With the growing proliferation of large retail outlets selling fishing tackle and related gear, one thing that is in danger of falling on the Florida Endangered Species list is the good ‘ole local hometown tackle shop. I’ll be the first to admit I’ve found myself falling into the habit of picking up a few lures while making a trip to the local department store, and even though I may find that lure I need or that new fishing line I wanted to put on my reel, there is one thing that I’ve never been able to find and bring home, inspiration.
This became strikingly clear to me recently while making a stop at New Smyrna Outfitters in New Smyrna Beach to pick up a registration form for a fishing tournament they were hosting. It was a cold, raining, miserable day. The kind of day where even the most hardcore of anglers keep the boat in the garage and do what they do best while not chasing fish on the water, tell fishing stories. Scott Tripp, the store’s owner had a cancellation for a fishing charter he had scheduled for the day, and was in the store to answer questions, help customers and just talk about what he loved to do, fish.
I’m always curious about what’s going on out on the water, especially when work schedules have kept me behind the desk or on the phone, and I was quick to strike up a conversation with Scott and talk about the things they had going on at the shop. Talk about the upcoming tournament lead to talks about new products coming out. Conversations about a new rod lead to discussions about good days on the water and memorable fishing excursions. Plans for big summer tarpon and chasing schools of jacks off the beach lead to talking about new lures that looked to be a sure thing when it came time to throw something at big fish this spring.
I walked out of the shop with a whole new attitude and outlook. I was inspired, I was excited, and most importantly, I was ready to fish. The dreary winter weather was quickly becoming a distant thought in the back of my mind as I started thinking about the exciting fishing that was waiting for me in the spring. I was feeling that indescribable feeling that all anglers feel before a big fishing trip, the emotions that make sleeping difficult and the alarm clock going off before the rooster crows a welcome surprise. I wanted to fish.
I started thinking back to how things used to be, before the big box stores and impersonal tackle purchase experiences that have become the norm in today’s society. I remember going to the bait store with my parents and grandparents as a young boy. What often started out as a quick trip to pick up a few supplies often turned into an opportunity to tell stories, marvel at all of the colorful lures on the shelves and ask the always important question, “What’s biting today?” Whether it was a store we had visited a hundred times, or a place we were visiting for the first time while on vacation in unfamiliar waters, the staff behind the counter were always ready and willing to help a fellow angler have a great day on the water.
When it comes to finding out what’s biting in a new area, the local tackle shop is an indispensable resource. I remember taking my family down to the Keys a few years ago for a vacation. The plan was to spend some time in the sun, introduce our son to snorkeling and spend a few days fishing. While I had visions of chasing monster bonefish on the flats and pulling up yellowtail snapper off the reef until our arms were sore, the weather had different plans.
Before heading down I had asked around a bit for some recommendations for tackle shops in the area, and a couple of friends had recommended stopping in at Conchy Joe’s in Key West. After a breezy day visiting the typical tourist sites around downtown Key West, we stopped in at Conchy Joe’s and talked to Rob Harris, the store’s owner. After admiring all of the cool things they had in the shop, trading stories and eventually asking the inevitable “What’s biting?” Rob pointed me in the direction of some willing mangrove snappers in a wind protected area that would give us the opportunity to catch some fish. While it wasn’t exactly the trophy tarpon and bonefish I had in mind, we had a great time and the smiles on my son’s face each time he pulled up a snapper bigger than the one before said it all.
This is the way fishing used to be. The local tackle shop was the original social networking site. It was the place anglers told stories. It was the place to connect with old friends and meet new ones. It was the place to ask that age old question, “What’s biting?”, and get an answer.
While it’s certainly convenient to be able to pick up a fishing lure, a package of light bulbs and a DVD copy of that movie you’ve seen 100 hundred times in one fell swoop, it’s encouraging to know there are still local tackle shops out there where you go in for your favorite lure, and walk out inspired.