Local Shops

[BoatGuy]

I try and support my local shop when possible. I was asking for a few things to prep for the up coming season. He mentioned a lot of tackle he ordered was back-ordered and didn't come in yet.

Anyone else seeing this?

 

[Roccus7]

Tackle, outboard engines and engine parts, PT lumber, you name it, just about everything is backordered. Boat dealers report having sold out their entire 2021 allocation, BUT they haven't received a single shipment yet. Engines originally promised for last fall are now "supposed" to maybe show up in July!!

I have no local tackle shop, so there's no guilt involved in my ordering on-line. I figured COVID was going to put a major hurt on anything coming from Asia, or items dependent on parts/components coming from Asia. Good call on my part when I ordered 4 seasons worth of my favorite lures last fall. They come from China and I cleaned out the online inventory of 2 major tackle companies.

Now I have to lay some Claymores around my stash...

 

[captmike28]

I always take care of my local tackle guy and he, in turn, takes very good care of me. With the volume of bait and ice I purchase each season it is a friendly and mutually beneficial relationship. Plus, I would rather feed him and his family as opposed to the big on line conglomerates or box stores, with few exceptions.. They may be a little cheaper but they can't supply me with the freshest bait or tons of ice at a very low price.

I also try to spread my business around to a couple of local shops. Aside from my main supplier I use a different guy to custom tie my bucktails and teasers, and a third for lead.

Supply wise, last year was crazy for most shops and this year could also be a bit strained too. However, if you have a strong and loyal relationship with one local source that sometimes buys you favors in terms of more rapid delivery, assuming they can obtain the goods themselves.

To be sure a few things will be slow on the delivery side for all of us. I placed my large season starting order 2 weeks ago and will probably stop by this week after removing my shrink wrap. We will see then how much is in stock and what I have to wait. on. Much like Roccus mentioned above, on items I use large volumes of I always buy well in advance. Then when I get really bored over the winter and all the tackle is cleaned and lubed I can keep myself happy in the garage tying rigs.

I don't think I have to start deploying the minefield yet...do I?

 

[captmike28]

I try and support my local shop when possible. I was asking for a few things to prep for the up coming season. He mentioned a lot of tackle he ordered was back-ordered and didn't come in yet.

Anyone else seeing this?

Going back to the question posed earlier about possible shortage and/or delayed deliveries of fishing tackle this season, here is an update based upon my experience from just this afternoon.

I stopped by my local Bait and Tackle guy to pick up my annul spring order and we had a very disturbing conversation. This guy is a long-term fixture on the North Fork and he services virtually all the charter and party boats in the area along with countless recreational anglers. He runs a great business with top quality tackle as well as a huge selection of the freshest bait, ample ice, and always happy to help the less experienced angler catch a few fish by sharing his local knowledge.

There were a few items I had ordered that had not come in and he suggested I might want to make a substitution because one of his main suppliers, Fin Strike, was having a tough time with production. Although he is a 20+ year reliable purchaser from Fin Strike and knows the company owner personally, he was told the spring order he placed last December might not ship until June!

Sadly, the reason behind Fin Strike’s production problem was totally predictable and has been affecting small businesses since the middle of last year. Due to the horrible decisions made by certain politicians lacking the economic knowledge of an elementary school kid, Fin Strike has been having difficulty hiring people to tie hooks and rigs. This is the same problem that has been adversely affecting other businesses like restaurants or small businesses who depend upon a certain percentage of their workforce having only basic skills. When some of our country’s leaders decided it was a good idea to pay people as much or even more than their normal wages in a combination of unemployment benefits and Pandemic assistance, many folks just simply decided to stay home!

To add insult to injury the other nasty trend we are observing is the decided preference being shown to large corporations to the detriment of the small businessman. Despite my B&T guys decades long relationship and always keeping his account current with Fin Strike, he is also being told that his delivery schedule is being impacted by the needs of the big guys like Cabela’s and Dick Sporting Goods.

I really hate getting political on this site but when our shared love of fishing is being directly threatened, as well as many people’s livelihoods, it is hard not to react. IMHO as fisherman we all need to think long and hard about what companies and businesses we choose to support with our dollars and who we pull the lever for come the next election cycle.

Capt. Mike