The Death Of The Small Tackle Shop

[Mobasser]

One other thing about my old shop- the guy knew how to spool a spinning reel correctly. Lots of shops don't.

[gim]

14 minutes ago, MN Fisher said:

I think between Scheels and Fleet Farm

 

The problem with Scheels is that they remove their open water fishing tackle by early October (soon).  And the Fleet Farm nearest me sucks with restocking.  The one out by you in Carver is much bigger and better.  Cabela's has more selection than anyone I know of around here.  I know some people don't care for them but there's literally 15 aisles of tackle all year round.

 

I was in EP Scheels last October 11 and 95% of their open water tackle was already replaced with ice fishing stuff.  October 11?!  They lost my business that day.  Its not a good business model to remove all that stuff during the 4th quarter when people are buying holiday gifts.

[king fisher]

  I have a small tackle shop, near me in Puerto Vallarta that I buy from, regardless of the extra cost.  The problem is being located next to a marina on the Pacific, all the tackle is for salt water fishing.

       Four years ago, I was in the store buying some salt water tackle for work and talking to the owner.  Somehow the subject of bass fishing came, up and I told him I preferred to fish for bass, but didn't know of any place I could go with my kayak.  He told me he only bass fished a couple of times, but the one time his wife caught a nice one.  Nice one was an understatement.  He then showed me a picture of a bass that was almost 13 pounds.  I told him that bass was more rare than a #300 pound tuna in PV, and I would die a happy man if I ever caught a bass anywhere near that size. 

      Next thing I know is he is drawing a map on a piece of paper showing me how to get to this secret lake, along with instructions on what to tell the manager and commercial fisherman if they say anything about me fishing there. 

       That weekend I drove to the lake.  It's a small reservoir with a launch next to the d**n.  A couple kids were swimming, but besides that there was no one around.  Signs saying no fishing were up everywhere so I was hesitant to even get a rod out of the car.  I rigged a rod, and caught a baby bass on the first cast.  About then car pulled in and a man walked up to me, and asked what I was doing.  As instructed,  I told him who had told me about the lake, and that I was bass fishing, and would not keep any Tilapia if I caught one.  It ended up he was the manager of the lake, and told me I could fish there, but he wanted me to kill any bass I caught.  I told him thanks, and came back the next weekend with my kayak.

       Within 2 months, I had landed 4 bass over 10 pounds and many others in the 7-9 pound class.  Needless to say, I am in debt for life to the owner of that small shop.  I would still owe him, even if I bought every lure in the store for the next ten years.  I still don't know why he told me about the place, I wasn't even a regular customer of his.  All I can say is I'm glad he did, and I am certain I would have never got advice like that from anyone at a large out door store like BPS let alone my local Wal Mart.

       Every time I go in to that shop I buy something, even if it isn't what I think I need.  I always thank him for telling me about the lake, and I try and get everyone that I know to buy their gear there.  Small local tackle shop disappearing are proof to me, that even though change is inevitable, I don't have to like it.

        

[Basser2021]

There is still some. I have one near me that has an amazing selection of baits for the size it is. Also some of the gas stations here have lures.

[Chris186]

1 hour ago, Spankey said:
 

 My bases were covered for many years by a great shop I found outside of Allentown. Found some great trout fishing up in that area so it went hand in hand. He closed up and got scared when Cabela’s moved in. 

 

 

I used to live about an hour south of Allentown, although I was much to young to know what I was doing back then. My father was in a Bass club back then though, he would sometimes take me in tournaments.

[T-Billy]

I'm fortunate to have a great little shop locally. Awesome owner who know his stuff, is friendly, carries a good selection, good prices for a small shop, and he hooks us regulars up with a discount on pretty much anything over $100. I buy as much as I can from him, but it's been harder since covid, thanks to the supply chain disaster.

[Spankey]

30 minutes ago, Basser2021 said:

There is still some. I have one near me that has an amazing selection of baits for the size it is. Also some of the gas stations here have lures.

As a kid when I was 10-16 years old I could not drive (farm tractor I did) to the trout streams. An old retired Philly Electric guy had a farm and a buddy I grew up with worked for him. He was a trout nut. He taught me about them and fishing for them. Being a trout nut is ok. For some better trout fishing we’d go over to the next county. Close to the creek we fished was one of those old gas stations with the pumps right along the road. Small two bay service building with the smallest general store I’ve ever seen. They had a good selection of live bait, CP Swings, Daredevils, Eagle Claw.  
 

But best of all the old guy had a sweet tooth that went along with that trout fishing. He’d get us those old Dolly Madison snack cakes (I think they were called Zingers?) and the place had a great selection of bottled soda. Royal Crown, A-Treat, Grape Shasta. 
 

Thanks for your post to jog my memory about that old service station. 

[Bankbeater]

If I'm remembering right we used to have around 4 small tackle shops in my area.  Now there is just one.  We still have a lot of stores that sell bait and terminal tackle, but they are not what I would call a tackle shop.

[Eric 26]

I have 2 different shops within a half hour of my house. I haven’t been in the one shop in quite a few years and last time I was in there I felt the selection wasn’t as good as I remembered in the past. The second one I use to stop at quite often as it was on my way home from work, it’s literally stuffed with a good selection of rods, reels and lures for any fish swimming in Illinois waters. The shop also carries live bait and not sure if they still do but the owner used to buy your gear and then resell it. I need to visit there soon as I’m sitting on a gift certificate from Christmas.

[Woody B]

Small, but not small.  I visit The Great Outdoors in Cherryville NC occasionally.  They're ~20 miles from me.  They sell all kinds of fishing stuff and boats as well as hunting stuff, guns and ammo.  I've bought a few guns from them as well as a bunch of fish stuff.   I see Guy Eaker (BASS Hall of Fame member) there quite a bit.  I know the owner, but I wonder if Guy is also part owner.   

 

There's a small, but well stocked tackle shop near me in Shelby NC called the Bass Shack.   It's a small building but it's FULL of stuff.   They've got a bunch of Carp fishing stuff too.   

 

Piedmont Bait and Tackle is Denver NC (near Lake Norman) is still in business but I haven't been there since I started back fishing.   I need to stop by there sometime on the way home from Lake Norman.  I don't know what all they have.  I do know that they supply live bait for many local tackle shops, including The Bass Shack I mentioned earlier.   

 

Rusty Hooks bait and tackle is on Highway 49 just above the Buster Body bridge on Lake Wylie.  I've never been there but plan on stopping sometime.   

 

[Catt]

We have 3 but my favorite is Cajun Fast Mart. Fill up the truck-n-boat, home cooked breakfast sandwiches, biscuits, & burritos. Lunch has brisket sandwiches, pulled pork sandwiches, boudin balls, & ribs.

 

They have a larger selection of Zoom than Academy or Dicks or Bowie Outfitters. A decent selection of Falcon rods & Lew's combos. Good selections of everything else including saltwater.

[Functional]

Greenville Marine & Sports Center in Greenville NC

 

Since I found this place the only thing I've really ordered online is reels because the shop only carries righties. They have just about everything you could ask for in every color you could ask for. A bit dobyns heavy on rods but still carries a decent selection of Daiwa and St. Croix. They also put on tournaments around the area. 

 

Store also has archery and gun stuff in their place...I'm spiritually richer when I leave but financially poorer also. Its a vicious cycle. 

[Tennessee Boy]

Flipper’s in Gallatin is a good tackle store right down the road that is closing in a couple of weeks.   The owner is retiring.   I hope someone will buy it.  It’s a good location on the water.

[Motoboss]

I agree with @FrnkNsteen, Honey Creek in south Central Indy is awesome and we are fortunate that there are many many small independent tackle shops throughout Indiana in any direction.

By no way has the bigger box stores muscled them out.

[FrnkNsteen]

Don't get me wrong though,...  I completely agree that it's hard for them to compete and they will continue to dwindle.

 

I appreciate the good ones and I try to support them as much as I can. Sometimes I end up supporting them much more than I probably should and it shows on my rod racks and tackle shelves!! ?

[Darth-Baiter]

i love mom/pop fishing stores.  same goes to the small hardware stores.  love them.

 

but there is no denying that some of it is their own doing.  it is no suprise that the bigger venues are taking over and online sales are the norm.  they had to change their business plan to adjust!  maybe do some online presence?  you cant go down like Blockbuster Video.  stick and move!! stick and move!

[bowhunter63]

My home town had 2 good ones. There both gone now. They were awsome places to be 

[whitwolf]

There used to be 2 around Morganton NC and the one closed because the boat sales management seemed to think the tackle shop was no longer needed. 

 

The other is owned by a good guy and he gets 90% of my business. I buy my jigs and terminal tackle from Siebert and my Reels from tacklewarehouse. Everything else I buy at Mega Bite Baits in Valdese. If I pay a little more it's  fine. 

[volzfan59]

8 hours ago, Tennessee Boy said:

Flipper’s in Gallatin is a good tackle store right down the road that is closing in a couple of weeks.   The owner is retiring.   I hope someone will buy it.  It’s a good location on the water.

I used to shop at Flipper's when I lived in Nashville back on the 80's and 90's. You're correct, it's a great tackle shop. Hopefully someone will pick it up.

 

There are two "mom and pop" tackle shops fairly close to me (40 miles away) in Monroe, LA. The Honey Hole and Toledo Tackle. I prefer The Honey Hole, but that's just me.

[wadeboyzfishing]

Quote

We have a local bait shop in Eustis called Owens

wow. my grandpa has a house in eustis and we visit this shop every year! hes a great guy and the selection of stuff is so overwhelming LOL.  unfortunately in my local area there's nothing that has anything that isn't a corporation owned outfit.   other than 1 shop about 30min away that sells live bait but zero selection for lures/hooks/rod or reels.   we buy live bait from them always but are other stuff comes from online. i wont usually touch bps or cabelas.  i do like scheels and farm and fleet though.

[Primus]

I try to support the local stores the  best I can , when I order online it's to purchase stuff not available locally . 

[KP Duty]

We had 'Okiebug' bait and tackle here in tulsa.  It was owned by Don Butler, winner of the 2nd Bassmaster classic, and he was the first member of BASS.  They had a massive aqarium in there with big bass you could watch.  Miss that place...

 

[Lucky6]

Oh what a world... First we over tax and over regulate small businesses. Then we shut down our lives and small businesses during a pandemic while injecting trillions of dollars into the economy. Our governmeny expanded the money supply by over 40% in just a couple short years - more money injected into the economy than ever before - and ALL of that money FLOODED to the rich and powerful... (They constantly decry trickle down economics so this is their answer- to FLOOD money to the rich!?!)

 

Not only did that money all flood to the top, but now we are all paying for it with hyperinflation and increasing destitution. (Homelessness, evictions, grocery bills... all on the rise)

 

Small businesses are being targeted and eliminated by a government working hand in glove with big business to obliterate any sense of competition, and this cost is beared at all of our expense. 

 

Don't believe me? Open your eyes and witness these multi national conglomerates continue to own more and more which will ultimately reduce your freedom of choice. Instead of thousands of smaller busineses we are now at a point where only a handful of corporations own the majority of all commerce.

 

If we want to see a world with many more small businesses like the mom and pop shop tackle stores we loved growing up- then we need to stand up to our ever increasingly regulating government, by limiting their power. But alas, perhaps it is too late... I might agree with Tom and many others in here - enjoy the few shops left while we still can, because they will soon be gone.

[Mr. Aquarium]

Problem with Dicks, Basspro and Walmart at least in my area. It’s all the same crap. Generic brands, no variety!  If they got a brand they don’t carry a variety of styles. At my local Dicks Gary Yamamotos all senkos, that’s it. Bass pro is definitely a lot better then. Walmart and Dicks:  can’t even buy replacement hooks at  Dicks and Walmart.   
 

I try and support the local bait shops 

[the reel ess]

Lake Wateree, SC is about 20 miles from here. My family had a house there from before I was born until a few years ago. There are three small bait shops and one marina on my side of the lake. I love to walk into a place and smell the minnow tank in a place where you can also get a cheeseburger or chili dog. I know that's disgusting, but I associate that smell with so many good days in my youth. And these people will tell you exactly what the fish have been biting (yesterday of course). Luckily, there aren't enough people there or cities nearby to justify any big chains moving in.

29 minutes ago, Mr. Aquarium said:

Problem with Dicks, Basspro and Walmart at least in my area. It’s all the same crap. Generic brands, no variety!  If they got a brand they don’t carry a variety of styles. At my local Dicks Gary Yamamotos all senkos, that’s it. Bass pro is definitely a lot better then. Walmart and Dicks:  can’t even buy replacement hooks at  Dicks and Walmart.   
 

I try and support the local bait shops 

Whoever purchases for the local Dick's (45 miles away) doesn't seem to know what species we have nearby and they're seasonal and have to clear out for hunting season. But, for this reason, they always have some baits on deep clearance. Walmart is always out of what I want or they don't even carry it. I want specific brands in specific sizes and colors and won't settle for whatever power buy they have. I mean, try to find a gold shiner spinnerbait in Walmart. They force mfgs to provide merchandise at discounted wholesale. Thus, you're possibly buying an inferior product. Their exclusive Norman's DD cranks used to come apart if you hooked a striper or big cat. They would take the back hook off and keep swimming. Plus I just HATE going into Walmart. I drove 20 miles there one night because I was fishing the next day and my boat drain plug broke. They had an empty box on the shelf. Doesn't matter how cheap they are if there aren't any. I went home and rigged mine back up with a washer and nut and bought a new one the next day at the mom & pop on the lake.