[ironbluedun]

thought i would ask what other people think of their local tackle shops, the ones i have dealt with near me in the past are,
rorys - remple bar in dublin - good to average - staff are poor - except for rory himself
henrys ballybough in dublin - henry is a good bloke - limited stock
anglers world in navan - good shop - excellent stock - good prices but not too much game gear - mostly course stuff
southside angling - ardee street dublin - good stock - massive prices at least 15 - 20% more expensive for a lot of stuff than in other shops - snowbee flyfishing vest with built in life jacket i saw it at €260 in southside and €220 in henrys!, there are many other examples
ABC - mary st - ok but very small shop - limited stock.
Pat Cleere in Clane - game supplier -ok shop - staff a bit condensending
T&J angling long mile road - smallish shop - mostly course gear - reasonablly priced stuff.
Baumans - stillorgan - dublin - average to good stock - average staff - but on the expensive side.

these are the ones i can think of at the moment, interesting to hear what others think?

[stevenmu]

I'd add to Southside Angling that the staff are excellent, I've gotten very good advice out of them. The prices can be a bit on the 'premium' side, I noticed the clothing in particular looked quite expensive. But for the smaller things it's not too bad and they often have baskets around the shop with some good deals.

I'd also add to Baumanns that some of their stuff at least is decently priced, and their stuff tends to be cheaper on their website. I recently had to pick up a rod in a hurry and got a pretty decent quality telescopic pike rod for €25 in-store, and it's only €16.50 on the web.

[peterk19]

Id have to go with the ones i use in this order

Southside angling - Great staff consistantly good advice prices a bit high on some items but they do have good bargains
Rory's - good prices and the staff are great try to help you when they can altho i find paddy to be the best of them but they can be busy at times
ABC - nice little shop not a big selection but i try to buy what i can there as i think the old guy is great
Henry's - I wont shop there unless i have absolutely no choice

[SeaFields]

Landers of Tralee, Kerry - one of the best in the country. Fantastic range of gear for the shooter, angler and other outdoor fanatic.

Fishing Tackle shop in Waterville, Kerry - dont like the place since Tadgh O Sullivan retired. I had many a chat with that man and he was very insightful into all aspects of fly fishing.

Murrays on Patrick st., Cork - Very claustrophobic feel inside the place with everything being behind glass. Still tho cheap and cheerful.

Kinsale Road Fishing shop, Cork - Great selection and sound lads working there although a reputation as being on the expensive side.

Sharkies, Pouladuff Rd. Cork - I would be banned from the angling forum if i said what I thought about this place.

Fishing shop Midleton, Cork - Good value and sound man behind the counter and although I haven't been there in awhile there was a girl working there there who certainly made me that more eager to shop there

Lastly a word about the Tackle Shop, Cork - it was a bad day for fishing in Cork when the doors of this place closed recently. Always great for a chat and good selection of gear.


P.S. Mods, this thread, even though its early has the potential to be a sticky if a lot of people contribute and there's a good geographical spread. What ye think?

[Doc Farrell]

great post, couple of thoughts.

i like Rory's daughter and the other staff. I was in there a month ago when a scanger was being arrested for robbing two expensive jackets. he threw them in the Liffey, while the Gardai were arranging for them to be fished out, another scanger robbed them! running a tackle shop is a fairly thankless job!

I think Southside Angling is on Cork St. You do pay a bit more but the three lads really know their stuff inside out. I got a beauty of a fly fishing jacket with built in emergency inflatable thingy for 120 euro. I haggled a fiver off it!

There's a great tackle shop in a place called Halfway which is literally halfway between Cork and Bandon on the Owenboy river I think. It's a large blockbuilt shed behind the owners house but they sell plenty of gear at good prices. The owner is Dan Lynch and he is a dude. phone: 021 4885894. They stock plenty of bait for sea fishing too. Get down there!

There's a nice little tackle shop open on the main street of Clonakilty called Clontackle, they have a website. I hope they are doing enough business to stay open. There's also a hardware shop in durrus at the end of the world which sells a small selection of essentials. I think it's called Freeman's. The owners belong in a Hollywood movie about Ireland. And there's a fishing tackle shop in Skibbereen, a tiny shop with plenty of bargain gear.

Be warned West Cork is where anglers go after they've died and have been very good little boys. You may never come back.

[shamwari]

I've always used ABC in Mary's Abbey since I was in my early teens. My father and grandad used it too. I think it changed hands a few times in all those years. The lady and the older gentleman there are very nice and always try to be helpful. On one particular day I was particularly impressed with the dignified patience they displayed when helping a young lad choose his first fishing rod. He was shown one rod after another before he made a decision...!

[bernard0368]

Rory's I have gone off, the staff with the exception of Paddy just dont seem interested.

Cleeres, I have to say I find them very helpful and always forthcoming with advice. I asked about access to a stretch of river for the life of me I couldn't figure out how to get to it with out a long walk but I knew there had to be a place you could park nearer. The assistant didnt know but promised to check it out. Two days later he rang with the details.

Southside angling great staff but they can be pricey.

Anglers world they are pike men and in that line they are second to none.

Viking angling (Bray) lovely lads but they can be expensive €3.50 plus a fly.

Baumanns. Not for me They plain lied to my face in order to try and get me to buy something inferior rather than say they didnt have the item in stock they told me it had been discontinued and they had not been able to get stock for two years (the same item i bought a month previous for a friend). Swore I would never cross the door again and have not done so.

Tallaght rod and gun. The guy who owns this needs a personality transplant.

[coolwings]

No judgments. They are all subjective anyway, affected by personalities and price negotiations and other things.
Just a list of where I spent my last money on tackle in Irish shops, I think this says it all.

Tallaght Rod & Gun
Dunlaoghaire Cycles/Tackle
Rory's
Viking
Southside

My last purchases were fresh bait and sea tackle. If instead they had been game fishing gear Southside and Rorys would be in higher up places on that list.
My location in Dublin, south, has also affected my choices, in that more distant shops are not listed as a result and this does not reflect badly on them. Convenience counts.

[ironbluedun]

viking, yes i forgot to mention that shop - always found the guy with the beard - the owner, i think quite helpful
never was in dunlaoghaire cycles/tackle where is it, next time i am out there i will drop in.
rory and the daughter are good the rest of them well they are not the best.
Mary is good in Cleeres.
staff in baumans telling lies! never they just want to sell any stuff they want, whether it is what you want or not, well it doesnt matter to them.
i do agree the southside staff are good but bring your wallet, you will need it well full.
The old guy in ABC is spot on, old fashioned, polite, mannerly and helpfull the way a shopkeeper should be. sadly a dying breed.

[Slasher]

Originally Posted by ironbluedun

- game supplier -ok shop - staff a bit condensending

Is that because they know about your poor spelling and grammar? Sorry, am I being condescending?

Originally Posted by SeaFields

Fishing Tackle shop in Waterville, Kerry - dont like the place since Tadgh O Sullivan retired. I had many a chat with that man and he was very insightful into all aspects of fly fishing. I find the stories being banded around by the fella who took over as having a distinct waft of bullsh!t.

"The fella who took over" is Kevin Brain, originally from Wales, but living in Kerry for several years. He's an expert on Bass fishing. He likes to talk, but he's a decent bloke.

[ironbluedun]

Slasher.
fella, bloke -

[billy the bass]

Hi Guy's
This is my first time on the boards (too much time on me hands since being made redundent). Last week I was browsing the fishing threads when I came upon this one about tackle shops. I must be a formost expert on them since a large chunk of my income over the last twentyfive years has ended up in there pockets, but I do think that 'Sea fields' has been a bit harsh on a couple and missed out one of the best in Cork. Peter Horne's tackle in Blarney has the best selection of beach fishing gear in the Munster area and though I dont course or fly fish he has a load of top of the range stuff. Pete who I have known since he started has a reptuation for high prices, but then where can you buy off the shelf Zziplex, Centurey, Conoflex and all the others. The other small bone I would like to pick is what do we call a great tackle shop, is it one with all the gear and thats it. I think not and thats where I feel the rating for Sharkies and Kevin Brain in Waterville should be reviewed again. Since Brian Kennedy opened Sharkies He has made great efforts to get the local community and youngsters involved in fishing of all disiplins, under the umbrella of the RAI (recreational angling Ireland) I and many other instructors have given our time on days out to many local (and not so local) marks. Where Brian has funded baits, rigs, transport and give aways to as many as 60 youngsters at a time. I recongnise of course that the shop its self is small, yet there is always fresh bait and Brian will talk your brain to jelley if you let him. Kevin like any Welsh man will also talk away like mad, get him to show you pictures of the Welsh open wins he's had and all the other trophys he has won in a long competitive carreer. He is also the mover and shaker of the Waterville club and organizer of many of the big comps in Kerry. They are a great bunch from the likes of Irish team captains and ex world champion to the local post man. A few years ago Kev tried and failed to make a go of a tackle and bait shop along the Lee road in Cork but he will always be rememberd by me for being the only man to sell live sandeels, great bait from boats.
Half way tackle is owned and run by Dan Lynch and there is no better man Ex Irish boat fishing captain and team member for a few years now, and untill very recently a club mate of mine.
Brian Kev and Dan have one thing that makes them stand out, they know what there on about because there anglers.

[Andip]

Originally Posted by SeaFields

Murrays on Patrick st., Cork - Very claustrophobic feel inside the place with everything being behind glass. Still tho cheap and cheerful.

If you're a coarse fisherman you could get arrested in there - I went into Murrays last year looking for some Hemp seed & the guy told me it was illegal to supply drugs and that the Gards would be very interested in the fact that I was asking

Originally Posted by SeaFields

P.S. Mods, this thread, even though its early has the potential to be a sticky if a lot of people contribute and there's a good geographical spread. What ye think?

I agree - I'll get the glue & stickify it

[SeaFields]

Hi Billy,

Welcome to Boards.

I don't think I was being overly harsh on the places I mentioned as not liking but to explain...

I shopped in Sharkies a couple of times. Certainly Brian K should be commended for what he does in the local community, introducing kids to fishing. I will agree with you there.

However, as for reviewing the shop itself, which was the aim of this thread, I find it too small and there always seemed to me like there was a couple of fellas in there chatting (buddies of Brian perhaps) looking over your shoulder as to what your buying. That did not sit well with me. On my final trip in there I went to the counter with my purchases to be greeted by a young lad, sprawled across a chair, scratching his balls, asking me where I was going. I told him I was off fishing, paid him and left. Just because it is a fishing tackle shop does not mean it should not strive to the same standards of professionalism that you would encounter in any other retail environment. You are, after all, paying for the service as well as the gear.

As for Waterville, I tend to have a dislike for angler that like to talk - the so-called "expert". Again Kevin Brain can be commended for his achievements in angling but I did prefer when Tadgh ran the place. I will in this case bow to your knowledge of the man and edit my original post.

Completely forgot about Peter Horne. Yes good selection and bought my first fly rod there which accounted for plenty of brownies and sea-trout and even a grilse (not bad for a 7ft fly rod!).

Haven't had much experience of the tackle shop at half-way. Think I was there once only but Doc Farrell gives it a good review in a subsequent post.

Again welcome to the angling forum Billy and we look forward to more posts. It would be good to have another Cork angler posting - too many of them Dublin boys around here

[Macspower]

Hi guys,

great thread,

I'll make my little contribution.

In Kildare where I'm from

Countryman Angling Naas. Small shop but he wholesales to other shops so not all stock on display but they have most stuff. Brian that works there is very friendly and efficient. I like the owner John but some don't. If he sees you as a catch and release man your elected... Looking for barbless hooks gets you in good books. Good for deadbait and maggots but a little expensive at 4 per pint IMO

Griffen Hawe Athy. This place is a strange one. they have a fishing and shooting department upstairs and you could find anything in it. Guy behind the counter knows absolutely nothing. A lot of stuff is not priced properly or sometimes not at all. but there are some bargains for certain. I reckon alot of the stuff is priced incorrectly sometime well in your favour. A lot of the stock is older stuff and not too modern. Worth a visit if your down that way.

Carrick on Shannon.

Tooman Angling. This is an excellently stocked shop with loads of groundbait at good prices 6x 1 kg (sensas and van de eynde)bags for 20 euro compared to 5er each in Kildare. Cheapest around for brown crumb in 25kg bags. I find them helpfull and friendly but locals hate the place. They are a bit expensive for some stuff but they can be haggled. Maggots are good at 3 per pint but I did get a bad pint one day that nearly ruined our days fishing.... Tony is the owner

Shannon Tackle Jamestown

Well I saved the best till last. his place is about 5 miles from carrick on shannon in a place called jamestown. Shop a a guys house. Terry is his name and he's helpful and friendly and has loads of stuff at right prices. Big into his pike gear. Again ground baits 3 x 1kg for 10 euro (van de eynde only). Locals wouldn't shop anywhere else. He has deadbaits worms and maggots always in stock and will tell you exactly where is fishing well.
Open 8am to 8 pm 7 days