Browsing for tackle online is kind of a pain

[radiozephyr]

I'm thinking about building a website that makes it easier to find specific pieces of tackle. For example, being able to filter for jig heads that weigh 1/16 oz would be helpful, instead of having to check each product page individually. 

 

So far I was thinking about including the following categories:

• Soft plastics sorted by length
• Soft plastics sorted by weight (if I can get my hands on enough lures to weigh them)
• Jigs/ jig heads sorted by weight
• Hooks sorted by size (or length if I can measure them)

 

Do you guys think this idea is legit? If so, what other kinds of info would you want to see?

[MN Fisher]

You thinking a database linking to other sites for the information and actual purchase?

 

How do you maintain your database when they change the link locations...trust me, they do that here and there.

 

 

[A-Jay]

.

 

[gim]

I just go to the store.  In person.  You know, like people used to do in the stone age.

[MediumMouthBass]

I use Midway to do my research on baits and lures....

They have length and weight selections, and hook size also. That does what you are talking about.

Edited May 7, 2024 by MediumMouthBass

[Choporoz]

17 minutes ago, gimruis said:

I just go to the store.  In person.  You know, like people used to do in the stone age.

I got Walmart and Dicks....BPS about an hour away.   One mom and pop place over an hour.  I shop online.

And I do agree that browsing online is exceedingly painful.  If I just had a front end that made TW less painful, I'd be happy.  

[gim]

I get it, not everyone lives within relative proximity of a brick and mortar retailer.

 

I like to pick up, look at, and hold my stuff before I buy it.  Not everyone does.  Or is able to.

[Tennessee Boy]

The idea sound like something from 2022.   You need to think AI.  A chatbot where you can discuss what you're looking for.  Upload a picture of a lure and it will tell you what lure it is.  Things like that.  Like a person in a real tackle store but knows everything.  ChatGPT is maybe 70% there but needs much detailed fishing info.  

 

[Choporoz]

I don't plan to ever get comfortable with ChatGPT.  I am ok with a lot of IT.  But I really don't want computers trying to converse.  Alexa regularly ticks me off.  I am great with lists and links and pics in response to my inquiries....but I don't want sentences.  I think it has something to do with feeling like I've been fooled.  I generally want interactions with people, and when computers seem to act like they are trying to pass themselves off as people, I get anxious....

 

Ignore the anthropomorphic descriptions.... it just highlights my angst

[MN Fisher]

41 minutes ago, Choporoz said:

Alexa regularly ticks me off.

Only thing I use Alexa for is listening to my Spotify playlists either upstairs or in the basement (2 Echo Pops)

Haven't even looked at ChatGPT - no interest for me.

[radiozephyr]

6 hours ago, Tennessee Boy said:

The idea sound like something from 2022.   You need to think AI.  A chatbot where you can discuss what you're looking for.  Upload a picture of a lure and it will tell you what lure it is.  Things like that.  Like a person in a reel tackle store but knows everything.  ChatGPT is maybe 70% there but needs much detailed fishing info. 

Thanks for the suggestion! Using ChatGPT is something I've investigated - it has the "brain" power to do what I want.

 

The problem is that ChatGPT only has access to information that is already available. Moreover, ChatGPT doesn't know it's own limitations and often doesn't understand what the user is truly asking for. For example:

 

 

It understood the length and weight requirement, but none of those are grubs. More importantly, none of them float. Something like a Z-man baby goat would have been a great recommendation based on my input. But since those other baits have been strongly associated with "buzzbait" across the internet, they took priority. Hell, ChatGPT might have even ruled out the baby goat since its weight isn't explicitly published on any popular site.

 

Also, when you asked ChatGPT for white 1/2 oz casting jigs, the first recommendation it gave was a swim jig... If I build a website I want people to view it as providing trustworthy info 😅

[radiozephyr]

8 hours ago, Choporoz said:

I got Walmart and Dicks....BPS about an hour away.   One mom and pop place over an hour.  I shop online.

And I do agree that browsing online is exceedingly painful.  If I just had a front end that made TW less painful, I'd be happy.  

Thanks for the input, this is the exact idea. I'm not trying to get into the business of selling baits, necessarily. I just want to build a front-end that helps anglers identify what they're looking for (or at least narrow down the search), regardless of where they shop.

 

Also, I'm with you on ChatGPT feeling pretty suspect. Every sentence ChatGPT puts out just reeks of AI to me. Also the tackle recommendations it gives is often questionable (see my reply to Tennessee Boy)

[MN Fisher]

26 minutes ago, radiozephyr said:

Every sentence ChatGPT puts out just reeks of AI to me.

Well, since ChatGPT IS an AI front end - I'm not surprised. And it works like any other computer controlled database - GIGO.

 

(Garbage In, Garbage Out)

 

And having built and programed a couple PC database applications from scratch back in the 80s and early 90s, I think I know databases.

[Mbirdsley]

10 hours ago, gimruis said:

I just go to the store.  In person.  You know, like people used to do in the stone age.

except in michigan we really don’t have a lot of dedicated Bass stores.  Really the only thing i can think of other than Bass pro shop at great lakes crossing in Auburn hills.  Only other possible locations would be D&R sports center near kalamazoo ( owned by KVD’s family ) and possibly franks in linwood.  

 

Every place sells a little bass tackle but, usually just common stuff and generally with jigs not the best quality. I mean every store sells a senko or knock offs senko’s but, if you want higher quality bass tackle those 3 places are about it. D&R is 2 hours away, bass pro 1.15 hrs franks would actually be the closes like 45 minutes away. 

 

Everything is geared towards great lakes trolling, Walleye, and panfish.  

 

i still get the side eye telling people i bass fish.  great lakes trolling for salmon, steel head, lake trout, and walleye ( walleye fishing in general) is a religion up here.  i get it i grew up fishing for those fish. 

[Tennessee Boy]

8 hours ago, radiozephyr said:

The problem is that ChatGPT only has access to information that is already available. Moreover, ChatGPT doesn't know it's own limitations and often doesn't understand what the user is truly asking for.

I assume you’ve looked at the free version of ChatGPT.  It’s been a while since I’ve used it so I don’t know what features they have added to it.  I use the paid version and it has custom GPTs that are training for specialized task.  There are several that offer fishing advice.  I’ve played with some of them and I’m not impressed.  If you build a GPT you provide additional information that it uses.

[gim]

9 hours ago, Mbirdsley said:

i still get the side eye telling people i bass fish.  great lakes trolling for salmon, steel head, lake trout, and walleye ( walleye fishing in general) is a religion up here.  i get it i grew up fishing for those fish. 

 

I get that too from walleye anglers.  Its like they think bass are an inferior species.  When really, northern pike are the inferior species lol.  I did more walleye fishing when I was younger.  I do very little of it now.

 

We even have giant statues of walleyes around the state and our bass regs are written to protect people from accidentally catching them.  I'm fully convinced that really the only reason people target them is to eat them.  Its almost strictly a meat hunting crowd.

[Choporoz]

1 minute ago, gimruis said:

I'm fully convinced that really the only reason people target them is to eat them.

Such a great reason, though. 

 

I grew up fishing for walleye almost exclusively, but have fished for bass exclusivelyfor past 15 years.  Yet, I still have a have a hard time explaining it to my Sconnie friends and family. 

[Dye99]

I wish I could just go to a store. Where I live the nearest real tackle shop is an hour and a half away.

As a father of three fishing sons and a wife who is known to throw a bait or two I spend alot of money on tackle in my limited season.

Being part of a group of kayak anglers in my area, tournaments in the past as well as just guiding new people or friends a couple times a year I have a serious bait issue. My shop looks like a tackle store.

 

Its hard to find what your looking for and it doesnt help with places like Tacklewarehouse changing up their web layout, and only letting you choose one shipping provider.

They used to be really good, now they are the Walmart of fishing.

 

This year I just tried to stock up on everything I think all of us are going to need and move on. My UPS guy thinks Im nuts.

[Reel]

I think I love that kind of pain !!! I must be a masochist.  I just love finding that little piece of equipment or that special lure hidden among a pile of things that are absolutely not related.

[gim]

6 hours ago, Choporoz said:

Such a great reason, though. 

 

I grew up fishing for walleye almost exclusively, but have fished for bass exclusivelyfor past 15 years.  Yet, I still have a have a hard time explaining it to my Sconnie friends and family. 

 

I find it to be a generational thing too.

 

Older individuals can't figure out why I would want to target a fish for the sport of it.  Fishing, catching, and then harvesting was all they did.

 

I even have older relatives ask me why I don't keep muskies and eat them. 😲

 

Anyways, as it relates to this thread, many tackle retailers near me used to specifically cater to walleye anglers.  That has changed over the years.  I see a lot more bass and muskie tackle nowadays.

[MediumMouthBass]

My mom once asked the owner of a tackle shop if musky taste good, i thought the guy was going to have a heart attack.

[gim]

Many many years they did actually keep them.  It was called the Leech Lake Massecre.  There are still black and white photos of huge muskies strung up on poles from that era floating around.

[NavyToad]

A website? Aside from the initial effort, keeping it up to date would required a lot of ongoing maintenance. It's your time - no one's stopping you.

[Mbirdsley]

5 hours ago, gimruis said:

 

I find it to be a generational thing too.

 

Older individuals can't figure out why I would want to target a fish for the sport of it.  Fishing, catching, and then harvesting was all they did.

 

I even have older relatives ask me why I don't keep muskies and eat them. 😲

 

Anyways, as it relates to this thread, many tackle retailers near me used to specifically cater to walleye anglers.  That has changed over the years.  I see a lot more bass and muskie tackle nowadays.

This is my one Grandfather and dad side of the family to a T.  It does not register to fish for sport but, to just fill the freezer.  

 

it’s starting to change people are starting to get educated.  I’m not saying you should never keep and eat a fish.  However,  you don’t need to pull a limit to eat every trip 

[Columbia Craw]

I love site trolling. I run into new non mainstream stuff and specials.  I good buddy is always asking me, “where do you find this stuff?” .   It’s the search.