Local Tackleshop Vs. Retail Giants

[Bruce424]

Only local tackle shop around here sells live bait, which I really don't use. The rest closed up. Wish I did have one. That be cool.

[adam32]

I buy it where I can find it, and when I find what I want I buy a bunch. It's getting harder to find anything I want locally. The bass pro and cabales near me are a joke when it comes to tackle. When the DSG opened near me a few years ago the had a TON of tackle. Now they just have one isle of stuff that's not even worth looking at. Lately even when I go to order something online I have to go searching. It seems like everything I want is always out of stock.

15-20 years ago I could get pretty much anything I wanted locally, not anymore.

[Catt]

In this day & age we are forced to shop both

[BasshunterJGH]

I buy from Tackle Warehouse and a couple other local "mom and pop " shops. TW is the only major retailer I buy from.

[SirSnookalot]

Around here there are but a few small shops, little if any bass related items.  I fish with a small arsenal of lures and baits for both fresh and salt, catching fish on what Walmart and DSG has to offer hasn't been a hardship.  I like the fact I can go into Walmart in the middle of the night and some of the small tackle shops at 5-6am, big box sores opening at 9 is later than I'd like.

What is beginning to be of concern is rod and reel repair, doable but not quite as local as it used to be.

[Bluebasser86]

Our only close local shop has a really good selection and extremely competitive prices, so I shop there as much as possible. I buy from Academy pretty often, mainly when I'm after crankbaits because theirs are so cheap and good quality baits. I buy as little as possible from Bass Pro and Cabela's, mainly because they're so expensive compared to everywhere else, paying for a lot of overhead in those stores. 

[Sam]

Rhino, when you visit a tackle shop note the amount of linear space that is given to each brand and type of bait.

 

Same is true in grocery stores.

 

Each retail outlet can give each manufacturer only so much feet of space and they will stock those colors and types of baits with high turnover ratios.

 

Also, from a marketing perspective, a manufacturer may pay a few cents more to the retailer to have their products displayed at eye level. Throw in packaging feel, color, marketing baloney on the package you have an item that is designed to hook the fisherman, not the fish. As an example, check out the washing machine soap isle in a grocery store. Every color in the rainbow and promises galore. A lot of study went into the Tide colors to catch your eye. And Tide is usually on eye level.

 

In other words, you "sell the sizzle and not the steak!"

 

In fact, I buy the can of tomato sauce with the lady holding the basket on the label. Been doing it as my grandmother used that brand, Still have no idea of its name but that is the one my wife uses, too, so I pick it up and can't get into trouble.

 

Some local tackle shops offer advantages over the big box stores.  In Chester, Virginia we have Castaways that has almost every color and size of Zoom baits you can imagine. This local tackle shop puts Bass Pro Shops to shame with their selection. And the guys at Castaways are bass fishermen and they will talk fishing with you.

 

Green Top has a better selection of fishing products than BPS and the guys at Green Top know bass fishing and the Virginia waters. And Green Top's prices are a little less than BPS.

 

You can also get some good feedback from local tackle shops on the local fishing.  If you know someone at a big box store that bass fishes and wants to speak with you about their experiences then you have "hit gold."  Otherwise, you are on your own at Academy, BPS, Dick's, Cabela's and Wal-Mart when it comes to selection and what baits do better in local waters.

 

As for the monetary difference between the big box stores and local shops, you can sometimes pay less at the big stores but you will gain a lot more information about local fishing from the local tackle shops. And the local tackle stores know of people who can service and repair your rods and reels which is a tremendous advantage over the impersonal box stores.

 

So to answer your query: I shop at both the big box stores and the local tackle shops. I want the local establishments to stay in business even though they have less linear feet of shelf space and sell the basic colors. plus the fact that they are closer by than driving the 20 miles to the BPS up I-95.

 

I also shop on-line for different or unusual baits and tackle that the local outlets do not have.

 

Marketing is a science that is fascinating to study.  Just watch the car commercials for the subliminal messages and the backgrounds. In fact, don't look at the people or the cars. Look at the background, only. You will find it interesting to note how much thought goes into the backgrounds of car and other product commercials.

 

Just shop at both. The Bait Monkey will be there to help you.

[Master Bait'r]

I REALLY wish there was a nice local shop around here. All we've got is WelfareMart and DSG so I get stuck spending online mostly.

I vastly prefer to spend locally so it does kind of bother me that I don't even have an option to. Chains are ok but I prefer to support small local businesses whenever possible.

[Montanaro]

My local shop has ice cream knick nacks and a terrible rod selection. Old model zillions marked at 350 dollars. All lures and plastics are marked up at least 15% from msrp. I can't afford to shop there! It's unfortunate really. Maybe if they focused on hunting and fishing instead of painted rocks and junk they'd be doing better.

[Sam]

Montanaro, if you ever cross the mountains and head to the Capitol of the Confederacy check out Tackle Express on Midlothian Turnpike near Moorefield office park in Chesterfield County.

 

Craig sells many rods and reels at a discount.

[ww2farmer]

No local shops around here that are worth a hoot. Everything is marked up....and not just a small % either, Havoc plastics for $7, SK cranks for $10, Booyah jigs for $6..................gimmy a break, that's not a "slight mark up",  that's greed and ignorance, and they deserve to be run out of town by the big stores.

[slonezp]

I buy bait and last minute fishing emergency stuff at local shops. Last minute boat stuff and fishing rods at Cabelas which is 5 minutes from the house. All my reel, lure, and tackle purchases are done online

[Felix77]

Local to me means DSG. I tend to buy there only if there is a great deal. Otherwise it's TW.

[S Hovanec]

If local stores had what I need,I wouldn't order online.

[Montanaro]

Montanaro, if you ever cross the mountains and head to the Capitol of the Confederacy check out Tackle Express on Midlothian Turnpike near Moorefield office park in Chesterfield County.

Craig sells many rods and reels at a discount.

I'll try to remember to check it out next time I head for the obx. Thanks

[travis23]

I would say i do both equally. I think its important for me to support my local tackleshops (there are 2). Like slone said i buy most last minute things there, but i have also made big purchases on rods and reels. The guys see me come in alot and will always cut prices on those items to satisfy me.

[SirSnookalot]

The so called Mom & Pops shops of all types of businesses have had a difficult time of making it since the advent of discount stores of the 1950's.  It isn't easy for any small operation to compete price wise and stock ALL the wanted merchandise, they have all they can do just to crack their nut. 

 

I'm not so sure I can buy into the supporting the local economy argument, not that I don't like to see small businesses succeed as I was a small business owner myself.  Big box stores employ more people, those employees pay taxes and spend much of their money locally.  There are big box operations that are quite charitable as well.  In all fairness they may not be charitable because they want to be, it's a tax savings and enhancement of their image.  But the money does do a lot of good and that's a real good thing.  

 

From a personal standpoint we may not be getting the personalized service as we once did.  I do have to say that the times I go to BPS I have dealt with some pretty savvy people.

[gulfcaptain]

Local dealers carry some nice things, but depending on the needs you may not get the selection of what you're looking for.  If I was only saltwater fishing like I used to for years, then all my equipment came from local guys as big name companies didn't stalk the lures and baits or have the selection the local dealers did.  Bass fishing is so varied, it would be tough to have it all under one roof.  So the combo of the "Big Box" stores, local guys, and internet shopping allows us all the ability to locate and purchase the items we feel we "need".  

[Texas Pride]

We have three tackle shops that i know of still open. One is Annes tacke if i spelled it correctly she is a retired pro fisherman she has good deals. I like another one closer to sam rayburn called tackle monkey hes a guide and knows what the fish are bighting and only stocks thouse so you can quickly get what the fish want and get out and back on the water quicker and catch more fish. Local tackle shops are also nice and try to help you what you need. Thats what i like about local tackle shops.

[carlm01]

We have a local shop and i'll buy my worms and plastic baits because he's a tourney guy and knows the colors that produce here, But as with all of us a few minutes online and we can find whatever we want ,I try to order stuff from the small shops online ..

[ColdSVT]

No local shops around here that are worth a hoot. Everything is marked up....and not just a small % either, Havoc plastics for $7, SK cranks for $10, Booyah jigs for $6..................gimmy a break, that's not a "slight mark up", that's greed and ignorance, and they deserve to be run out of town by the big stores.

Good lord...does he do any buisness? Lol

[jitterbug127]

I really try to shop locally, but it is hard. Very limited selection. Way expensive and lack of knowledge from staff all hurt. Went in looking for a rod and reel combo. They had prices like 30 percent higher than walmart or dsg. I am all for local business but a cheap old man even more so. Went in to buy livebaot all year asked what the catfish were biting on every single time got same answer...nightcrawlers, i caught a bunch of cats this year, not one on a worm lol

[SRQbass]

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?

I frequent the same tackleshop for almost everything and have become good freinds with the guys there. They have even given me discounts before just because I'm in there constantly and they like seeing a younger person fish. But if they don't have anything, I'll head over to bassproshops. But I vastly prefer local tackleshops.

[PersicoTrotaVA]

I support one local shop that I have been supporting since I was a kid.  The owners have changed and the new guy is starting to carry more stuff and is priced a little more competitively with DSG and BPS.  I'll buy a crankbait or some plastics there every once in while.  They have great sales on Zoom sometimes.  I also bought my sunglasses there.  They carry Costas and for the money it's something I would rather hold in my hand and wear before purchasing.  I don't shop at BPS anymore.  I got sick of wandering around looking for someone to help me.  TW pretty much takes care of everything I need and the free shipping and free t shirt pretty much takes any other online retailer out for my purchasing needs.  

[whitwolf]

I have one local place I get the majority of my plastics, a few crankbaits, terminal tackle, and rods and reels.

 

When I go there, which is often, I almost always buy something and the time we spend shooting the bull Is always great. If they don't have an Item they will order It for you.

 

That being said I buy all my jigs from Mike at Siebert Outdoors, a few custom made crankbaits, a selecet few Items from TW, JJ'S magic from their website, and If the bargin bin at Walmart has some of the old wee r's and deep wee r's(They don't make them anymore) I will buy those for $1.50 a piece.

 

It's rare that I go to DSG or BPS. If I do buy anything from either one It's usually because I have a gift card. On the rare occasion I'm in Charlotte I will go to BPS to browse. I might buy something I might not.