Tackle shops...

[Ray Roberts]

They have the name of a top end rod manufacturer, one that I'm not keen on, they look pretty though...

Have you fished with them? I have four, two barbel, one jerk bait, a 2.5lb tc carp rod that I mainly use for floaters or flood water and a 13ft float road and I’m quite happy with them.

 

[markcw]

That's good to hear. I've watched his video's since his Shakespeare days, and he's clearly a versatile angler with super skills. You hear nothing but good things about their tackle range. Rick from Octbox is another such - he seems to always be on duty.

Funny you should mention Free Spirit. I was looking for and failing to find an email contact yesterday. I have one of their very expensive (think rod prices) 4m net handles, and the top section detached in use yet again on Saturday, costing me a good fish while I f'ed about trying to connect the two sections in my hand with the bit with the net on which was threatening to sink out of sight into the Derwent. I don't expect any redress - I bought it a couple of years ago - but I'd like to convey my feedback. Oops - there goes my chance of selling it on here.

I phoned Rick up a couple of years ago . I wanted a strap for one of my AS1 boxes , I gave him the length of what I needed . He measured one up that was on a box there and then . Ordered me one from Germany and I got it within a week . I got brilliant service ,and it was if I wanted a top end seatbox . I posted a revue on a couple of angling forums .

 

[Alan Whitty]

Have you fished with them? I have four, two barbel, one jerk bait, a 2.5lb tc carp rod that I mainly use for floaters or flood water and a 13ft float road and I’m quite happy with them.

No, because they don't do a try with a view to buy system, so I have to give em a wiggle, put a line through them in a shop and come to an opinion, they aren't the rod for me, but as we all know, everybody has they're own personal preferences on all tackle, what others choose to use is fine, as I am not naive enough to believe that I couldn't have caught most of my big barbel on A Darent Valley 1.5-1.75lb tc that cost peanuts, I just enjoy fishing with what I consider the best for the job, as no doubt you do Ray, paying for and using free spirit rods, I know lots of good anglers who use them, so I know they are more than OK....

 

[Ray Roberts]

No, because they don't do a try with a view to buy system, so I have to give em a wiggle, put a line through them in a shop and come to an opinion, they aren't the rod for me, but as we all know, everybody has they're own personal preferences on all tackle, what others choose to use is fine, as I am not naive enough to believe that I couldn't have caught most of my big barbel on A Darent Valley 1.5-1.75lb tc that cost peanuts, I just enjoy fishing with what I consider the best for the job, as no doubt you do Ray, paying for and using free spirit rods, I know lots of good anglers who use them, so I know they are more than OK....

I don’t quite get that, you can go in any tackle shop that is a stockist and ask to do that. They are, I would imagine, just as easily obtainable as any other rod to try. Funny that you should mention Darent Vally rods, the Tackle Box in Dartford have a comprehensive range of FreeSpirit rods and Darenth Valley are their own brand.

 

[Alan Whitty]

Most tackle shops don't sell Free Sprit rods, in fact I would probably have to drive 20 miles plus to reach a stockist, but those do not hold the entire range, in fact no shop I know holds entire ranges of any manufacture anywhere near to me... the Tackle Box is an exceptional tackle shop these days, we used to have three of that class in Luton years ago, now none.... in fact it is difficult to guarantee what I class as a decent rod to be available to buy, let alone have a waggle....
No doubt Hugh will post that Johnson Ross has a comprehensive range, but that is more than twenty miles from me...

 

[Ray Roberts]

Most tackle shops don't sell Free Sprit rods, in fact I would probably have to drive 20 miles plus to reach a stockist, but those do not hold the entire range, in fact no shop I know holds entire ranges of any manufacture anywhere near to me... the Tackle Box is an exceptional tackle shop these days, we used to have three of that class in Luton years ago, now none.... in fact it is difficult to guarantee what I class as a decent rod to be available to buy, let alone have a waggle....
No doubt Hugh will post that Johnson Ross has a comprehensive range, but that is more than twenty miles from me...

To be honest I’ve never, as far as I can remember, ever bought an expensive rod without having held it first. I did buy a fairly cheap light lure rod from Ali Express at the start of lockdown and by luck it was a gem. I mentioned The Tackle Box as it’s my go to shop. I haven’t seen any Harrison Rods in there so I can see where you’re coming from with availability.

 

[Alan Whitty]

That's how it is today Ray, in days of yore I could have walked into Leslie's and seen virtually every rod worth seeing on the market, before that Alan Brown's, these days I can't think of one that would hold all varieties and manufacturers that might be of interest...

 

[nottskev]

There is another way to see rods and possibly have a go with them - but it was a lot easier when more or less everyone was fishing the same rivers, canals, stills - and that's when other anglers are fishing with them. The first times I saw and even had a go with these rods were on the bank: Bruce and Walker Flyer. Shakespeare Match International. Daimaru whatever they were. Shakespeare President. Harrison Canal Special. Shimano XXX. fothergill and Harvey (Tricast) 10m pole. Daiwas Pro Carbon pole. Shimano poles ........ Within the last couple of years, I've swapped rods for a couple of hours with owners of Free Spirit barbel rods and Acolyte float rods. I get the point about ts's, but often I've seen new-to-me gear on the bank.

 

[@Clive]

No chance of trying before you buy where I live. The large tackle chain don't stock the Shimano or Greys float or feeder rods that I favour, let alone Drennan, Free Spirit, etc. Maver and Garbolino are the main brands along with their in-house products. I can waggle lure rod, but float & feeder rods are online only in the brands that I would consider.

 

[The bad one]

Talking to my nephew over the weekend who lives around the corner from Tight Lines Shaw Oldham, told me it is closed down at the moment. The guy who owns it has had an operation and it's very unclear whether it will open again when he's better. The guy is over retirement age and openly says he runs it as a hobby than a main business as his trade is an Electrician.
It may be a "hobby" but he knows his stuff around general/match angling and it well stocked and sells good quality maggot.
With the exception of a shop in Rochdale it the last tackle shop in the East of Gt Manchester. It will be a great loss to many anglers in the East of Gt M/C.

 

[Alan Whitty]

As Kev says, yes, I've asked a guy on the bank of the small stream some of us fish for a feel of his Free Spirit barbel rod, then seen the action whilst he is playing one, that rod was nice, but I have good barbel rods, however, guys have said to me before about Free Spirit float rods(supposedly better than Normarks), but I waggled one on the bank, didn't like the feel of it, then saw the guy playing a couple of fish and didn't like the action either, people tell me the qualities of the Acolyte plus, well they're not for me, we are luckily all different... the big issue is there aren't many guys floatfishing, then on top of that lots aren't that good at it, so it might be difficult to use their data in what is good or bad, when a guy like Alex(silvers) says he likes Cadence float rods, I would listen and want to have a look, because I know him of old(I owned one before i knew he had them)....

 

[John Aston]

I might miss the old school shop but it is mainly out of nostalgia - that warm fug of Embassy tipped , groundbait and maggots and the animated conversations about t'big match this weekend . I forget the limited stock, the age it would take for an order to arrive and the fact that some felt like country pubs , but in a bad way . You walk in to find a bunch of blokes at the counter , who glare at you before returning to their chat with the owner of 'their' shop.

Latterly, I've found tackle supermarket places like the recently demised Bobco much better - impersonal , but two floors of kit to explore .

And the service I've had from some small online firms is just fantastic. Instant response to queries , orders sent the same day and wonderful selection of stuff. No physical shop , so location irrelevant and much lower overheads. AGM Lures are an outstanding example of this type of store .

When I retired in 2012 I treated myself to some kit from my then local shop - nice people , who I wanted to support so I was happy to pay a bit more than online . Happy to wait a little too - but when stuff still hadn't arrived , week after week after week after 'd I ordered it I wondered why I had bothered.

 

[nottskev]

As I've posted before, I've always preferred the traditional ts to the national chains. I like the personal treatment, the way they provide a hub of local fishing information, tackle servicing and repair, solutions to problems, wide bait options, bail you out of difficulties .... I enjoy, in short, how they provide more than a shopping transaction. The ones I use manage to combine social connection to regulars with the best attention and advice to all their customers. I think the country pub stuff - you're not from round here, are you? (spit tobacco juice) - is over-stated and may have regional rather than national relevance. To be honest, it only reminds me of when I lived on the edge of north-east Lancashire and found the League of Gentlemen's Royston Vasey experience (this is a local shop for local people) was more likely to occur when I crossed the border.

 

[silvers]

As someone who relies on maggot based baits (caster, maggot, pinkie, squatts) I’m rather keener on LTS. Having said that I’ve not tried the likes of “willys worms“ or “angling bait conmpany”.
squatts are almost impossible to source these days, and tiny when they are in stock

 

[Alan Whitty]

Unfortunately willy's worms maggots are poor fare compared to what was our normal bait, and bloody dear to boot...

 

[@Clive]

I have two shops that sell reasonably priced maggots. Both 45 minutes away, though one is on route to the River Charente. As such I freeze any leftovers and use them on the local waters instead of going to the shop for fresh bait. Sometimes I'll buy twice as much as I think that I'll need and freeze the surplus. I've got several zip lock bags each with around a pint of maggots or casters ready to use.

 

[John Aston]

As I've posted before, I've always preferred the traditional ts to the national chains. I like the personal treatment, the way they provide a hub of local fishing information, tackle servicing and repair, solutions to problems, wide bait options, bail you out of difficulties .... I enjoy, in short, how they provide more than a shopping transaction. The ones I use manage to combine social connection to regulars with the best attention and advice to all their customers. I think the country pub stuff - you're not from round here, are you? (spit tobacco juice) - is over-stated and may have regional rather than national relevance. To be honest, it only reminds me of when I lived on the edge of north-east Lancashire and found the League of Gentlemen's Royston Vasey experience (this is a local shop for local people) was more likely to occur when I crossed the border.

I dare say you are right . My main experience is West and North Yorkshire , Teesside and , for a few years , Lincolnshire. I've only experienced the ' "you're not from round here " mentality in tackle shops and pubs in the North Yorkshire area and further north , and it's by no means universal .But although West Yorkshire folk are usually very welcoming and friendly , some of the knuckle dragging hillbillies in North Yorkshire are the most hostile folk I've ever met . It's a minority , I hasten to add, but for sheer rudeness, hostility to outsiders and belligerence you can't beat 'em .

 

[@Clive]

Where I used to live what passed as the tackle shop was run by three people, none of whom were coarse anglers. One was horsey, one was into shooting and the other offshore sea angling. Two retired leaving the shooting man who moved to another premise, but still had no idea of the tackle side of things. We had to get the train to Sheffield to find proper tackle shops.

A second local shop opened by the England team manager was very much a clique and naturaly focussed on match gear. By then I had branched out into other types of fishing, mainly the Wharfe for chub and barbel. Latterly one of those souless places opened in an old cinema. It was full of security measures and everything came in plastic packets.

In nearby Wakefield there was a shop run by a respected local angler and that is where I used to go until he died and his clueless son-in-law took over.

 

[mikench]

I have already said that my local ts was taken over by AD several years ago but the staff remained initially . It’s changed now but the manager and a few others know me and treat me and other customers well and on a first come first served basis. They have helped with a broken tip , a broken chair and a faulty reel none of which were purchased from AD. My only recollection of partisan hostility was at a grocers in Abersoch many years ago. On entering the shop the owner and several customers switched from chatting in English to Welsh and I was ignored. After filling my basket with groceries I queued for bacon and ham and was ignored with customers who were after me being served. I put my basket down in the middle of the shop, expressed my displeasure pointing out that I didn’t need to buy anything from the shop and could bring it all from home or go to the large Tesco in Pwllheli . I then walked out and drove to Tesco. A few days later the shop owner recognised my car, stopped me and apologised profusely for his behaviour. I agreed to let bygones be bygones and he was polite for years afterwards. But for caravaners etc none of the shops nor the local garage would have survived. This was in the day of the old adage “ come home to a real fire- buy a cottage in Wales.”

 

[markcw]

Unfortunately willy's worms maggots are poor fare compared to what was our normal bait, and bloody dear to boot...

Try catchy bait , it's a maggot firm run match anglers . They will post .