Supporting Local Tackle Shops

[flickshot23]

Would you buy your gear online from local shops if they had more of an online presence, or do y'all prefer bigger retailers like Bass Pro and Academy?

I like supporting small businesses but a lot of smaller tackle shops don't have an online presence and can be inconvenient to buy from if you don't live near them. I was curious if this sentiment would be the same if it was easier to buy from them, like if there was a centralized website where you could browse the inventory of several different local shops.

[MediumMouthBass]

I prefer to support my local shops when i can, the one everything is MSRP. The other has 30% of his inventory 20-50% cheaper than any big box store or online retailer. However both have a dismal rod and reel inventory, and the rest of the baits/lures are sold for MSRP. The one i prefer to go to is ran by a really great dude, and he runs some really good sales on certain rods, reels, and other lures throughout the years. But the rest of the time its MSRP, and i dont do MSRP. (oh and to add, most shops dont carry much of what i use and need, especially when it comes to terminal tackle)

 

So i give most of my money to Midway, TW, Omnia, Academy, BPS (only in the spring), and DSG. I only buy something if i can get it for 30-90% off, and these places have done this for me over and over again for years. Their prices for certain sales/promos/deals cannot be beat by most local shops clinging to MSRP or even overcharging. I dislike shopping at private equity/corporation owned places that keep buying up much of the fishing industry and would much rather give all of my money to local shops, but if i did it would be financial suicide for how much more i would spend.

3 hours ago, flickshot23 said:

I was curious if this sentiment would be the same if it was easier to buy from them, like if there was a centralized website where you could browse the inventory of several different local shops.

I dont think the shops not having a website with inventory is the reason people arent buying from them.... TW right now has a 25% off page (that stacks on some already marked down sale/clearance items), there was another company giving 25% stacked on 25% for Dobyns rods the other week, DSG buy 3 get 3 free ZZman or Strike King, Academy is having clearance stacked on clearance prices where one guy just got a Magdraft for under $3. I also picked up a LFS for $22.50 and $660 worth of rods for $188 at one of the places i mentioned within the last few months, hard for any shop to beat these deals....

And most people (especially in this economy) want to save money.

[MN Fisher]

I do most of my purchasing online, but my research local.

Scheels and Fleet Farm carry pretty much anything the USDM market has

Waypoint (about 1 mile from me by road) is a local JDM haven...I think he's gonna give HookUp some serious competition.

 

Unfortunately, my budget insists on saving as much as possible, so new gear is usually in the lower-middle levels (Tatula 100s/Lews Tournament MP, Victory(on sale)/Mojo/Black Bass) I usually stop in to Waypoint just to drool a bit....

[BassKat]

Unfortunately, everyone's gone locally. I sometimes get baited by chains with low pricing during sales. I also shop with local stores in other areas, like Tackle Trap. I'd say I fall in the middle. 

[Big Hands]

I am lucky to have a very good local shop that is stocked pretty well with relevant products and decent pricing as well as an excellent staff so I try to support them as much as possible. They also have a website that's decent enough that I have used a few times.

 

Then there's a Turner's Outdoorsman about a quarter mile from them that I occasionally wander into and I might check the tackle section of my local Walmart now and then too when I am picking up some groceries.

 

I also occasionally order online, but I still mostly support the local shop.

[Catt]

I support local tackle shops over national chains everytime. Yes I can save money at national chains but they do not support my community. 

 

Yes I know Academy, Dick's, & others support local schools, fishing clubs, & others. But when was the last time Academy opened after hours or on a Sunday to held stranded anglers?

 

That's supporting your community 

[Jig Man]

When I want something I go to the shop that isn’t a chain store.  It is located about halfway between Bass Pro and Academy.  John often has a better selection than either of the others.  He will also order stuff for me if it isn’t in stock.

[LonnieP]

I wish I had a local shop to support

[Motoboss]

Unfortunately I feel very guilty about most of my online gear and tackle purchases. My niece and nephew own one of the best family owned boat, gun and tackle shops in the State, outside of Bass Pro. However I do buy online at times as they’re prices are msrp + usually and the “preferred customer discount “ brings them down to msrp on most items.

I totally get it, they can’t compete with the national chains but do the best they can to remain competitive with periodic sales and bundle deals but not on a daily, or weekly basis. Adding to the fact they are an hour from me I have to put together my wants and needs before making the trip and try to arrange it around the sale times. They have a great website but it’s just advertising for the boats, guns and hunting gear and nothing can be ordered unless you know exactly what the items are you want, then you add full price postal shipping to the price. An itemized fishing department would make it way easier but don’t know if the online sales would be worth the extra effort.

 

Now that being said they don’t really make their bills on packs of worms or spinnerblades. The boats (Phoenix, Icon & Vexus), guns and big ticket  archery items are where the money is made.

 

I do prefer to buy local at brick and mortar shops but mega deal pricing makes it difficult.

[volzfan59]

I prefer supporting local tackle shops, if we had one. Closest mom and pop to me is 45 miles away. I do most of my tackle shopping at Bass Pro Shops online. I order some from Academy too. If in Little Rock, I go to the BPS store. 

[MonsterZero]

I will always support local shops, given the option. Unfortunately, the closest tackle shops to me are 45 minutes away, in no traffic. So I make occasional special trips, and supplement with Dick's and TW in between.

[casts_by_fly]

we don't have local shops with any selection of bass gear whatsoever.  The little bit they do have isn't interesting or it's the basics that I'm well stocked on.  There is a DSG a half hour away, but not exactly convenient.  So I'm basically 100% TW.  In stock items can be at my door in 3-4 days most of the time.  Their prices are MSRP as standard, but there are often sales 20-25% depending and if you buy a gift card when they are on sale you get another 10%.  All in, that's cheaper than DSG and way more convenient.

[MonsterZero]

Just now, casts_by_fly said:

we don't have local shops with any selection of bass gear whatsoever.  The little bit they do have isn't interesting or it's the basics that I'm well stocked on.  There is a DSG a half hour away, but not exactly convenient.  So I'm basically 100% TW.  In stock items can be at my door in 3-4 days most of the time.  Their prices are MSRP as standard, but there are often sales 20-25% depending and if you buy a gift card when they are on sale you get another 10%.  All in, that's cheaper than DSG and way more convenient.

Have to shout out TW's shipping team and customer service. They always come through when you need them. Every time. Even standard shipping is almost Amazon fast.

[Mobasser]

I try and support a small local shop whenever I need something. 

[12poundbass]

My local shops are geared towards the hunting crowd and have minimal fishing gear. We do get our hunting stuff from them so there’s that. I really wish they would stock more gear for the more serious anglers.

[gim]

Really no one around me like this anymore.  The only one I can really think of somewhat nearby closed after 45 years the October before last.

 

Most of the tackle shops here are associated with live bait.  That's just the way it is.  But even live bait shops are a dying breed now too.  It's a lot of seasonal work for not much money, and there has been a noticeable shift towards the use of artificial presentations in recent years.

 

I rarely shop online.  I am an in-store brick and mortar shopper.  Scheels, Fleet Farm, Dicks, Cabela's, and Omnia are the five that I frequently visit.

[gim]

I will state that I still support one of the guys who used to run the business stated above.  He decided to retire from the tackle/live bait but continue cleaning/lubricating/fixing reels on the side at his house.  I'm glad he still does this and I will continue to use him for reel maintenance until he decides to discontinue.  He charges $25 for a BC and $15 for spinning.  I most of mine there every few years during the winter and it takes him about a month.

[Skunkmaster-k]

Yes 

[AlabamaSpothunter]

No, one of the main reasons why I love supporting my local shop (Mark's Outdoors) is because I love to shop for tackle in person.   I want to pick out the best looking DT10 on the rack.    

[BassKat]

There's no doubt that shopping in person is so much better. Because I do not have the option of a local shop, even my mom and pop orders are by mail. It's not uncommon for me to order a lure and the color be significantly different that it looked in the web pic.

[RRocket]

Not much for local tackle here for bass fishing. And especially not for the JDM stuff I favor. So most of my purchases are online.

 

I think even small retailers can have an e-store for less than $75 a month through companies like Shopify. It may or may not be worth it for some.

[SC53]

We have one of, if not the best, local Central Florida tackle store in Bitters Bait and Tackle about a half hour from me. John Bitters was a tournament angler for decades and his brother Jim competed in BASS including the classic.  I’ve known John for probably 35 years and even fished with his brother in a Redman tournament back in the late 80’s.

He has all the right baits and has his own line of plastics that will rival most companies. Plus the people he has that work there are all bass fisherman (and women) who also tournament fish.  
I go to academy once in a while but not often only because it’s closer.

[Functional]

I have a really nice honey hole here that I buy 90% of my stuff from. He doesnt carry a wide variety of rods or fishing line and a few "higher end" baits I prefer like megabass jerkbaits. Other than that most everything comes from my local shop. Selection puts BP/Cabelas to shame honestly...

[LootyDjibouti]

I try to balance my purchases between both. Our local tackle shop is relatively small. They pack a lot in but they can't possibly compete on price, sales, or inventory. 

I can get rods/reels for 30-40% less online if I'm patient and do some research. 

That said I love going to the tackle shop and physically checking out gear. And I will pay a "premium" at times to support them. 

[rboat]

I would love to shop small local shops and used to all the time, but big chains took over and wiped out most of them and Covid took care of the rest.