods/reels, nobody around here sells JDM Shimanos and I can't afford to pay full price for rods from the local G-Loomis dealer.