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Local Tackle Shops


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I'm reading some of the WallyWorld vs. Dicks posts and I have to really agree. I think these megamonsters are putting our local tackle shops out of bidness. Now these are places where you can go, not only to purchase your favorite rigs, but to get a good "fish story" (lots of those...), good tips and meet some new fishin buddies. Not to mention the usually great product support you get from these places. The superstores don't have this kind of friendly down home environment.

A couple of places that come to mind around me are The Minnow Pond II in SE Roanoke and Always Outdoors in Salem. Any of the other locals know of any more shops here around town?

What do the rest of you think about your local tackle shops?

(Isn't Tackle and Bait Shop and old Indian work for "house of tall tales"?)

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around these parts you can go into wal-mart and ask for a particular lure and not one person working in outdoors seems to have a clue what you are talking about. but i totally agree with you on the mom and pop outdoor stores,

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Yomonk, where is the minnow pond ii?  The original minnow pond was on Jamison and 12th but it's been closed.  I've never tried out Always outdoors in Salem but since my dojo is in Salem I'll swing in there before class on monday evening.  A lot of the small shops out around the lake are just way too expensive to justify shopping there unless it's one of those "already on the lake and gotta have this particular lure" things.

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Catnip, the "minner" Pond II is down the road I think Jamison (Bullitt) and 9th now, next to Hardee's. He's getting ready to close shop in a year or so I think. Too bad...

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catnip,you have a private message.

Tackle is limited around Roanoke for sure.Dicks has been getting in different lines of stuff lately and has put Wal Mart off my tackle shopping list altogether.Melvin at the Minnow Pond has just about anything you need but of course he is high......$8.19 for a Rapala DT-4???I don't understand???

He's a good ole dude,been dealing with him since he started down on Hardy Rd. but d**n his prices are going thru the roof lately.But he also knows that when you need a couple more of those lucky crankbaits you been whippin 'em with,you will pay that extra money to have them.

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Oh yeah,I forgot to mention that if you are ever in Christiansburg you should check out the Shelor Outdoor Motor Mile....they have everything a serious fisherman needs and the prices arent really all that bad.They have Zoom,Berkley,Yamamoto,Yum,Cabin Creek,Lunker Lure jigs,War Eagle spinnerbaits,Rapala,Norman,Kistler rods,American Rodsmiths,Thunder shad's etc......I just scratched the surface,their inventory and selection is awesome.Its worth the 35 minute drive.

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If you want to know what is the hottest selling item; what the pros are using; and get individual service with a smile, go to a small tackle shop.  If you want to select your items by yourself with no help and know what you are looking for, go to Wal-Mart or Bass Pro Shops.  Of course, Bass Pro shops top Wal-Mart in knowledge, class of clerks and items to select among.  In the Richmond, VA area we have Castaways on Route 1.  The pros hang out at this tackle shop; the service is excellent since everyone is a bass fisherman; there is the most complete collection of Zoom products; and the people are a class above all other tackle and bait shops. :)

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SHELOR Outdoors,just down the road from the big car lots,go under the bridge and it's on the right up on the hill (old Hill's building).....check 'em out,you won't leave empty handed,I guarantee it!

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Our local shops (what's left of them) are of no use to me. Their selection is so pitiful it's a joke, and prices on what little they have are out of sight.

It doesn't bother me as much as it bothers others. It's part of the evolution of society. Corner drugstores are gone, as are mom-and-pop grocery stores, family hardware stores and so many other types of business.

It's nice to romanticize about the old tackle shop fisherman-owner who could tell you where to fish and what to use, but those days are gone forever, at least around here.

When I started fishing 35 years ago, the leading shop in town was a beehive of activity, with huge selection and great prices. Today you can't even find a pack of Power Worms or Super Flukes in there, or a pack of EWG hooks, not to mention a decent rod or reel. It appears that they subsist on bait sales.

Of course, when I started out, Cabela's was just getting started, there was no Bass pro Shops, Wal-mart, Dick's, Gander, or whatever. Quite a change, to say the least.

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I pass by the outdoor motor mile five days a week on my way back from Princeton (I'm a local truck driver) to Roanoke.  I've seen a few of the boats they have sitting in the back lot.  I know that their lot is big enough for me to get my truck into so guess who'll be stopping there for his lunch break this week. ;D

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I may pick up something at Wal-Mart everyonce in a while. But for the most part I try to patranize the smaller guys. And for the most part these local shops try to be as competative as posible. Often some of their prices are even lower. Hard to sell items I don't mind paying a little more for. I just keep getting the feeling that the more smaller shops that close the less the larger guys carry. I feel like they try to dictate what I am going to fish with. Once the compitition is squashed they inhance their profit margin by reduceing their stock. Maybe I am just being nestalgic and I'll pay a little extra for that service.

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Marty sounds like you try to shop at Rochester Hollow Grinder.If you tavel west at all try Captains Cove Resort Bait & Tackle at Point Breeze. One trick I use is when I find something I want at the larger stores or in catologs ask the smaller shops to order them for you most have suppliers that can get for you quickly.

                              Good  Luck!

                                       Sinker48 :)

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we got a bait shop on 501 goin towards roxboro, but i haven't been there in about a year or so... somewhat of a good selection of tackle. when it comes to terminal tackle, though, nobody beats them... not even dicks.  but i don't even know what they have now... maybe you can help me out bassin4life... i know you go up there a lot.

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Marty sounds like you try to shop at Rochester Hollow Grinder.If you tavel west at all try Captains Cove Resort Bait & Tackle at Point Breeze. One trick I use is when I find something I want at the larger stores or in catologs ask the smaller shops to order them for you most have suppliers that can get for you quickly.

                              Good  Luck!

                                       Sinker48 :)

Sinker, I never get out to Point Breeze; used to go out there when I was a birder and photographer, but never for fishing.

I've had a few repairs done at Hollow Grinder, but they never had anything that interested me. Are they still in business? The store that I was talking about that's gone down the drain over 35 years is Jay-Ve.

I think B-E in Ontario might still be a decent store, although their prices are a lot higher than they used to be. I haven't been there in 7 or 8 years; it's a 40-mile round trip and just not worth it.

If Dick's and Gander don't have what I need, I mail order.

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