How many of you regularly shop at Tackle Stores ?

It's how things are going. It really is getting crazy.

It depends on the shop. If they are much higher, I may purchase something somewhere else. I wanted a Penn reel. It was $100 cheaper on Amazon. That type of purchase I understand. The local who buys one reel does not have the buying power to get discounts.

But, having said that, I do buy stuff at my local. Prices are the same on some things as Dicks Sporting goods. Yes, I could probably find it cheaper if I searched the internet. But how much cheaper? Your time is valuable and saving $2 for a SPRO or Deadly Dick isn’t a good use of my time. Plus, if you need it quickly, they are there. Supporting them when you can. You’ll miss the local bait shops when they are gone.

It just seems they cater mostly to high end customers. I was in a store in Oakdale .

Last month wanted to try chunking, haven’t done it in years, no concentration of bunker around so went to local shop & paid $21 for 6 frozen bunker. The trip wasn’t productive.

Guilty as charged. Except for my 6' Tsunami Slimwave and a Daiwa BG 2000, I am still using reels and rods I have had for decades and none of them cost more than $110. a piece. Except for a tub of clam bellies I bought ten years ago, I haven’t bought bait and have only used plastics on the kayak (unless livelining a snapper) and plugs, tins and bucks while surfcasting since 2005.

Last month wanted to try chunking, haven’t done it in years, no concentration of bunker around so went to local shop & paid $21 for 6 frozen bunker. The trip wasn’t productive.

Butterfish from Chinatown, 3 pounds / $10.00…

Clams, $2.00 / pound, w half shell… haha…
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When the nearest tackle shop is a 70 mile round trip, and I can get all the bait I need by digging in the backyard or via using Sabiki or snagging rigs, you can guess my answer...

$23 for a Quart Container of Skimmers out in WEGO. Fished 3/4's of the day on Saturday for Porgies and used less than 1/4 of it. Clams were heavily salted and very tough.

I give my local tackle shop as much business as I possible can
However, like others here, I gather as much of my own bait as possible between seining for spearing, cast netting peanuts and mullets, and making strip baits from fluke ribbons and sea robins.
There is a small local shop in town that I’ll buy squid, clams, sinkers etc on an as needed basis.

I go to my local guys a lot or I'll buy from local guys that make sinkers, bucktails, or teasers.