Tackle Shortage

I was at Fleet Farm restocking some tackle and man oh man…the selection due to covid I have to imagine meant a lot of out of stock items. Especially on the basic stuff like hooks, swivels, and weights. The weights I’m assuming have to do with water gremlin going out of business more so than covid but other than a handful of bigger weights like 3oz bottom bouncers there were no weights available. Not a splitshot, egg sinker, or bullet weight to be found in any size. Walmart has had their selection be pretty slim all summer as well.

I’m curious is this is just happening in the Twin Cities metro or others seeing this in other areas as well?

These were fully stocked so most we are good

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I’m hoarding weights. Well except for those I gave Bearcats kid.

Bearcat89 wrote:

These were fully stocked so most we are good

Or they are terribly bad at catching fish.

amazon has piles of terminal tackle for 70% less than big box stores

Every brick & mortar store that I’ve visited is more empty than stocked. Reminiscent of the first weeks of the pandemic at the grocery store. Say what you want but China is the fishing tackle industry.

I’ve experienced this problem all season. Most years I’m able to buy what I need for line, sinkers, hooks, lures, plastics, hooks, etc at one of three retailers near my house: Dicks, Fleet Farm, or Cabelas. Not this season. It’s awful. I don’t remember the last time one of them had something in stock I needed so I’ve had to order all of it online all season which sucks because I have to deal with shipping delays and pay for shipping too.

Scheels in EP was fully stocked when they opened in July but a few weeks later they were wiped out too. It’s not just fishing tackle either. Ammo, camping gear, and I’m sure ice fishing gear will be hard to find as well.

When all the local manufacturing shut down because everyone wanted the cheap China stuff this is what you get.

Tackle is a small, small portion of what China could do to this country if they decided to.

Buy American when you can, while you can.

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Do you know what it’s like to buy a brand new boat but not be able to outfit it? I’m losing my mind waiting for back ordered accessories.

Water Gremlin is out of business???

B-man wrote:

Water Gremlin is out of business???

A couple years now.

I could of swore I just saw some water gremlin sinkers at scheels the other day

They had EPA problems but hadn’t heard they closed.

Just looked at scheels online and they have water gremlin sinkers in stock…

Dutchboy wrote:

They had EPA problems but hadn’t heard they closed.

Same here, that’s why I asked

So it it just because way more people were fishing this summer? Or is it because of supply issues blamed on COVID. Which, BTW, for people who talk about supply issues because of COVID — why, exactly is that? Companies along the supply chain are all running now?

COVID isn’t just a American problem. It started in China where nearly all manufacturing is for the United States. So, you lose production in China. Shipping delays getting the containers loaded and over here. Unloading delays. and before you know it what you figured would be a 2 month lead time in ordering is now taking 6 months or more to get here and stocked.

Just think how many different manufactures it takes to produce a completed Ford, Chevy, GMC, Dodge ect. It only takes ONE COMPANY to be shut down because of COVID to wreck the whole system.

Thanks for the post. Found some water gremlins in a country sport shop this morning

Water gremlin is up and running just so every one is aware.
They only shut down for a short period to work out some epa issues.

Water Gremlin was forced to close, at least for a while, when the EPA found that many of their Mexican laborers were not using proper protective clothing while handling the lead products, then going home and passing the lead contamination on to their kids. Several small kids were seen in local hospitals with lead poisoning and were reported to find out why they were seeing these instances in the Mexican population. It all boiled down to Water Gremlin’s plant in White Bear, or at least I thinks its White Bear.

If ai am not mistaken it was the lead production side of the company that was shut down while the lead-free products continued to be made and marketed. I never did what the resolution was with the company.

Isn’t this about the time stores switch to ice fishing gear?

queenswake wrote:

So it it just because way more people were fishing this summer? Or is it because of supply issues blamed on COVID. Which, BTW, for people who talk about supply issues because of COVID — why, exactly is that? Companies along the supply chain are all running now?

Combination of the 2. More people fishing AND Covid supply/shut down issues.

blackbay wrote:

Isn’t this about the time stores switch to <strong class=”ido-tag-strong”>ice fishing gear?

They don’t usually “switch” their open water fishing gear to ice fishing gear. They simply add an area of ice fishing gear to the floor. They never remove open water gear, it’s out there all year. Or at least the pegs and shelves are right now. Regardless, you can expect more of the same supply and availability issues in the future. Higher demand, supply chain issues, and less manpower to do the physical work.

My summer lake was as busy or maybe even less busy than a “normal” year yet inventory is wiped out. I think the higher demand seems exaggerated. However, I’m not doubting that demand has been higher overall.

Thankfully, I am just short of being a hoarder!

The Fleet Farm in Sioux City has been open for 3 years now, and their fishing department has never really been fully stocked. What they do stock, they don’t seem to stock in great numbers. Gotta say, I’ve been pretty let down by the store in general.

I would agree though, the basics have really been in short supply since the virus arrived. Our local Scheels has been holding up pretty well, other than the fishing line selection.