Tesco selling tackle

[Andrew Turton]

I was talking to my local tackle shop owner today and he was telling me that Tesco will be selling leeda tackle. Only Rods and larger items, not terminal tackle and bits and bobs. My question is, should this be boycotted by all anglers in support of the small shop owner, or would you go for a cheap buy.... Discuss!

 

[Ged]

Had a simular conversation in my local tackle shop this morning. First Lidles, now Tescos next Asda.
It will be bought by unsuspecting mums and dads for the youngsters in kit form. porbably put the kids off when not catching on size 2 hooks and 20lb sea line.

 

[The Monk]

You can buy tackle both on the continent and in the USA from supermarkets, indeed the Walmarts in the US you can equip yourself with everything, including a gun, stuffed bear and a canue along with a tub of marge, no amount of boycotting will prevent it unfortunately.

We are controlled by big business, the little man is on his way out, thats how capitalism works, it has little regard for the individual, only making money at all costs.

 

[Andrew Turton]

It is a sad truth that big business works this way, but with this we lose not only the small shop owner but his knowledge and in my experience the time he will usually take to have a natter and tell you of whats fishing well and where. You wont get this in tesco or any other supermarket. And another thing will tesco sell maggots and so forth, some how I doubt it. I say support your local shop.... carry on discussing.

 

[The Monk]

I totally agree with you of course

 

[BLAM]

Like Tescos would care if a few anglers boycotted their stores. Seen the share price recently? If you don't like capitalism try moving to Eastern Europe, there's quite a few empty spaces there these days.

 

[Ric Elwin]

Unfortunately most tackle shops do themselves no favours. Many encourage cliques of tea drinkers who form a huddle with the owner and assistants. I seem like a nuisance to them when I ask for my packet of hooks or pint of maggots.

Another shop, a large one with great potential for browsing (and ultimately buying), puts me off by playing radio 1 louder than can be easily ignored.

Are these shop owners stupid, or what?

 

[chavender]

my local tesco's is being refurbished and will be getting a sports section which will hopefully have tackle in it,my local tackle shop (literally 2min down the road) is very small and has always only had a small amount of larger items of tackle but does do excellent bait and bits so he won't be bothered by tesco's ,walkers of trowell is just the other side of town and i don't think they'll be bothered by tesco's selling a few rods as walkers as a great range of rods to choose from and an extensive selection of other items and staff who know what they're on with.

 

[Andrew Turton]

I like to collect music, cds and so on. There used to be an excellent music shop on my high street. the guy who owned it was very knowleadgeable about all music and he could get almost anything you wanted however obscure. Then tesco opened selling cheap chart cds. It won't affect the local shop he sells such a wide range and can get it all. One year later he couldn't compete with the absurdley low price tesco was charging and he shut down. Now there is no where to get a cd in my town except tesco and woolworths, they only sell chart stuff.
The same will happen to tackle shops, you will get cheap but no choice and no range.
Vote with your feet, only you can change what is supplied and who by..

 

[The Monk]

This sort of thing happened in the 70s though, a branch of woolworths, Woolco used to sell fishing tackle I can remember my local shop being full of rods, reels, lures, lines all sorts, all competively priced and some of it was not too badand

 

[jason fisher]

if walmart bring their lure range in over here we'll have some fun, but i've a feeling they won't import their american prices along with it.

 

[Richard Lee 2]

Tescos have sold Leeda gear before and it hasn't really taken off.
Of course there is a potential flip side to this.
Having basic tackle in a superstore could create an impulse purchase. Granny might just buy a starter kit for 'Little Johnny' instead of a football. There isn't a hope in hell granny would do the same if she had to trawl the back streets for a tackle dealer.
Putting tackle in front of people who would never normally see it has its positives.
If Johnny then gets interested in fishing, he may then graduate to his tackle dealer for a more significant purchase and valuable advice.

Just a thought...

 

[GrahamM]

Good thought too Rich. Providing they don't go any further than a few basic things then it could work well for retailer and consumer alike.

 

[Clikfire]

Good point Richard.
Why the worry about Tesco's, argos have been selling cheap tackle for as long as I can remember (at least 25 years)but it hasn't caused any changes to good local tackle shops. I think Tesco's will be taking business from Argos and Lidl not your local shop.
Online buying must have had a bigger impact than this ever will!

 

[Peter Jacobs]

Whilst Richard makes a valid point regarding the possible impulse purchases, I am not convinced that for regular anglers that we should embrace this idea.

Personally, I would never contemplate buying any fishing tackle from anywhere else than my two local (one is 12 miles, the other nearly 25 miles away) tackle shops. Neither do I use on-line or mail order company's.

Think back, and not too far back either, as a population we entered the Supermarket 'syndrome' willingly and fell for the "one stop shopping" solution.

Sadly, now most of us don't have a local high street; Butcher, Baker or General Store.

Support your local Tackle Shop!

 

[GrahamM]

I agree with that Peter, but the point Richard made was that having the basic things in Supermarkets could drive more anglers to tackle shops.

 

[BLAM]

Forward looking tackle shops will survive but people value convenience above all. I'm not sure what my local tackle dealer offers apart from inflated prices and the stench of old tobacco. I certainly don't feel obligated to provide the guy with an income/pension. The times I have tried to purchase something have involved 2-3 week waits which is extreme when I can click the sidebar here and have the items turn up next day. Tesco do a home delivery service so perhaps I can look forward to receiving 3pints of pinkies in the white van along with the wife's shopping! Joking aside though the argument that Tesco shouldn't be allowed to sell something they don't understand is spurious. My local tackle dealer blows a gasket if I even mention the word "boily" (boilie?). Who honestly learned anything from a tackle dealer in the past 30 years? Other than how to leave the shop with a lighter wallet! Much better for kids to learn from other anglers on the bank, from books and magazines and from sites like this. If Tesco can chip away at the ridiculous retail margins (Delkims are bought in for ?30 odd) I'm all for it.

 

[Peter Jacobs]

Graham,

I did see (and agree) with Richard's point, that said, I think that the liklihood of finding a massive influx of new anglers due to Tesco, or similar, stocking tackle is pretty low.
But then again, if this concept gets just a dozen new anglers out on the rivers next season, then I'm all for that.

Brad,

The 2 shops that I use are both run by very experienced anglers; Dave Moody and Andy Browne, and they are both free with advice and local knowledge and I've seen both of them actually talk younger anglers out of expensive "vogue" kit in favour of cheaper items more in keeping with the anglers' expertise.

There are, of course, good and bad tackle shops up and down the Country, the trick is finding a decent one, becoming a regular customer and enjoying their service for years to come.

 

[BLAM]

Good points Peter. There are several good dealers in my area, Tony Kirrage at Tony's tackle in Eastbourne and Andy Lush at the Friendly Fisherman in Tunbridge Wells for example. Both are highly regarded in their particular field (carp and predator fishing respectively) but importantly both also have a very good on-line shop. I would consider them to be forward looking and likely to survive difficult times.

However the location of fishing tackle shops is usually not brilliant (if any one knows Banks and Burr in Rugby they will know what I mean). They're hardly positioned to attract new trade and so I'm convinced people get into fishing other ways than via their local shop -whereas everyone knows where their local Tesco is situated. I think Korda et al would love to have their gear in front of a few million people. Product awareness would go through the roof.

I'm used to seeing fishing tackle in Supermarkets abroad (Geant in France and Walmart in the States to name but two) and can't see that it does any harm other than has been stated above to attract more people to fishing.

Perhaps I'm talking too much from personal experience but I wouldn't be on this site were it not for Winfield (Woolies?) selling fishing tackle all those years ago. My mum brought me a little spinning rod and the adventure started...

 

[Keith Robinson 2]

Blam, There's a parking problem with Banks and Burr but I usually seem to be lucky, Dave has a large catchment area due to his excellent bait service and product availability.
I remember when I lived in Stony Stratford, one of the local lads always went by train from Wolverton (Milton Keynes) to Rugby every Friday after work for his weekend bait etc, that was in the mid 70's.
Do you remember Dave? you, he and I fished Stratford Main together.