do you trust the recommendations from the tackle shop? 2024
avidone1 reply :
I guess my answer to this is something like, I'm always a little skeptical but some guys I listen to cause they seem knowledgeable and sincere. Others just want to sell me something, like that pos bait they can't give away.
"hamma" reply :
Depends on how much its going to cost me
Brew City Bass reply :
Unless it's the one tackle guy I've know for years, then no.
Went into a new to me bait shop last week to get some fatheads for crappies. He asked "Watcha going for?" I said crappie, and he instantly said he had these new lures that were killing them or something like that. It was just an overpriced ice fishing jig. Nothing special, but with a $15.00 mark up. He recommended one of every color, I laughed and said I'd stick with the fatheads. Next person to walk in, he gave the same pitch for a different over priced lure.
They're sales people, they make their money by selling ****. They don't care how well you're catching fish, they care if they are making money.
Catt reply :
Not to many have my knowledge 
blckshirt98 reply :
Depends on the shop...there's a couple of local shops that recommend things honestly even pointing them to clearance racks or lower priced alternatives. There's another store that always seems to recommend higher priced rods and whatnot . All depends on who gets hired and if they're just there to make a buck or really have a passion to fish and put people on fish.
j bab reply :
Being skeptical is a smart idea... The answer is, it depends.
Some of them make money by selling stuff, others don't (commision vs hourly pay). A lot of times it's easy to tell when people are full of crap. I work at a tackle shop, and some of the guys I work with are definitely just trying to sell stuff, but others are legitimately knowledgeable and trying to help.
A-Jay reply :
I'll say - It Depends.
For 3 years I worked part time in a local tackle shop. I was paid by the hour and made Zero commission. I usually handed my check back to the owner to pay for all the tackle I bought. 
This particular establishment catered mainly to the saltwater anglers on New Jersey's south shore. I sold live, fresh & frozen bait along with tons of lures & terminal tackle. Being a serious angler myself, I really enjoyed helping people out by getting them the right gear and then telling them how, where & when to use it. The single best "Sales Pitch" I could make would be one that ended up with the customer having fun & being successful ~ because that would bring them back. There's enough competition around that a one & done customer was not desirable or very profitable. Solid real & truthful information is what keeps anglers coming back.
So you can relate that to bass fishing any way you'd like but the truth is - when someone gives you advice you can choose to follow it or not. But if you do and it works - you'll probably go back there.
A-Jay
Tery Songz reply :
i went to bass pro shops at macon. the staff there is RUDE the cashiers in front and the manager. theres a few guys back in the tackle and fishing area that are real nice and knowlegable. i went about a week ago for a crappie combo and a guy there i asked him some good crappie lures he recommended me crabblie dough bait nibbles like some powerbait thing. i told him the area ill be fishing is in the woods and unstocked and has virgin fish that havent seen any human things. and i thought these power bait things they are common for trout they use em only for stocked trout since it reminds the fish of the food they were fed at the hatchery i dont know if its the same for crappie but if it is that guys not to smart. not trying to be rude he probaly didnt know and most bps employees dont care what you buy since it isnt the cleaner crew for example that owns the shop. lol
S. Sass reply :
To me I listen as everyone can learn something. So I take in any knowledge they are willing to offer and I sort it out in my head as to whats believable or possibly matches up with some other info I had heard etc.
You have to ultimately determine what makes sense, what is affordable or reasonably priced. You can see it here on this very forum where some spend enormous $ on a reel or a rod or a swimbait etc. Is that reasonable to you? For the majority I highly doubt a $400+ swimbait is.
Assess the whole situation from the person telling you this stuff, to how or what you plan to fish for.
Jar11591 reply :
I'm fairly confident that I'm more knowledgeable than the guys who work at my local DSG or BPS when it comes to bass fishing. The only information I need from them is where a certain item is located.
S. Sass reply :
On 5/29/2016 at 11:04 AM, Jar11591 said:I'm fairly confident that I'm more knowledgeable than the guys who work at my local DSG or BPS when it comes to bass fishing. The only information I need from them is where a certain item is located.
To me its not that your more or less knowledgeable than a employee working anywhere. The fact is all it takes is him being in the right place at the right time and overhearing a conversation that can give him insight you or I may never be in a position to hear.
Think about it people on a shoe store don't have to be real shoe smart and after a month or two unless blind deaf and whatever else they will know more about the subject than the average person will have in 2 years.
I'm not saying every employee at DSG or BPS will be dead on accurate with info but free information doesn't hurt to take it in even if you just store it in the back of your mind. It didn't cost you a thing and may come in real handy one day when your having a rough go at it.
soflabasser reply :
On 5/29/2016 at 11:04 AM, Jar11591 said:I'm fairly confident that I'm more knowledgeable than the guys who work at my local DSG or BPS when it comes to bass fishing. The only information I need from them is where a certain item is located.
^This!
Bluebasser86 reply :
Small local tackle stores, usually.
BPS or Cabela's, no. I've heard advice being given at the big stores that just makes me shake my head and walk away feeling bad for the poor guy that's actually going to go try what they were just told to do. If I have time, sometimes I'll talk to them after the salesman is done to actually give them a fighting chance, but I've done that a time two that I ended up being stuck there for hours listening to life stories or hearing wayyy too much personal information.
"hamma" reply :
Like I stated above,.depends,.I've been fishing for 50 years, I agree that a youngster may have some info on new gear that came from the rep,...But I've gained enough experience to know whats what. Like when gary yamamoto came out withe the senko? my first reply? glorified modern do nothing worm, does it work? heck ya, but so does the do nothing worm, just a different rigging. Drop shot?,..crossed over from saltwater squid rig.,., etc
..and what bluebasser just posted
smalljaw67 reply :
It depends on the kind of shop and the location and I know it sounds stupid but I'll explain. I've been to shops where the person working or the owner has told me what the locals have been using and what is going on with the fishing community in that area and it was sound advice and it was easy to see since there was very few of the baits left in which he told me the best colors were gone. Now, if it is a tourist spot, then I don't even ask, a friend of mine goes to Northeast Marine on Lake Erie every year for the spring bite, he spent an extra $2,000 to make a second trip up like 3 weeks after the first one ended. The reason was the bite was almost gone when we got up there but the guy told my frined that there is a secondary bite that not many know about as the next wave of fish come in that are late spawning fish and you can get on some good action. Well I told my friend that was garbage, he just wanted the business as I never heard of this "secondary" bite going on, and my buddy found out, he caught 4 fish in 3 days because he didn't take the right gear, he was armed for another round of shallow water combat and the fish were gone, he told me he asked another guy he met on the water about this secondary bite and the guy laughed at him and told him that the marina owner has been telling campers that come up in the spring that same story for years trying to get some more business because it slows down for him when the fish move back out. That was a classic example of a guy taking advantage of someone but my friend is like that, he won't tell you what he is catching them on, but he expects everyone to be truthful to him, I found the whole thing funny.
MDBowHunter reply :
No as they are just salesmen,
Maxximus Redneckus reply :
What i hear the first second or 2 is you have no clue or ok you sparked my intrest its all about that first couple seconds
scaleface reply :
I have before but my questions were not "what are the fish hitting" . For instance when I was relatively new to bass fishing , I asked the owner of a shop what his deepest diving crankbait was . He told me the Norman Deep Little N would touch 12 foot . I bought a couple and they produced . Just have to ask the right questions to the right people .
strykr2008 reply :
I believe most of the time they are just giving me a sales pitch to something there promoting for the maker of the product itself. I use my own judgement if it looks like it might be worth trying then I will purchase it if not I walk away.
bigturtle reply :
no, not after the mountain of crap iv heard from basspro guys
blckshirt98 reply :
One time at basspro all I did was pick up a shimano reel before the guy behind the counter started his schpiel to push me towards the BPS branded reels. Didn't even ask what I was looking for or trying to catch.
Buffdaddy54 reply :
The answers I'm ready are concerning me. As a newbie who knows nothing I rely on the "knowledge and expertise of others" Coming from a retail back ground I'm pretty good at figuring out if you're a bullsh_ tter or not. But this is a whole new ballgame for me. I'm grateful for this site and all the knowledge that I'm gaining but there is nothing like local knowledge.
Years ago I managed a golf super store and we would get on a weekly basis people who had 10 dollar swings looking for 500 dollar drivers. My advice was always to buy a couple lessons first, work on getting a better swing then go get yourself a better driver. It would tick me off if I heard a salesperson up selling when it was just for a higher average dollar sale. Now if you had a good amount of club head speed and was playing an average ball we would talk to you about going with a better ball to maximize spin and distance. My motto has always been " IT MAY NOT BE TODAY AND IT MAY NOT BE TOMORROW BUT SOONER OR LATER THE CUSTOMER WILL FIGURE OUT THAT YOU LIED TO THEM AND THEN THEY WILL NEVER BE BACK."
So unfortunately to an extent at my level of knowledge, I do not know what I do not know, so I am at the mercy of some of these people.
BUYER BEWARE.
Raul reply :
On 5/29/2016 at 9:32 AM, Catt said:Not to many have my knowledge
I'll be darned, I was going to say the same thing. 
Hell, I don't even trust pros, remember they were the ones that spread the myth that FC didn't stretch.
cgolf reply :
Sometimes, but I do have to say that it is really easy to tell when they are giving you a bunch of BS. Also I generally just ask about lake conditions, temp and weed growth trends, I try to stay away from what bait are they biting on. You give me that lake condition info I can figure out what baits I want to toss.
Munkin reply :
I have helped people that were told something wrong by the employees of Dick's, Gander Mountain, and BPS. Helped a few customers at a Gander Mountain one time and was approached by the manager for it. He said I was his most helpful employee according to the customers but I didn't work there. Offered me a job on the spot since I was more helpful than the two guys actually working the fishing department.
Allen
Evan K reply :
On 5/29/2016 at 10:20 AM, A-Jay said:This particular establishment catered mainly to the saltwater anglers on New Jersey's south shore.
Not the Tackle Direct in Ocean City, was it? 
Dye99 reply :
Depends on the person. I know a guy who runs a guide service as well as counter work at the local bait shop. He is awesome.
Another just wants to sell stuff to people who don't know better. Him not so much.
But I still stop in and put a few bucks into something, hooks, bag of plastics, braid, whatever because no matter how much I laugh at some of the counter jockeys, we have to support our small stores...God help us when its only bass pro, and cabela's....
flyfisher reply :
My local shop I trust the owner and his wife without question. The owner fishes the FLW as a co angler and has done pretty well. He also does well in the local tournaments. He has never once tried to sell me anything. I ask and he recommends, makes life easy for both of us.
dsqui reply :
the angler yes tri state bait hell no those ladies are rude and full of crap. they dont even fish. why would you work at a bait store and not fish, why would you own a bait store and hire someone who doesnt fish for that matter.
the reel ess reply :
I take them under serious consideration. But I don't always follow them. Like most fishermen, I like to fish MY way, not everyone else's way.
A-Jay reply :
On 5/30/2016 at 8:35 AM, Evan K said:Not the Tackle Direct in Ocean City, was it?
No - but that's a great shop right there though
It was the place just over the bridge going into Cape May.
A-Jay
Evan K reply :
On 5/30/2016 at 10:05 AM, A-Jay said:No - but that's a great shop right there though
It was the place just over the bridge going into Cape May.
A-Jay
Cool- I grew up in southern NJ- TD in Ocean City was where I got my first saltwater gear.
Catt reply :
On 5/29/2016 at 9:32 AM, Catt said:Not to many have my knowledge
On 5/30/2016 at 6:43 AM, Raul said:I'll be darned, I was going to say the same thing.
Hell, I don't even trust pros, remember they were the ones that spread the myth that FC didn't stretch.
Where I live there is 1 Academy, 1 Dick's, & 2 Local tackle shops.
One associate at Academy fished tournaments during the 70 & 80s with me. The owner of Cajun Tackle is a young lady that fishes salt water competitively.
At least I know those two will not lie to me!
Molay1292 reply :
We only have 1 independently owned tackle shop in own town. Most of the serious bass fishermen in the area visit it on a regular basis and the Staff also fish. They are all very good at helping and have strong advice.
wytstang reply :
Salt water shops yes, fresh water nope. Jacks bait shops in the Fl, Keys (and just before the Keys in Florida City) will tell you what species is biting, what bridge/mile maker they were last reported to be hitting (very up to date reports) and what hooks & baits have been working. I've never had that in a fresh water shop, it's always what lure can I get you to buy today mentality.
avidone1 reply :
On 5/29/2016 at 9:32 AM, Catt said:Not to many have my knowledge
there are certain lakes that I fish often, and I feel this same way. But I like to try new places and will travel a good ways to new water. Once there I will always stop at the local bait shop and just look around, listen to the chatter etc. I find that asking questions about the lake can open up the staff and any customers hanging around. Things like, "I'm new to this lake, what's the structure like? or something real general like that. It's a good way I find to get a feel for the staff. If they are willing to talk about the lake and not immediately go to the selling of lures etc. then I may have a decent sort of guy who wants to help me and sell me the right stuff.
It also seems to reason that they want you to catch fish. If you do well, you just might come back
Mosster47 reply :
If the technique didn't come from Japan I'm probably not interested. Those guys fish in infinitely tougher conditions that we do, so if something is working above average there I want to know about it.
WRB reply :
Most local tackle shops want you to catch fish so you will return and become a regular customer. Good sales personal can be very helpful if they are knowledgable. How you respond to the "can I help you find anything" greeting usually determines the level of help you receive. Can you trust sales people, only if they earn your trust.
Tom
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