Unhelpful Tackle shops

John Hepworth · Sep 29, 2003

How many of you have come across unhelpful tackle dealers when visiting a different area.It seems to be more often than not, if you are not into match or carp fishing (and part of the local clique} they seem to think you are a little strange.
I asked for wide gape hooks yesterday, what size I was asked, 4s,6s and 8s said I, they are all wide gape when you get to that size was the reply. The guy even started shouting at me thinking I was some kind of idiot. In the end it was he who was the idiot as I had intented to spend some cash, in the end all I bought was a couple of tubs of tripple swan

Dave Slater · Sep 29, 2003

You will be ok if you visit down here John, the tackle dealers are very helpful. Pop in and see my friend Ritchie in Ringwood Tackle, you will find him very helpful, as are the othe local tackle dealers. Outside our area I have always found tackle dealers very helpful. I am originally from the midlands and visit Fosters and Birmingham Angling Centre sometimes when visiting the area. They are always very helpful. I have visited shops when fishing many rivers outside my local area, including the Wye, Ouse etc. and always found the local tackle dealers very helpful. I guess it must just be the luck of the draw John.

Richard Drayson · Sep 29, 2003

It's just one of those things I reckon John.
As Dave says, most tackle dealers are OK but you're sometimes going to find the odd a***hole from time to time.

John Hepworth · Sep 29, 2003

Hi Dave/Richard, I do get most of my tackle from Fosters,and have for years, but I also like to visit tackle shops when out on the weekly Sarurday trip with the wife to the market towns in the region.(and the city tackle shops are no better) What we could really do with is a Fosters or Leslies in the North East. Apart from match anglers and the casual type angler I would say that most in the N/E use mail order-I even have to buy my hooks mail order, or pay silly carp prices.

What is the Gt Ouse looking like, given still the the mild weather is it going to be worth my while coming down the end of October, or will the river still be full of dying weed, and why has that bloody awful Caleverton Lodge been chosen again-crap(and expensive) beer and surly service..... everything you want to make a great weekend.

Dave Rothery · Sep 29, 2003

john - if you want carp type patterns, look at fly fishing hooks. a third of the price and a cynic would say they're the same.......

Stu Black · Sep 29, 2003

I went into a shop in Carlisle once, I was intending to spend quite a bit but when I asked the bloke to get some rods down he seemed really put out. When I was rude enough to ask him about local day ticket waters he started shouting that he didnt have time to deal with me if I didn't know the area!

I found another shop with a decent bloke running it, had a cuppa and a chat and spent about ?70. This guy told me that 2 young lads had been in a few weeks before, almost in tears, after being thrown out of the other guy's shop, when they'd had the temerity to try to spend their birthday money.

Stuart Bullard · Sep 29, 2003

Personally I think you describe a generic problem with service in the UK.

Only last week I had to remind a shop assistant that I was actually the customer and therefore was responsible for him getting wages........

.........something Mr Blair needs to take on board!!

Kevan Martin · Sep 29, 2003

This may not be the same for most tackle shops but....

Do you find that the most 'assistants' are quite young and know a bit about carp fishing?, when you ask them for general / match type stuff they just say that they don't have it stock. Just an excuse because they have not got a clue what it is anyway. But ask for carp gear and they are all over you.

As a side, I used to work in a tackle shop on Saturdays while I was still at school. I knew nothing about fly fishing but I learnt. I made sure that if I didn't know I talked to the boss who did. It was only curtious to the customer ( or so I thought anyway ). I bought some fly gear while I worked there and to this day I still fly fish.

A little knowledge goes a long way in my book

alan outen · Sep 29, 2003

the shop where i brought my rod from are crap! i refuse to go back, it was my first rod so i was after something cheapish to see if i liked it before buying better and i was made to feel like an idiot. bennets in havant and lock stock and tackle in southsea though are totally diffrent, in bennetts they answer every question no matter how silly and are always friendly, and lock stock are the same my wife brought her rod from there and the owner the rod out and showed us how light and strong it was he let her have a play to see if she liked it and that was just a ?25 rod and reel, makes mne wonder what he would be like for an expensive set up

Peter Jacobs · Sep 29, 2003

John,

These days I only ever use one of 4 tackle shops, all of which are really helpful, understanding of questions and very generous with their time and advice.

In no order of preferrence they are; Avonangling where Martine and Andy are the nicest people in angling (IMHO)

Davis' Tackle Shop at the entrance to the Royalty in Christchurch, where Graham is most helpful and readily gives current advice on swim choice, methods and best baits

KC Angling in Sutton which is the home of Steve Gardner and Steve Saunders, who have to be two of the most successful match anglers around, both of whom will readily offer advice etc., and finally Reid's of Wilton where Dave goes out of his way to ensure that you always get what you want and at a very good price.

I can honestly say that I have never had a poor experience when using any of these shops, and accordingly I give them all of my business.

Ron Troversial Clay · Sep 29, 2003

There are good tackle shops, and there are some awful ones.

When I returned to England from SA in 1994, I walked into a local tackle shop which shall be nameless. I had ?500 to spend to get myself back into English coarse anging.

All I found was a little young ****-head who wanted to sell me carp tackle. He didn't know what an Avon style rod was. All he could show me were those horrid 21/4lb TC rods with abbreviated handles that for some reason had become the norm in this country if you wanted to catch decent fish. I had brought several of these abortions back with me from SA anyway and what I wanted was a couple of decent fishing rods capable of catching a variety of species.

I ended up buying some second hand rods from an old friend of mine.

Thany goodness that today there are a wide variety of decent rods available. One day we may say goodby to the 12 foot 2 piece 21/2 lb TC abbreviated plastic handled load of rubbish that seems to predominate angling shelves these days.

Budgie Burgess · Sep 29, 2003

"Wot do you want that for then"
"You dont want that you want this"
"They all use this now"

How many times have you heard this from some spotty faced sprog who is now an expert because he works in a tackle shop? And BTW who the F--K are "they"!!

John Hepworth · Sep 30, 2003

I take it that you are not too happy with tackle shops either then Budgie.

The last time I used my local shop,(as opposed to the one just out of town)
it was with an insurance claim. They deducted 10% from the cheque issued by the insurance Co for "bank charges", that amounted to ?28-00, AND every thing was top price. Needless to say I have not darkened their door since.
As I said earlier I now use Fosters for most of my requirments, first class service and delivery, plus discounted prices.

The other local shop Turners give a
friendly service but being only recently established they dont have the buying power of the bigger longer established companies, and I suspect their suppliers dont appear to give them a good service either.

Graham Whatmore · Sep 30, 2003

Reading all these posts doesn't it prove the point, give the customer a good service and he'll come back again. A point that seems to be lost on most shopkeepers these days and not just in the tackle trade

Budgie Burgess · Sep 30, 2003

I was a bit unfair there.I have been into a couple of shops where the staff have been friendly and helpfull.The knowledge of the staff does vary greatly though.I dont have a problem if some one is less knowledgeable as long as their attitude is helpfull.One of my local shops Ashford Tackle is very good.Despite never spending a great deal there,in fact I very rarely buy anything but bait,they always offer a cup of tea and go that extra bit further to try and help you get exactly what you want.As mentioned before this sort of shop will always get repeat buisness.Here is a couple of examples of crap service-
Penge Angling,Rayleigh,Essex-In the late 80's I called in here and asked if they stocked a new multi strand hook length material I had heard about called Kryston.They openly laughed in my face whilst making comments about Krypton and Superman!Bet they feel right mugs now eh?I left without saying a word.Blow me my next trip to the shop was some 5 or 6 years later when I asked if they had any of the new ET Posifoam sunk floats in."Posifoam?" the assistant said with a smirk on his face "What the F--k is Posifoam?"All of my anger from 6 years ago came flooding back....I dont go there any more!
Over heard in the now defunct Romney Tackle" only old men buy float rods these days!"
Yup as they say ,vote with your feet.

Dave Rothery · Sep 30, 2003

it aint the fault of the "spotty young tw@" working there, they probably dont know any different, its the fault of the manager/owner for employing them. lack of training, simple as that.

ron, you'll want my 13ft 3lb'ers then, they've got full cork handles........

Stuart Bullard · Sep 30, 2003

Budgie - Penge angling have another shop near me, near Beckenham (well, its actually in Penge!).

I will never enter the shop again (although they probably will not let me in now). Frankly I almost felt humiliated. It was when I first started out fishing some 6 years ago. One of the guys actually derided my lack of knowledge in front of customers.

My response was not very "professional". I suggested he may lose the use of his arms for a while. I was absolutely livid at being spoken to like that.

Dave Rothery · Sep 30, 2003

we "need" a recession, too many retailers got it far too easy at the moment ( and i work in retail!)

Paul Christie · Sep 30, 2003

Dave point is valid, it's the tackle shop owners that are responsible for employing these people.
I visit decent size shop locally from time to time and can relate to what people are saying here. I think, I've worked out who the unhelpful numb-nuts are and I steer clear of them. I believe their problem is that they are pretty thick when it comes down to it. The only area they are an authority in, is a certain type of fishing, often match or Carp. Their lack of intelligence leads them to be arrogant. They aren't fit to work in a customer service job.
Fact is, in many parts of the county, there aren't many alternative shops that don't involve a long drive.

Stuart Bullard · Sep 30, 2003

.....my wife works in retail, but she is on the demand side not supply!

Unhelpful Tackle shops

John Hepworth

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Dave Slater

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Richard Drayson

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John Hepworth

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Dave Rothery

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Stu Black

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Stuart Bullard

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Kevan Martin

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alan outen

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Peter Jacobs

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Ron Troversial Clay

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Budgie Burgess

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John Hepworth

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Budgie Burgess

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Dave Rothery

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