[Mike Sullivan]

Well i had time to kills so i popped in the local tackle shop i havent used in years, had a look through some lure rods they had in and then found a bushwacker, and the owner brought out the full range from the back for me.
Picked up a 7'6 roadrunner 12 - 30gram version 5 piece travel rod.
Crossed the road, and tested it in the marina, and also tested the AFAW 8ft. now i was using sp's in 23 gram and small jigs that are 7grams and i love this rod!!!!
So i have put it back finaly got around to linning up both reels with new braid and so forth and back in on monday tp pick it up.
Not sure why the length just felt better and lures went out of sight, does everything i need for now very happy indeed, especially with the size sling bag with lure box, reel and mall rod. Go anywhere and fish for anything.

Has anyone else used this rod?

 

[Steve Arries]

Out of curiosity Mike, what tackle shop was this, and hope you enjoy your new toy.

 

[Mike Sullivan]

hi mate it was osbourne and cragg down on bretonside there

 

[Steve Arries]

Thanks Mike, I need to pay a visit then, last year when buying my initial set up, not a single shop in Plymouth had any specific plugging rods and i had basically written them all off as not being prepared to cater for the likes of us. Made my choices through advice from the guys on here and with some guidance from **** Ward.

Glad to see that at least one shop is moving forward with modern angling requirements.

thanks again

 

[Mike Sullivan]

steve mate i have to agree by and large, though when i went in yesterday. They did say that they have seen an increase in plugging these days and that they only have a few in now though if i wanted to see it they would order it incuding any of the AFAW range.
I noticed they stocked ron thomson, okuma, savage gear, and penn lure rods in the racks.
Though they have a fantastic sleection of rapala lures and pro logic sp's mate. i wrote them off years ago as a tourist tackle shop though this restored my faith.

 

[Mike Sullivan]

Steve mate i h vae just heard through the grapevine that Tom in plymouth anglng is getting more lure based gear in this season.
On top of that snowbee are releasing there sea / lure gear properly next month to the public they are based in drakes court in langage park mate. both worth a visit.

 

[Steve Arries]

Mike, thanks for the info, I visited Snowbee last week, got some power pro (£10 a spool clearance offer) and there pliers and have also heard about there new range thats coming out, will definately be taking a look.

 

[Henry Gilbey]

LIved in Plymouth for 17 years before moving just over the water into south east Cornwall, love the place with a passion - but it has worried me how little interest in this whole bass fishing thing that local tackle shops seem to have. Hope things do change for the better, fishing needs good local tackle shops in a big way.

I saw some of that Snowbee stuff at the T&G show the other day, all credit to the guys.

 

[Mike Sullivan]

Hi steve no worries mate glad i could help. It is about itme that tackle shops took a bit more interest in the growing trend of lure fishing.
During my 6 months living in canada even the local gas station sold rapala lures and spiderwire braid, saying that they also sold firearms and ammunition bit strange until i got used to it.

Henry, could you say if they are releasing lure rods in he new 8ft styles or are they sticking with their popping rod design?
I have used there fly gear for many years and found there tackle and rods to be great i must say.
I used the power braid as backing on my 12wt fly reels excellent stuff as for pliers i never used them though heard good reports.

 

[Matt Newcombe]

it has worried me how little interest in this whole bass fishing thing that local tackle shops seem to have

Not only is there little interest, the information and advice they pass on is often misinformed at best. I bought my current rod from the shop in St. Budeaux, I knew more than he did about what he was selling and he tried fobbing me off with some very incorrect information about it.

I don't mind buying from people like Ben and Mr. fish - this is what they do. A bait shop advising me on which plugging rod to use and buy? Hmmmmmmm, not just yet. But it's in their interest to really take note and learn about what they're selling.

 

[Toby Harnett]

LIved in Plymouth for 17 years before moving just over the water into south east Cornwall, love the place with a passion - but it has worried me how little interest in this whole bass fishing thing that local tackle shops seem to have. Hope things do change for the better, fishing needs good local tackle shops in a big way.

I'd second that Henry. The tackle shops in & around Plymouth are what I would call 'traditional' tackle shops dealing primarily with bait fishing, be it coarse or sea angling. I think half the problem is that the owners concerned & some anglers don't understand &/or are not interested in lure fishing, they think that its something specialist or elitist & that the kit & lures that a lot of lure anglers have is a waste of money etc etc.

This is somethng that James Davis & myself have talked about previously. Its people like Ben at AoF & **** at Mr Fish that are the 'retail crusaders' for lure fishing.

Probably going off topic here, perhaps the perception of lure fishing in the wider angling community & to the public at large & also how lure fishing is best promoted so it gains a bigger profile, is something for another thread??

Cheers

Toby

 

[Mike Sullivan]

Toby mate i agree with you, and again your right Ben and Mr fish do seem to lead the way in this field.
by choice i would visit Ben and hold the rods or lures and seek specialist advice the same i would on fly fishing in snowbee.
Though for people considering getting into lure fishing more tackle shops in the plymouth area stocking lure gear has to be a good thing.
Wehn it comes to specialist gear then your lure orientated specilists will truely come into there own and advise accordingly.

 

[Henry Gilbey]

I do think that to stock and sell the right "modern bass gear", one needs to have more than a passing interest in bass fishing - look at people like **** Ward, Ben Field, Nick Roberts, Cian O'Halloran, some of the guys at Veals etc. Bass anglers who like using the gear themselves (tackle tarts essntially, just like most of us).

But to be serious, this is a specialist and growing part of the saltwater tackle industry here in the UK and Ireland, and it takes dedication, research, hard work and knowledge to do it right - being at grass roots level is essential, and I quite understand tackle dealers who either don't really know about, or simply don't "get it".

But are they missing out ? Adapt or die is a motto I very much subscribe to. If we stood still then where would we get ?