The truth is none of these stores will really hurt Hadrells or Charleston Angler. First, they are not located anywhere near them. I live in Goose Creek so my options are to drive 30+ minutes to the local places, order from Amazon, or Walmart.
Now I have Gander Mountain and F&S.
F&S seems better than Gander with a better selection of Fresh, and near shore tackle. They have some off shore stuff, but I really didn’t see any large spools of heavy braid, calusa nets, 12oz weights, or live bait. I did see a good assortment of lead, some better quality nets, and frozen bait including large whole squid.
If they are smart, over time they will adjust to what we ask for, but I thought the same thing about Gander and you cant even get a real Gary Yamamoto Senko there so we will have to wait and see.
I did find the Trout Tricks by the Z-Man wall behind the Spooling station and Savage 3D Shrimp/Blue crab. Been killing the reds and flounder on the shrimp.
I don’t walk into the home improvement store and expect professional electrical advice or Walmart and expect professional fashion advice, and I will not walk into a BPS, F&S, Gander Mt, or Dicks and expect them to teach me how to fish.
They won’t hurt PSA, or any local store worth a crap. Those “chain/big box” stores don’t have the resources, or care for that matter, to regionalize their offerings.
If I worked at HPT, CA, or PSA, stores like this wouldn’t even be on my radar.
No matter how much it hurts, how dark it gets, or how far you fall…you are never out of the fight.
Those types of stores are most definitely “self serve.” If you ask an associate a question, you either get the “deer in the headlights” and/or the ol’ “let me go ask a manager” response.
It would suck if that was all I had available to me, that’s for sure.
Earn it everyday
If there must be trouble, let it be in my day, that my child may have peace.
Never shoot a large caliber man with a small caliber bullet.
Those types of stores are most definitely “self serve.” If you ask an associate a question, you either get the “deer in the headlights” and/or the ol’ “let me go ask a manager” response.
It would suck if that was all I had available to me, that’s for sure.
Earn it everyday
If there must be trouble, let it be in my day, that my child may have peace.
Never shoot a large caliber man with a small caliber bullet.
This!
I went in there with the kids on Sunday during the rain storm. Great selection, but it’s too much! Not to mention its so far out. Asked for a price on a landing net after waiting 15 mins the guy couldn’t figure out how to work the scanner. I said no thanks!
Haddrells is my go to because it’s right by the landing, they have exactly what you need for these waters and pretty friendly staff. If Palmetto State were in West Ashley I’d be broke, good selection, but not too big!
I have heard through the grapevine that they have a very Charleston specific selection - better than other big box stores. It appears they did their homework. I have not been there yet myself.
I have heard through the grapevine that they have a very Charleston specific selection - better than other big box stores. It appears they did their homework. I have not been there yet myself.
Stopped by there last night and walked around. About what I expected… I would put them a couple notches above Gander as far as selection. Nothing to get overly excited about though.
They have a great outdoor camping selection of cook stoves and other equipment. They have tons of kayak equipment. Seemed to have a good selection of winter hunting clothes…that stuff will help you sweat out a few pounds waiting on cold weather to arrive. Looked like they have a lot of choices in hiking boots. They were weak on spinning reels - they ones they had were heavy as sack of cement. Good selection of terminal tackle
With Gander, Palmetto, Field and Stream and our local guys, we don’t need to drive to Bass Pro anymore.
“I am constantly amazed at the stupidity of the general public.”
~my dad
Equipment:
190cc Sea Pro w/130 Johnson
1- 20 year old (boy of leisure)
1 - 17 year old (fishing maniac)
1 - wife (The Warden)
They have a great outdoor camping selection of cook stoves and other equipment. They have tons of kayak equipment. Seemed to have a good selection of winter hunting clothes…that stuff will help you sweat out a few pounds waiting on cold weather to arrive. Looked like they have a lot of choices in hiking boots. They were weak on spinning reels - they ones they had were heavy as sack of cement. Good selection of terminal tackle
With Gander, Palmetto, Field and Stream and our local guys, we don’t need to drive to Bass Pro anymore.
“I am constantly amazed at the stupidity of the general public.”
~my dad
Equipment:
190cc Sea Pro w/130 Johnson
1- 20 year old (boy of leisure)
1 - 17 year old (fishing maniac)
1 - wife (The Warden)
ECFC
I don’t know that I’d put PSA in the same boat as Gander, BPS, or F&S.
No matter how much it hurts, how dark it gets, or how far you fall…you are never out of the fight.
Hey just wanted to post this for anyone in the market for a Penn reel. If you buy a Penn reel, they will spool it up with Spiderwire braid for free. Just bought a couple of Battle II reels and had them spooled up with 30#. May not be what everyone wants, but I figure it saved me some money.
How exactly is Palmetto a “big box” store? What constitutes a “big box” store to you? I’ve always understood it to mean very large nationwide retail stores (ie. Cabela’s, BPS, DSG/F&S, Gander, Academy…).
Palmetto has five stores (6 after the Summerville store opens) right here in SC and owned by SClinians. Hell, the owner is a Major in the SC Army National Guard. Their largest store is the one in Mt Pleasant and it’s not half as big as the actual “big box” stores I mentioned. No, there store hasn’t been in Mt Pleasant long but the length of time the store has been open has nothing to do with the knowledge/experience the people that work there have. I’m fairly positive Mike Able’s first day on the water wasn’t the first day he opened HPT.
Looking at your signature, it’s easy to find the motivation in your comments. I don’t recall AGT being in the “best fishing shop” discussion/argument. I guess I’d feel scorned too.
No matter how much it hurts, how dark it gets, or how far you fall…you are never out of the fight.
Hooked up is right…if you simply consider the PSA store in Mt Pleasant is square (like a box) inside.
That said, I don’t see how competition is bad for the consumer…unless of course if you’re not competitive. Sadly, sometimes the deal you get in some of these “big box stores” is hard for people to pass up. I for one don’t mind paying a little more for better service and more personalized attention but you can’t tell others where they can or can’t spend their money. Since PSA opened, I’ve seen more sales, more often, from local competitor’s shops than ever before. How is that bad for the consumer? I shop where I can get what I want/need. Yes, I shop at the PSA store here in Columbia (because I don’t just fish) so I willingly gravitated to the new PSA store in Mt Pleasant. That said, if I can’t get what I need/want from them, I have absolutely no problem going to HPT or Charleston Angler. My loyalty leads me to my favorite store(s) but my consumerism (don’t even know if that’s a word…Lol!) takes me where I need to go to get what I need.
Earn it everyday
If there must be trouble, let it be in my day, that my child may have peace.
Never shoot a large caliber man with a small caliber bullet.
I sucked at the whole “square peg, round hole” thing.
I’m pretty sure Capt Dave, who works in the fishing department at PSA, is a retired charter Capt from Florida. I’m sure he has a little knowledge to share. Chris knows a thing or two about kayak fishing the backwaters of the Charleston area too.
That’s a pretty broad and ignorant statement to make about people’s knowledge. Did you screen their resumes? Or is that more desperation talking?
No matter how much it hurts, how dark it gets, or how far you fall…you are never out of the fight.
Hooked up is right…if you simply consider the PSA store in Mt Pleasant is square (like a box) inside.
That said, I don’t see how competition is bad for the consumer…unless of course if you’re not competitive. Sadly, sometimes the deal you get in some of these “big box stores” is hard for people to pass up. I for one don’t mind paying a little more for better service and more personalized attention but you can’t tell others where they can or can’t spend their money. Since PSA opened, I’ve seen more sales, more often, from local competitor’s shops than ever before. How is that bad for the consumer? I shop where I can get what I want/need. Yes, I shop at the PSA store here in Columbia (because I don’t just fish) so I willingly gravitated to the new PSA store in Mt Pleasant. That said, if I can’t get what I need/want from them, I have absolutely no problem going to HPT or Charleston Angler. My loyalty leads me to my favorite store(s) but my consumerism (don’t even know if that’s a word…Lol!) takes me where I need to go to get what I need.
Earn it everyday
If there must be trouble, let it be in my day, that my child may have peace.
Never shoot a large caliber man with a small caliber bullet.
I can understand where your coming from, I think most of what the local shops dont like is when a customer buys a $300 something from a non locally owned store because they had a killer blowout sale and then comes and bends the ear for a couple hours of a local business to find out some great knowledge and then purchases a pack corks for 1.49 because they felt guilty for picking thier brain and leaves, its
Your absolutley right, its not the customers fault for outsmarting the local tackle shops into thinking you are there to buy something, but with that mentallity you can surely expect the local shops to get very tight lipped and people who drive in from columbia to fish will soon find information a bit tougher to come by in waters not in thier backyard
Sorry I posted anything on here, you guys reminded me why the captains, mates and local fisherman stop using this site years ago, I see most of you are from out of town- I guess welcome to the NEW Charleston Fishing, you guys are the pros
For the most part, I’ve found plenty of helpful and knowledgeable anglers here on CF so I’m afraid i don’t share your sentiment on that.
I guess I’ve been lucky then because the guys at PSA and HPT are and have always been nothing but helpful and professional with me…even though I’m and “out of towner” and “drive in from Columbia” to fish.
Because of my loyalties to PSA, I have had my share of run-ins with HPT loyalists but to be honest, I’ve never seen any of them bashing customers that choose to shop somewhere other than their favorite shop. For you to be associated with AGT and to openly throw around that type of sentiment is mind-blowing. I hope your current local customers are extremely happy and loyal because with that type of attitude towards “out of towners” or customers that choose to shop elsewhere, you definitely don;t have to worry about an influx of new business any time soon. In one statement, you’ve bashed fellow anglers on this site, this site itself, and potential customers with an apparent lack of concern. I guess you must be rolling in it over at AGT. Good for you, sir.
Earn it everyday
If there must be trouble, let it be in my day, that my child may have peace.
Never shoot a large caliber man with a small caliber bullet.
Considering “professional fishermen” are those that get paid to fish/depend on income from fishing to make a living, and recreational fishermen exponentially outnumber “professional fishermen,” I wouldn’t call that a business plan based on longevity. Here’s a thought, cater to both. But hey, we all hold ourselves and our expectations to different levels. I’m glad I’ve never been looked down upon by the staffs at the legit shops in town like CA, HPT, and PSA for not being a “professional fisherman.” And to think, they still provided noteworthy customer to me knowing I wasn’t a “professional fisherman.” Interesting business approach. Don’t sweat it though, the dinosaurs never saw extinction coming either.
No matter how much it hurts, how dark it gets, or how far you fall…you are never out of the fight.