Shopping for Tackle

I'm a sucker for the independently-owned tackle store. Large or small, rustic or fancy, one step above a bait camp or a high-end fly shop–it doesn't matter as long as it's not a big chain. Don't get me wrong, the big chain stores have their place and I'll shop them if I need to, but it doesn't have the same feel as walking into a specialty shop where there's a real good chance the owner is walking the sales floor or manning the counter.

This likely stems from my time as a teenager working for the old Marburger's Sporting Goods store in Pasadena. My mom had been out Christmas shopping for me and my dad. When she came home she told me she had found a perfect place for me to work. She took me over there a few days later and I still remember walking in for the first time. My tackle shopping to that point had been slipping away to the sporting goods aisles of K-Mart or Sage while she was shopping. Walking into Marburger's was like sensory overload. Glass counters full of reels, racks with all kinds of rods and more lures than I'd ever seen in one place. Then there was all the hunting gear. Man, I was in heaven.

David Marburger hired me and I spent quite a few happy years working in that store. I even went back to help out with special sales after I had gotten on with the police department. I hadn't known it before then, but the Houston area had a number of other similar shops. Once I had wheels I started visiting all of them. Sporting Goods Inc, Pine Plaza, McDowell's and Cut Rate all got a portion of my paycheck from time to time. There were many others that came and went over the years. Unfortunately most of these simply couldn't compete with the big chains.

Even though I now own enough tackle to probably last the rest of my life, I'm still drawn to visit the local tackle shop wherever I travel. You just can't beat the knowledge available in these places when trying to get the pulse of the local fishing scene. The people working there are typically just as eat-up with fishing as I was back in my Marburger's days. While they probably won't put you on their favorite secret spot, most will gladly offer up tips and hints to at least get you in the ballpark and clued in to what's happening. And every so often I end up really connecting with someone. One such connection in a small fly shop led to a hand drawn map to a spot well off the beaten path in the mountains of Utah where I had an epic session of sight-casting dry flies to hungry trout. I would have never come remotely close to finding this place on my own.

The Texas coast is blessed to still have a number of these well-stocked independently-owned shops. Daley's, Marburger's, Baad Marine, Hookspit, David's Tackle Box and Fishing Tackle Unlimited have the upper coast covered. The middle coast has Port O'Connor Rod & Gun, Victoria All-Sports and Tackle Box. A little further south you'll find Rockport Tackle Town, Port A Outfitters and Roy's Bait & Tackle. At the far southern end you've got Hook-Line & Sinker.

If you're a fly guy, some of these shops such as Fishing Tackle Unlimited and Roy's have full-on fly shops within their stores. Then there are the specialty fly shops like the new Bayou City Angler in Houston, Swan Point Landing in Rockport and The Shop in Port Isabel. I hesitated to start naming shops because I know I'll miss somebody and get a nasty email, but I wanted to spur you on to look around and explore as you travel.

Houston area anglers are particularly lucky. Fishing Tackle Unlimited has three locations totaling over 100,000 square feet of pretty much anything you'd want in the way of fishing. Any of the three would qualify as the largest independent tackle stores in the world on their own. As a trio they've got you covered from crappie to blue marlin. Kayaks, trolling motors, rod and reel repair, aisle after aisle of lures, specialty clothing, sunglasses, shoes–you name it. A friend recently visited the newly-opened location in Sugar Land and was so blown away with the number of rods on display that he started counting them. He quit at 3,000. These stores are truly unique and well worth a visit.

Becoming a regular customer at your hometown shop or perhaps the one at your favorite fishing destination can have benefits beyond tips on spots, tackle and other gear. The folks in these shops are clued in to other related businesses as well. I've gotten some excellent referrals to trustworthy boat repair shops, guides, hotels and even the best places to eat. Another bonus is getting a little extra help if you ever have a problem with your gear. Independent shops depend on repeat business and know that providing personalized customer service is where they can outperform the big boxes.

In a world of cheap internet deals and sterile box stores, the independent tackle shop is a true treasure in my eyes. I urge you to support them. The people who own these businesses and those that work in them are just as passionate about our sport as we are and it would be a shame to see them disappear.