Your local tackle store

[Skunked in DR]

I have 4 mom & pop type stores within a 30 minute drive, each has its advantages.  2 are run by tournament bass anglers and cater to that market, mostly high end stuff and lots of good conversation and tips.  The other sells a mind blowing selection of musky gear and the final one is the only place that carries rage tail anacondas and also happens to have really good shore fishing about 2 minutes away.

We also have a small chain store in town, which I will visit to pick up some items but the customer service is terrible so I limit my purchases.

I would say 80% of my tackle dollars goes to these local shops, 15% to on-line used gear sales and 5% or less to on line retailers.

[tholmes]

My local "tackle shop" is non-existent.

The only place in town that sells any tackle at all is Wal-Mart. There's a Gander Mountain 125 miles away, and Cabela's and BPS in the Kansas City area, about 3 hrs. away.

Tom

[farmpond1]

Sad to say, just Dicks.  Nearly every place else (Bass Pro Shops, Cabelas and Gander Mountain) are equally spaced around 2 to 2.5 hours away.  Ironically, sometimes I go to Meijers for some things.  They have a decent selection and while they are more expensive, I don't have to pay shipping and handling.

[zero limit]

farmpond and tholmes

you guys should think about opening your own shops

[farmpond1]

farmpond and tholmes

you guys should think about opening your own shops

Sadly, the only thing we have less of than sporting goods stores, is sporting opportunities.  Hence, why there are so few.  I exaggerate a bit but not a lot. 

[Triton21]

My local "tackle shop" is non-existent.

Tom

Same here Tom. 

[brownbass]

There are two mom and pop tackle stores within 20 minutes ans two tackle shops that have a showroom and also sell online; Northern Bass Supply & Tournament Force Tackle which i usually take a trip to at least once a year even thou they are 1 1/2 hours to 2 1/2 hours away because their selection is really big.

I will always try to give my business to the mom & pop tackle stores first as they ''are fishermen'' and can give you local knoweledge and also know the products they sell.They also will special order for their customers (most small shops will if you ask them)these owners aren't there to get rich as markups on lures are minimal at best,Electronics have almost no markups,and the high markup items are terminal tackle.

The problem with box stores is that their employees more often than not aren't knoweledgeable about the products being sold and may not even fish.Their selection is either not very good,on pegs in the wrong places,not priced,don't carry the right colors,the product doesn't get restocked,they move the product all around to make you search for it so you will buy other items while you are looking for it,you either can't find anyone to help you or when you do they don't have a clue what you are talking about.So box /chain stores get my business last!

[JigMe]

I like going to my local tackle shop because it is ran by a retired pro sportsman. He had shared many interesting story with me and few fishing locations. So I am giving my business to him. His price for tackles are bit higher than bass pro shops, but friendship is priceless.

[SoFlaBassAddict]

I wish we had a real bait & tackle shop in my area that dealt primarily with bass fishing.  Down here in South Florida most bait shops specialize in saltwater fishing understandably so.  Usually they have a VERY limited freshwater selection in them.  I can get mostly everything I need at Bass Pro, but theres the relationships you develop in the smaller stores.  I've got a great relationship with my bait guy when I go out on the boat to do some offshore fishing.  Asking a question in Bass Pro down here will generally get you some kind of BS answer from most of the employees.

That being said, if any of you know of a good smaller shop in Broward county (southwest broward preferably) feel free to let me in on the secret.

[eastkybass]

Mine is Borders Sporting Goods.  The guy who runs the fishing dept.  is in my local club.  They also have a good selection keep everything pretty even with ordering online plus can get me most of the stuff I want if they don't have it in the store.

[MaineBassMan]

We don't have any tackle stores in my area that sells anything good when it comes to bass tackle. The stores around here only supply the worm dunking/fly fishing trout and salmon fishermen and they don't have a clue on good bass tackle. So I do all of my shopping online.

There are people around here that still consider bass a trash fish and they think that it doesn't take any skill to catch them.  Then I've also been told that a 2lbs brook trout fights better than a 2lbs bass. ;D

[Triton_Mike]

Gene introduced me to Ron.  Good guy..  Very nice shop.  One of my other favorites is Hammonds in Cumming, GA and Natures Tackle Box in Hiram, GA.  Christie at Natures has awsome service! 

Hammonds is probably the biggest and best tackle shop in the South (atleast that I know of).  They are fixing to open up a new super store next week.

Mike

I've got two favorite tackle stores that I visit as much as possible. One is 120 miles West of me and the other is 230 miles NE of me. They are both family owned Ma and Pa stores that cater to tournament bass fishermen. If you can't find it at these two places they don't make it.

R&L tackle in Covington Georgia is my favorite. It's a small shop with everything you need including a few chairs to sit and shoot the bull for hours. Ron is also the best Reel Repair guy I know.

Aberdeen Bait and Tackle in Aberdeen North Carolina is a place that people go to find the old stuff, the discontinued stuff, the special runs, and newest stuff. It's wall to wall, ceiling to floor tackle.

[OH-bass614]

buckeye outdoors...its about a 45 min drive but the only place around me that has a good selection of higher end stuff, rods and reels and its like a mini bass pro but the people who work there act more like the people at a local bait shop.

[WoolleyBass]

I love having a shop only 3 minutes away from my house. They have great inventory and they are allways nice. The only bad thing is their prices. The prices are a couple bucks more than the same item at my nearest sportsmans warehouse. That's the only problem i have with mine. Roby

[opie]

The local shops end up being cheaper since my wife sometimes sees the boxes from T.W. before I can hide them, which results in a trip to the mall for her.

[Goose52]

WalMart primarily - pretty good prices on some of their plastics and hard baits. There is one mom & pop shop in town - called "Mom's Tackle" - nice folks with local fishing experience but limited selection. Otherwise - I get most of my stuff on-line.

.....I had to laugh when I read Fourbizz's comments on the store owned by condescending saltwater guys. That describes just about every saltwater tackle store on the coast here.

When I lived in SoCal, I was in a shop getting some line put on a freshwater reel - a guy gave me the curled lip and said something about the little freshwater fish and that he was a "big game" fisherman... so I said, "oh, so you must use a harpoon then....." Curled lip went down and he walked away. Guess you had to have been there.... The saltwater guys DO catch big fish though....

[bassman36]

i live in jersey and there are not many shops around me. I have to drive two Hours to the closest BPS just to get to a Nice store. i wish there was a closer one

[trevor]

AKE MARINE!!!

HARBOR TACKLE!!!

SUNSET MARINA!!!

Dont you DARE shop at all-Tackle!   >

[lk ozark]

Bullseye Bait & tackle in O'Fallon MO. West of St. Charles where there is a B.P.S. Just off of I-70. Great selection, great reel repair. 

[A-Rob]

I like the advice from the local pro about the hot spots/techniques/lures thats going on OUR lake.

I would even spend an extra dollar or 2 on line or whatever to help support his local business.

Backwater Tackle

[grimlin]

I love my local mom and pop's store.An old guy owns the place and smokes his cigar in the shop.I love the old smell every time i walk in. It's in Belleville MI. right by 5 point street.

They have the rare selection of river2sea lures,every imaginable beaver baits,and some rare selection of tubes and colors you can't get anywhere else.They even carry most lucky craft selections from topwater to spinnerbaits.

They are a very,very popular spot when tournaments are going on during the early spring through early fall.

Only thing that keeps me from going there all the time is the prices.They are a dollar more than anywhere else.I guess if i need something bad enough before i hit the lake that's the spot I'll stop at.

[midnighthrasher]

There are a couple decent stores around me and they have ok stuff. But ... their prices SUCK!!! The majority of canadian stores sell for alot more than in the USA. Even when our dollars in even or close to it the prices are generally 30%-50% more expensive. I have talked to the manager of the biggest store and he says its the suppliers that roast them so they have no choice. That has left me no choice but to buy everything from ***.com. I buy everything local and try to support my community but i refuse to pay 11.99 for a pack of senkos when i can get them off *** shipped to my house in 2 days for 5.97. Some thing are worse than that too!!!

[RobbyZ5001]

I love my local mom and pop's store.An old guy owns the place and smokes his cigar in the shop.I love the old smell every time i walk in.

I find that very interesting that he smokes cigars in the store. That smell to many people is very unpleasant. I also like the smell, but I find it very odd that an owner does it in their shop.

[grimlin]

I love my local mom and pop's store.An old guy owns the place and smokes his cigar in the shop.I love the old smell every time i walk in.

I find that very interesting that he smokes cigars in the store. That smell to many people is very unpleasant. I also like the smell, but I find it very odd that an owner does it in their shop.

Indeed,Haven't found another place anywhere close to what that place is.It's just a very laid back,cool little tackle shop.

[NHfroggin]

My local tackle shop is great, Northern Bass Supply, they have all the new lures, rods, reels, good prices, and friendly staff. There also the biggest Lucky Craft Dealer in the USA so its always buy 3 get the fourth free in the store.

-matt-