Rt 46 bait and tackle closing its doors today

[LightGearMike]

Hi Everyone,

I just took my lunch break to go over to rt 46 bait and tackle and found out they are closing their doors for good today. everything is at an insane markdown. I hate to see them go because they are the only bait shop for salt water bait in the area but they have rods and reels marked to 70% off. Again, hate to see them go... but ill take advantage of any sale.

22 E Columbia Ave, Palisades Park, NJ 07650 - for GPS

[OMC]

I tried calling him to get an idea of the rods he has left but he is busy and wont give me a straight answer. Its an hour drive but if he still has a large selection i would drive out there. Were you there today ?

[WhaleFart]

Jimmy the owner is a good dude once you get to know him...46 bait and tackle was a clutch place for me as I use to live in fort lee and would stop there to get some essential before trips. It's sad to see him close his doors. He always had a very nice selection of rods and reels, with sometimes a gem deal. I feel bad for the guys who fished the Hudson and would rely on him for bunker and tackle.

[NJ Dave]

70 % off his prices puts you just at retail.
Went there once, little expensive

[NoLimit]

Effingers is gone too... sad.

[Fishin Polski]

The internet strikes again!

[Abrasion]

I never knew how bad tackle stores jacked you on rods and reels until the internet came around.

[Jigman13]

I'll pay a mark up any day of the week knowing fresh bunker, clams, shiners, fatheads etc can easily be purchased at the same place.

It's rough watching bait and tackle shops close up.

[june181901]

One way to deal with the local tackle shop and the internet places is to approach the owner.Talk to him privately that you found a certain reel at a lower price and if needed tell him the site/store. Ask him if he will match the price. if he agrees he makes some money on a sale if he disagrees then he makes nothing on your purchase in Alabama or wherever.
It is worth asking!

[LightGearMike]

I spoke with the owner for a bit before he closed last night. He had a lot of rods/reels left and he caved on pricing. 5 good rods and 5 awesome reels for $225. He had a young guy who is/was working for him who wants to open a shop but only carry terminal tackle and bait. He said he's looking for a place that's a lot smaller since he wont carry rods and reels. I gave him my number since i know the real estate in the area and hopefully I can find him a small retail place soon. If i do find him that perfect place, you'll all be the first to know.

[stevelikes2fish]

I never knew how bad tackle stores jacked you on rods and reels until the internet came around.

The kind of service and helpful hints out weights any internet deal. I'll pay more any day of the week at a local bait and tackle shop for their expertise and knowledge. Sadly this is happening all over. I was very sad to see Meltzer's in Garfield close it's doors last year. Place will always hold a special place in my heart, being I first went in there 45 years ago with my uncle to purchase my first saltwater spinning reel.
Another reason why I will never step foot in a walfart!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[SaltLife1980]

We are loosing some good tackle shops. Sucks. Im all for saving a few bucks but you dont get the service online like you do in a store. Plus you get to shoot the shit with them about fishing.

[joeya78]

He had very good time pricing the last three weeks I myself spent about 1200 bucks in three trips. Floro, butterfly jigs, rogue rods for110 bucks, offshore trolling stuff, spreader bars....all around 50 percent off. Ron area plugs 7 bucks? If you didn't yet there, you def missed out!

[Abrasion]

The kind of service and helpful hints out weights any internet deal. I'll pay more any day of the week at a local bait and tackle shop for their expertise and knowledge. Sadly this is happening all over. I was very sad to see Meltzer's in Garfield close it's doors last year. Place will always hold a special place in my heart, being I first went in there 45 years ago with my uncle to purchase my first saltwater spinning reel.
Another reason why I will never step foot in a walfart!!!!!!!!!!!!!


People vote with their dollars. Good riddance to Effinger's. They were the definition of hubris. You jack people for years as the only game in town and then act surprised when you get knocked out. The business model has changed. You either change with it or get rolled.

To me- tackle shops are like a convenience store. You pay more for the convenience. But you don't do your grocery shopping there.

If some of these retail shops agreed to match internet pricing, I'd buy my stuff there and go nowhere-eltzer

[Detour66]

Another local B&T bites the dust. It's a shame but it's the results of cheaper prices on the internet and terrible salt water fishing regulations. This will start to spill over to boat builders...rod and reel manufacturers and even the internet stores once the regs eventually shut everyone down! Everything changes....and mostly not for the best!

[No Fluke]

If you needed live bait, he was the only game in town and had an impressive selection of all types of rods, lures, etc.

However, I personally witnessed him being extremely rude and condescending to many customers (including yours truly), so this does not surprise me one bit.

At my last trip at this store this summer, a guy came to pick up his rod (didn't hear the very beginning of their conversation, but it was apparently for some repairs?) and was upset that it wasn't ready as promised. The owner's responses to him was "you don't hear very well", "you hear only what you want to hear" and some other potshots drooling with sarcasm.

I told the owner that if his behavior towards customers continued, he'd be closed down in the very near future. He had no response and didn't care. I never witnessed any such behavior even remotely close to this in the numerous other bait shops I've been in. The only thing that surprises me is that he lasted this long.

If one of the younger guys does indeed open up another store nearby, I'd love to check it out since they were always so polite. However, most of the one's I saw were high school teens.

[njboarder]

Lived nearby and used to pick up stuff if I needed them in a hurry. I too witnessed Jimmy's condescending tones more than a few times stopped going there. A good friend of mine, however, was a frequent shopper who goes way back ever since the place opened years ago. But one thing that turned him off was when he ran into Sam the sinker man in front of 46 B&T and chatted a bit, since he and I always got leads from Sam. Then Jimmy ran out screaming at Sam, accusing Sam of stealing his customer, which my buddy thought was extremely disrespectful to Sam. Guess Sam supplied lead to Jimmy at one point and Jimmy misunderstood what was going on, but still that's no way to treat a nice old gentleman like Sam.
Not sure about bait, but as far as tackle goes, it's not the end of the world, since Jigging World is not too far away and they have a better selection and price anyways. Plus, Yong is always a pleasure to deal with.

[NoLimit]

I keep my tackle costs down by only buying at local shops. A typical case is friends we invited from Pa who knew we were going jigging for stripers. He insisted on going to Cabellas where he bought $100 worth of lures without having any idea what was working.

Meanwhile, the local shops gave us the low down and he spent all day catching fish with the one swim shad we lent him. None of the stuff he bought caught a single fish.

[Capt. Debbie]

They made their money. Unlike the internet sellers selling all year round NJ guys have essentially a five month season. Ask Cancun Pete how much is made November to May to pay the same rent he pays in the Summer.

There is a reason for convenience and its price to give it. Your example has local supermarkets to buy from instead of 7-11's for food. But there are no tackle "supermarkets"- BASS & CABELA is about all. And they are not in very other town along the shore to specifically keep sales volume high.

Its sad because NOTHING is replacing any of these closed places. NOTHING!

Next time try buying bait on the internet. You want to feel a rod before you buy it.... go to PA and see Cabela is what we are walking towards. NOT GOOD



People vote with their dollars. Good riddance to Effinger's. They were the definition of hubris. You jack people for years as the only game in town and then act surprised when you get knocked out. The business model has changed. You either change with it or get rolled.

To me- tackle shops are like a convenience store. You pay more for the convenience. But you don't do your grocery shopping there.

If some of these retail shops agreed to match internet pricing, I'd buy my stuff there and go nowhere-eltzer

[Ice Cream Bill]

No Fluke and njboarder,

You guys hit the nail on the head! Though I bought my pair of Grunden's from Rt. 46 Bait & Tackle a few years ago, the owner was extremely rude to his customers, to go as far as making anti-American comments in front of people. I personally know 4-5 anglers in Bergen Cty. who would never set foot in his store again. No great loss...

I was very sorry to see Meltzer's close. Mark, Bob, Nick and Danny were always nice to me. Glad to see Danny working with Young at Jigging World. Only went to Effinger's a few times, as I live an hour from there. I will always support local shops like Jigging World, Fairfield Tackle (Cheryl), and both Ramsey Outdoor locations (Andrew in Ramsey, Marty in Succasunna) before I walk into a big-box store like Dick's, Cabela's or Bass Pro.

[Foul Hook]

They made their money. Unlike the internet sellers selling all year round NJ guys have essentially a five month season. Ask Cancun Pete how much is made November to May to pay the same rent he pays in the Summer.

There is a reason for convenience and its price to give it. Your example has local supermarkets to buy from instead of 7-11's for food. But there are no tackle "supermarkets"- BASS & CABELA is about all. And they are not in very other town along the shore to specifically keep sales volume high.

Its sad because NOTHING is replacing any of these closed places. NOTHING!

Next time try buying bait on the internet. You want to feel a rod before you buy it.... go to PA and see Cabela is what we are walking towards. NOT GOOD

Well spoken Capt. The local guys are getting thinner as we speak. I'm guilty of it too, we save a dollar and it costs us two in the end.

[Rottilover]

I had to put my two cents in on this one. I live 10 minutes South of 46 B&T and I've been there many times thoroughout the years. Mostly to get some reels spooled last minute or buy live bait. Anytime I asked the owner a fishing or tackle related question I got the same stupid , arrogant look on his face and an even worse answer. To the point where I never asked him anything again. How in the world can an owner of a tackle shop who is looking for a customers business be so rude to people. Less then zero people skills. His closing is going to inconvenience me a little but it's sad but I'm glad this guy is closed . It makes me realize what a pleasure it was dealing with the fishing crew at Meltzers.

[jokim]

I had to put my two cents in on this one. I live 10 minutes South of 46 B&T and I've been there many times thoroughout the years. Mostly to get some reels spooled last minute or buy live bait. Anytime I asked the owner a fishing or tackle related question I got the same stupid , arrogant look on his face and an even worse answer. To the point where I never asked him anything again. How in the world can an owner of a tackle shop who is looking for a customers business be so rude to people. Less then zero people skills. His closing is going to inconvenience me a little but it's sad but I'm glad this guy is closed . It makes me realize what a pleasure it was dealing with the fishing crew at Meltzers.

I agree with this. This shop is walking distance for me and I still do not go here. I am not even surprised that he is closing, dont understand why he even opened in the first place.