The landscape of Charleston and the lowcountry has changed quite a bit in my 40+ years of living here in Charleston, but one thing that has stood the test of time is the presence of local tackle shops. I can remember people saying that the big stores would end up squeezing the small guys out of business. Many of those big companies have come and gone over this time. More recently I heard people say that the internet and online stores would be the end of small local tackle shops and yet they are still here and thriving. There is a demand for local tackle shops that I do not see ever going away. I can remember going to Johns Rod and Reel as a kid. Back then the store was located in Mr. Johns garage at his house. Not only could you get the tackle you needed, but you could also get some good, timely fishing information and a few good stories to boot. Todays local shops fill a niche that big stores cannot fill. The local shops are usually staffed by local people that grew up fishing the waters of the lowcountry and understand not only what is being caught here and now, but also know what type of fishing is coming up and how to help anglers get the items they need to help make their trip a success.
Over the last decade of owning this site I have come to appreciate our local tackle shops in a different way than I did as a customer.
Getting to know the owners and learning the depth of their commitment to the local community has really given me a new understanding of all the things they do. These owners are not only there for the local fishing community supporting countless fishing clubs and tournaments, but they heavily involved in many different facets of the community. The amount of time they spend helping others outside of the fishing community is pretty amazing. The list of the number of charities and other organizations they donate their money, products and time to is lengthy and helps our local community in many ways that most people do not even realize.
I often hear people mention a deal t