Tackle warehouse busy

[schplurg]

7 hours ago, TnRiver46 said:

Hahah! I think I’m the only member of this website that has never used tackle warehouse . Sounds like their prices are great though!

 

 

Nope not just you.

[Johnbt]

I've never called TW. I do have a lot of their t-shirts, bumper stickers and reel covers.

 

 

[ajschn06]

12 hours ago, WRB said:

Did I give a time frame when the pro fishing shops closed their doors because bass anglers come in and touch and feel the merchandise then buy online. There was a good pro shop in Brainerd MN last timeI was there with bass, Walleye and Musky lures. 

You are not the+Lone Ranger doing this. My experience with bass anglers is they are bargain hunters...

Tom

My family has vacationed in brainerd for 30 years.... as a kid, my favorite part of that trip was visiting Marv Koep's tackle shop.  It closed many years ago and that's unfortunate, but I don't understand the concept of spending more money just to support a local shop.  I just bought a Tatula Elite reel, any shop/store I visited would have cost me 250+tax.  I got it brand new shipped to my door for $185.  If I was buying $250 worth of lures or plastics, I bet I could find similar discounts shopping online vs local stores.  It just doesn't make sense....

[Spankey]

19 hours ago, TnRiver46 said:

Hahah! I think I’m the only member of this website that has never used tackle warehouse . Sounds like their prices are great though!

 

12 hours ago, TnRiver46 said:

There’s so many local shops around me, I could sink a bass boat with tackle. I’ll gladly spend a little extra to keep them going (and I don’t have much extra to spend ). I don’t get the high end stuff but I get whatever I need from them 

I use to be that lucky. On a local scale (close to home) I had a few guys who were pretty decent for all around freshwater. They are gone or not really the same anymore. I trout fish in the Allentown area and two GREAT shops closed up there (awhile back). Two full line dealers. One leaned toward trout more, the other toward bass. They closed up early when Cabelas and Bass Pro Shops got close. These were rooted shops. Never thought that would happen. Heart breaker really. Places like this will get you what if they don't have it. You buy a new fishing reel and the guy spool it up with what you want on it for free. You buy a St. Croix rod the guy gave you a tee shirt. Guy would give you a hardbait or softbait samples. This doesn't exist anymore. Walmart/K-mart/China-Mart was the start of this. Cabalas, DICKS and BPS was the hammer. I still have a good mom & pop shop left up by the lake. Their heart is in their business. Trout, bass, musky and a big fly section. Will get it if they don't have it. Grandsons love the live bait tanks there. I hope you can keep your tackle sources forever.

[volzfan59]

20 hours ago, TnRiver46 said:

Hahah! I think I’m the only member of this website that has never used tackle warehouse . Sounds like their prices are great though!

Like you, I've never given Tackle Warehouse a cent.

 

 

[TnRiver46]

1 hour ago, Spankey said:

 

I use to be that lucky. On a local scale (close to home) I had a few guys who were pretty decent for all around freshwater. They are gone or not really the same anymore. I trout fish in the Allentown area and two GREAT shops closed up there (awhile back). Two full line dealers. One leaned toward trout more, the other toward bass. They closed up early when Cabelas and Bass Pro Shops got close. These were rooted shops. Never thought that would happen. Heart breaker really. Places like this will get you what if they don't have it. You buy a new fishing reel and the guy spool it up with what you want on it for free. You buy a St. Croix rod the guy gave you a tee shirt. Guy would give you a hardbait or softbait samples. This doesn't exist anymore. Walmart/K-mart/China-Mart was the start of this. Cabalas, DICKS and BPS was the hammer. I still have a good mom & pop shop left up by the lake. Their heart is in their business. Trout, bass, musky and a big fly section. Will get it if they don't have it. Grandsons love the live bait tanks there. I hope you can keep your tackle sources forever.

I don’t see them going anywhere, every red blooded person fishes around here haha

[gim]

15 hours ago, WRB said:

There was a good pro shop in Brainerd MN last timeI was there with bass, Walleye and Musky lures.

 

I assume you're talking about Reeds Sporting Goods.

[WRB]

28 minutes ago, gimruis said:

 

I assume you're talking about Reeds Sporting Goods.

Don’t recall the name, sounds familiar.

My in-laws lived in MN, we traveled up to Lake of the Woods near Nestor Falls for years. 

Tom

[Johnbt]

If anyone is ever on I-95 north of Richmond and south of Ashland, our old standby Green Top Sporting Goods is easily seen from the highway and is still giving the local Bass Pro and Cabelas a run for their money. Does the building look familiar? Those people left town years ago. Green Top has been in business since 1947.

 

 

 

 

 

[GetFishorDieTryin]

On 12/30/2020 at 9:42 PM, MN Fisher said:

Until the local shops closed - that's where I did my shopping.

 

They didn't close because of lack of customers. One was taxed out of business by the city. One had the building they were in purchased by a developer - turned into a multi-story condo...they couldn't find a new location they could afford. Last one was an Evinrude repair shop with a small bait/tackle shop out front...when the repair guy retired, they couldn't find a replacement and that's where the bulk of their profit came from. They had to close down...now there's a Nautique dealer in that spot.

 

Last one, as I said, is primarily walleye/muskie with the bulk of the remainder for crappie.

 

One new local shop did open - a custom rod shop with mainly accessories and little tackle. Cheapest rod they sell is a 5'3" crappie noodle...for $180...well out of my budget.

I think it varies from state to state, if your in an area that is known for excellent fishing or hunting the money from people traveling to the area to fish or hunt can go a long way.  The state taxes and are a big factor as well.

[Mbirdsley]

On 12/30/2020 at 8:33 PM, MN Fisher said:

Except none of those 4 are 'local shops' - they're all fair-sized to big corps...ya, Scheels may be 'employee owned', but 27 locations in 13 states makes it a corp.

 

The local shops left this area years ago - next to last one closed down 10 years ago. The only one left caters to the walleye/northern crowd with maybe a handful of bass baits available.

 

Sorry, Tom - in the case of my area, that argument left the gate a while ago.

Your in the same boat I am.  Everything in mid-Michigan is all walleye oriented.  Go west or north and it is kings, trout, and walleye.  Most places have a decent selection of cranks and spinner baits.  Other than that a lot of stuff I either have to make IE jigs or order online. 

[MN Fisher]

1 minute ago, Rusty_Shackleford said:

I think it varies from state to state, if your in an area that is known for excellent fishing or hunting the money from people traveling to the area to fish or hunt can go a long way. 

That's just it - all three of the shops that closed were withing spitting distance of Minnetonka - one of the best fishing lakes in the state...heck B.A.S.S. ranked it one of the top bass lakes in the central region. They also held several tournaments here in the 80s and 90s.

https://www.bassmaster.com/best-bass-lakes/slideshow/best-central-bass-lakes-decade#slide11

 

It wasn't the lack of anglers - it was other issues and greedy developers.

[GetFishorDieTryin]

12 hours ago, Spankey said:

 

I use to be that lucky. On a local scale (close to home) I had a few guys who were pretty decent for all around freshwater. They are gone or not really the same anymore. I trout fish in the Allentown area and two GREAT shops closed up there (awhile back). Two full line dealers. One leaned toward trout more, the other toward bass. They closed up early when Cabelas and Bass Pro Shops got close. These were rooted shops. Never thought that would happen. Heart breaker really. Places like this will get you what if they don't have it. You buy a new fishing reel and the guy spool it up with what you want on it for free. You buy a St. Croix rod the guy gave you a tee shirt. Guy would give you a hardbait or softbait samples. This doesn't exist anymore. Walmart/K-mart/China-Mart was the start of this. Cabalas, DICKS and BPS was the hammer. I still have a good mom & pop shop left up by the lake. Their heart is in their business. Trout, bass, musky and a big fly section. Will get it if they don't have it. Grandsons love the live bait tanks there. I hope you can keep your tackle sources forever.

There's still a couple good fly shops in Pa.  Your not going to get anything for a bargain, but if you need it they have it.  The Wal Marts up here really dont carry anything good and BPS/Cabelas are overpriced and good luck trying to find a common item in a Cabelas store.  I went to the Christiana, DE store Spring of 2019 and needed a list of like 8 or 9 common items.  I didnt expect to find them all, but they had 0 of them, no DS weights at all, no Keitechs no #8 #10 or #12 Blue label....if it wasn't a BPS or Cabelas Item odds are they don't have it.

Theres a small Pro Shop about 15 mins from me that's an excellent shop.  They're still in business because they carry good gear, have really good prices and have been around for a long time.  

[Spankey]

9 hours ago, Rusty_Shackleford said:

There's still a couple good fly shops in Pa.  Your not going to get anything for a bargain, but if you need it they have it.  The Wal Marts up here really dont carry anything good and BPS/Cabelas are overpriced and good luck trying to find a common item in a Cabelas store.  I went to the Christiana, DE store Spring of 2019 and needed a list of like 8 or 9 common items.  I didnt expect to find them all, but they had 0 of them, no DS weights at all, no Keitechs no #8 #10 or #12 Blue label....if it wasn't a BPS or Cabelas Item odds are they don't have it.

Theres a small Pro Shop about 15 mins from me that's an excellent shop.  They're still in business because they carry good gear, have really good prices and have been around for a long time.  

I don’t want to bad mouth any of the mom and pops close to me because they are trying and they are an outlet for many others. I like taking my grandsons there, they like it. I loved going to the old bait shop as a kid and those shops are long gone. I blow into BPS or Cabelas on occasion when I’m shooting clays near them. I like dealing with TW. I get exactly what I need and my order never gets messed up. I think some guys on here have top notch Walmart’s, ones near me suck and don’t go there. The guys with ones with great fishing I’m happy for them. Ones in my area will never get to that point. 

[GetFishorDieTryin]

On 1/1/2021 at 9:02 AM, Spankey said:

I don’t want to bad mouth any of the mom and pops close to me because they are trying and they are an outlet for many others. I like taking my grandsons there, they like it. I loved going to the old bait shop as a kid and those shops are long gone. I blow into BPS or Cabelas on occasion when I’m shooting clays near them. I like dealing with TW. I get exactly what I need and my order never gets messed up. I think some guys on here have top notch Walmart’s, ones near me suck and don’t go there. The guys with ones with great fishing I’m happy for them. Ones in my area will never get to that point. 

I buy target loads from Cabelas once a year if there is a good sale, but other then that they really mark up prices on steel, Tung/Bismuth and lead game loads.  The people they have working the desk aren't exactly knowledgeable.  They had sent out a flyer with a Rem V3 on sale and I had asked the salesmen at the counter if they had any V3s, he looked at me like I had 2 heads.  I grabbed a flyer form the stack of them on the counter and showed him the gun.  He said oh, that must be a misprint.  At that point walked away.

[Spankey]

16 hours ago, Rusty_Shackleford said:

I buy target loads from Cabelas once a year if there is a good sale, but other then that they really mark up prices on steel, Tung/Bismuth and lead game loads.  The people they have working the desk aren't exactly knowledgeable.  They had sent out a flyer with a Rem V3 on sale and I had asked the salesmen at the counter if they had any V3s, he looked at me like I had 2 heads.  I grabbed a flyer form the stack of them on the counter and showed him the gun.  He said oh, that must be a misprint.  At that point walked away.

Back some years ago, I wouldn’t say I had a big go-around with Cabelas but they tried to screw me on my Remington Special Purpose 12ga. They had some ad depicting one thing, talked to a guy on the phone before leaving the house to go up to verify, had him set it aside, drove the hour plus to get there only to to have them change their tune and try to bilk me. I wasn’t gonna have it. We were on the phone to two different guys from North Dakota/South Dakota ?  some where like that. Bottom line I got my Special Purpose for a ridiculous good price. Not my problem if they don’t know what they are trying to sell and have uneducated people working in areas that more critical type of goods. All I can say is that Special Purpose is death on ducks ? and squirrels ?. Love it in inclement weather for sure. 

[CountryboyinDC]

On 12/30/2020 at 3:54 PM, TnRiver46 said:

I think I’m the only member of this website that has never used tackle warehouse

Since the pandemic, my wife says I have become complacent with a Tackle Warehouse wardrobe.  I do have about 2 weeks worth of t-shirts that come free with orders of a certain amount.  I'd shop local if there was one, and I do buy what I can from the tackle shops around where I can fish.

[Spankey]

I don’t have 2 weeks worth but I do love the L/S tee’s. Wear them year round. I do have a few places around to deal with if I have to or want to but I prefer TW. No frustration involved when dealing with them. 

[OCdockskipper]

Regarding the lack of knowledge of employees/management at big box stores, the same thing occurred in the electronics business years ago.  Their ignorance is a double headed monster.

 

First, they mistakenly sell things below cost, taking sales away from more fiscally responsible companies, eventually driving them out of business.  Then, after not being profitable for years, the big box stores go out of business themselves.

 

Circuit City & The Good Guys were examples of this in the electronics industry.

[jimanchower]

4 hours ago, CountryboyinDC said:

Since the pandemic, my wife says I have become complacent with a Tackle Warehouse wardrobe.  I do have about 2 weeks worth of t-shirts that come free with orders of a certain amount.  I'd shop local if there was one, and I do buy what I can from the tackle shops around where I can fish.

 

I don't wear clothes with a lot of branding on them, but when I make a TW order that qualifies I'll throw in a free shirt in a size that one of the fishing kids in my life. I handed a few out the other day when we were doing Christmas gift exchanges and someone asked why I have so many. I told them that for every $5000 in tackle you buy, they give you a free shirt.

[Spankey]

There’s an old saying, “If it’s free, it’s for me.”

 

Well for the most part that has never worked out all that well for me. But, the TW tee shirts seem to fit well and have caught some nice bass while wearing them. Can’t kick on their freebies I guess. Maybe they are magic tee shirts.