Support your local shops!!

[Mikey topaz]

Originally Posted by RWole

I agree with supporting local shops and we have seen quite a bit of shops close
over the years. With that said the shops need to help themselves as well, a good way to do this is to be OPEN !
Some of the shops that have closed were opening 7:00 , 8:00 am, well most fishermen are on the water earlier than that so its lost business.
Dows was mentioned and they are still open but they are also open long hours which accommodates fishermen, plus they are well stocked and prices are not greatly higher than the box stores.
I recently went to a local shop for 2 particular lures and they were $2.50 higher for each lure.

I’ll be honest with you, my experience working at some shops. Really is a handful of early birds each morning which adds up to nothing or very little in bait sales. There’s a lot behind the scenes anglers don’t know, bait and boat in netcong supplied the whole upper half of the state amd delivered bait at no charge. They closed and now these small shops are forced to look elsewhere and drive and figure out how to transport the bait at their cost now. It’s been a struggle with a bunch of shops. The money is made with rod and reels and not every angler is buying a new rod and reel every trip so they make up for it with the good customer service and terminal tackle. If we don’t support them now when they need it the most, it’s gonna get interesting and everyone will have to catch their own bait I think,

[RWole]

Its definitely not an easy way to earn a living but if your not open to draw the early birds in it can be lost future sales. Example deli without lottery, not much made on lottery tickets but the bread, milk etc. makes the money.
I do not know what the solution or answer is, is sad that all of these shops have closed. Bait and Boat was another long time favorite gone this year.

[AndyS]

Murphy's, Grumpy's and Betty and Nicks (just to name a few) all seem to be doing well down here at the shore !

[Chrisper4694]

Couldn’t agree more but it’s tough… i don’t use live bait except diring the ice fishing season and i try to go into these places and buy the lures and stuff i use…. They very often don’t have the right stuff. I’ll try to let them know what’s working and hope they start carrying it and i’ll try to buy similar stuff or new stuff to try but idk, it’s just not looking good. I try to go out of my way during the open water season to support a little knowing that i’ll really need them come winter, but idk… Hopefully more people start supporting them soon.

[Esox Luciano]

The ones I hit for different things I need are good too. Locally it's Totowa Bait & Tackle @10 Albion Ave Paterson. On to Tackle & Field @81 Ringwood Ave in Wanaque. I'll often get some stuff & good intel from Garden State Bow & Reel on rte23 in Stockholm. And also some things from Ramsey outdoor and Jigging world on rte 17. West Marine has 1 aisle of tackle if you're stopping there for boat or kayak stuff, also down rte 17.

[huntcountypussbuck]

i don't fish much but I do go to sporting life . nice folks there. i think they will leave bait out for you if prepaid but can't say for sure.