What Can Anglers Do to Support Our Local Tackle Shops?

We all remember it; spending hours and hours in the local tackle shop sitting on a beat-up old chair talking nonsense with the owner and whoever else might’ve walked in the door. Many of us have probably spent more time in the tackle shop than actually fishing! 

Sadly, we’re all aware of the decline and we’ve seen so many independent tackle shops close down in recent years due to an evolving landscape and several other factors. People’s habits have changed; they come in for a quick browse of the gear, quietly price-checking on their phones and leaving again. It’s understandable, but frustrating all the same.

 

Why Anglers Stopped Buying from Tackle Shops

Convenience. These days you can order almost anything from the comfort of your own home and have it delivered to your doorstep the next day. No waiting for stock, no “Sorry we don’t sell those,” and no repeat visits for ordering and collecting. Although many try their best, there isn’t a tackle shop in the world big enough to stock every product from every supplier. The internet allows you to browse thousands of brands and suppliers in a few swipes.

Price. The rising cost of living means that people are always seeking out the best value for money, and the retail market as a whole is feeling the effects of this. Massive online stockists mean you can buy in bulk, get better margins and offer a better price than your local shop, which has to make sure they generate enough revenue to cover their overheads.

Participation (and time). Life is busy, and it’s only getting busier. Many anglers fish less than they ever have and there’s a general ongoing decline in rod licence numbers. That means fewer people shopping for tackle and that’s fewer people looking to pursue a career in the tackle trade.

 

It’s Time to Start Supporting Our Local Tackle Shops

As the saying goes, it’s time to use it or lose it. Tackle shops aren’t just where you buy your hooks, it’s the beating heart of your local angling community. It’s where you connect with more (and less!) experienced anglers, exchange stories and share advice to make your next session a successful one.

 

An Expert’s Opinion – Tom Humphreys of Dynamite Baits & The Tackleshop Project

Tom Humphreys, formerly of Angling Trust and now digital marketing executive for Dynamite Baits founded The Tackleshop Project to promote, support and spotlight independent tackle shops. He manages it in his personal time away from work and is driven by his passion for angling. This year, Tom received the Recognition Award at this year’s Angling Times Awards, as well as being ranked as one of the most influential people in angling.

“I’m grateful for the personal recognition, but now isn’t the time to stop and celebrate my success,” Tom says. “We need to make the most of the exposure and make 2025 the year we put our foot on the gas with The Tackleshop Project, especially with Clubmate’s help!”

“In conversations with nearly every tackle shop, though, it became clear that there’s a disconnect from the modern scene, and there’s a very poor uptake in modern technology,” He describes. “I wanted to take it into my own hands, see if I could help make a difference and fill in the gaps on behalf of the shops.” 

“We need to spread the message far and wide; anything that gets more people through the doors into the tackle shops is a major step in the right direction,” Tom says. “Through this partnership between The Tackleshop Project and Clubmate, tackle shops have the opportunity to be a key part of modernising angling and continue to be a bedrock of the angling community, digitally as well as in person.”

 

So what can Clubmate (and you!) do to make a difference?

The trick here is to build a relationship between modern and traditional. The internet isn’t going anywhere, but that certainly doesn’t mean tackle shops need to disappear. Clubmate can raise awareness of tackle shops to reach more people than ever and faster than ever before.

In Clubmate, you can set up a dedicated tile in the Angler App to promote your local shop (or as many as you’d like) complete with contact details, links and info about the shop. You can also send emails and push notifications directly to every one of your anglers asking them to support the shop, including when they buy their membership and day tickets. You can also allow your local tackle shop to take an active role in the club and encourage anglers to drop in. 

Go a step further and offer anglers a reward for supporting the tackle shop, such as a discounted membership, a free day ticket or similar – all of which is possible via the Clubmate app – something many of our clients have already implemented. 

If you want to get involved but aren’t sure how or feel you lack the experience working with technology, then get in touch and we’ll be here to help you promote your chosen tackle shop up straight away (as long as you have the shop’s permission to do so).

Here at Clubmate, we strongly believe it’s our turn as anglers to give back, which is why we’ll continue to support The Tackleshop Project into the future, visit tackle shops in person and do our best to help make a difference.

 

Clubmate is the go-to fishery management software trusted by over 100,000 anglers and 1500+ fishing club committee members and bailiffs. We’ll help you remove unnecessary paperwork, increase revenue and take back your spare time with our simple-to-use, cloud-based system designed specifically for fishing clubs and fisheries. Book a 1-2-1 demo with one of our fishing club experts or see what people have to say about working with us.

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