# Why is no retailer serious about ice fishing



## papaperch (Apr 12, 2004)

I have lived in Ohio my whole life and cannot understand this ONE thing. Why do the tackle retailers wait until the ice is already on then come out full force with their stock. I drove all the to a large retailer the other day and he was just starting to set it out. SIGH !!!!!!

If you own a bait shop or sporting goods store why would you wait ? If you already have the stock in display it. Since our ice season is relatively short I like to be on it once it does get here. Not shopping for some jig or reel or whatever. I would think most of the serious ice guys feel the same way or maybe I am just too excitable.


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## Shortdrift (Apr 5, 2004)

There were a lot of ice fishing tackle and equipment left over last year. Ohio is not a sure bet on getting a good, solid, long freeze so the retailers are afraid to get stuck with a lot of merchandise. What they don't sell they pay an inventory tax on. Hope this gives you a better idea of why things don't happen early on in the Ohio ice fishing theather.


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## fishingful (Apr 5, 2004)

i have the other problem after the ice gets here i need something and no one has it in stock they carry a limited supply..............my theory is that the ice season is risky here we could have 3 months or 3 weeks of ice it is feast or famin on the sale of ice gear and some retailers get stuck with it for a year that means stock that you cant sell i dont think we would have this problem if we lived in the northern states like minn..............jim


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## fishingful (Apr 5, 2004)

haha shortdrift we had the same ideas at the same time


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## steelmagoo (Apr 13, 2004)

Last season, when the Mentor Gander Mtn pulled most of their ice stuff early, one of the salespeople told me that they were sending it to the Wisconsin and Minnesota stores. Maybe it was because they had a shortage up there or it wasn't moving down here. Just seemed much earlier than the year before.


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## hardwaterfan (Apr 6, 2004)

Last year my GM didnt even have any jigging rapalas except for what was left over from the year before. Luckily, i already had what i needed.

We are def. on the southern border of ice fishing country and ya know what, that sucks!

(Not that i would want to live up north!) Come ice fishing time i get jealous of those guys, but thats the ONLY time. Was reading on a Michigan site.....one guy says "I only go out when there is a good 4-6" of ice, like in mid December"  

papa, i appreciate your ice fishing enthusiasm!


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## steelmagoo (Apr 13, 2004)

Actually, I have brought up the subject of moving to Minnesota to my wife. As a matter of fact, she told me *I* could move whenever I wanted to.


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## Fishinfreak (Oct 12, 2004)

Those linder boys moved to minnesota.And i think they liked it?


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## JBJ (Apr 11, 2004)

Even with what little we did carry last ice fishing season, we had too much left over to clearance out. That doesn't sit well in the retail industry.

I believe that due to how badly ice fishing supplies have sold in this area over the years, folks have gotten used to picking up their supplies once they have gone on clearance. This compounds the problem. I honestly can't go to bat for getting much more product in for this season. I have had discussions with my sales mgr. about this issue. We will do what we can but this is the most unlikely line of fishing product for me to get fixed. I don't think I will be able to prove cost effectiveness in this case.


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## Shortdrift (Apr 5, 2004)

Gander, Cabelas, Bass Pro, etc.,are not the only place to buy tackle and equipment. Limited selection based of volume is the very reason we should spend some bucks at the local tackle and or bait shop. I deal almost exclusively with Rodmakers in Strongsville, Ohio and they can always find time to special order any ice items they dont have in stock. Another good example is our friend and supporter, Daves Bait in Vermilion. I'm sure he would order what you need if his suppliers carried it and sell it at the best possible price he could afford. What is better? A discounted price on a limited selection that forces you into a compromise or a fair price for exactly what you are looking for.


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## riverbottoms (May 4, 2004)

I stopped by Gander Mt. Reynoldsburg last weds. for a couple icefishing needs. They had very little of anything pertaining to icefishing on dispay yet.
If your serious about icefishing and need big ticket items and what's new for icefishing, order from www.reedssports.com and www.thornebros.com out of Minn.
These guys should have what you need.


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## Big Daddy (Apr 6, 2004)

Gander Mtn in Twinsburg is loaded with ice gear. Power augers, augers, shanties, everything is out NOW. Also, I saw a TON of ice gear, like the St Croix ice rods, etc., at Fin/Feather/Fur in Ashland. I'll be stopping in there Sunday, probably around 1 or 2ish, depending on when I leave our OGF Admin meeting on Saturday. I can tell you guys this, LOTS of things going on in 2005...TONS.

If anyone wants to hook up at Fin/Feather?fur at 2pm this Sunday, I'm driving my green Dodge with the TEAM OGF stickers on it.


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## sliderville (Apr 21, 2004)

ANOTHER GOOD PLACE TO ORDER FROM IS WWW.PETERSON-OUTDOORS.COM . THEY ARE AKA "THE ICE FISHING TACKLE STORE".THEY ARE IN PA.


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## papaperch (Apr 12, 2004)

As a former retailer myself i do understand the dilemna about wether to load up on ice equipment or not. What I was mainly talking about is already in stock and being too busy , lazy whatever to display it. I was told by GM in niles and kames and this is not a direct quote but basically " most of the stuff is in the back room its too early to set it up yet " This is what frustates me. I do buy quite a bit over the internet already but would indeed like to support our local shops.  

Also I must be partly to blame also because when i inquired about ice equipment in oct .I got looked at like I asked where do I refuel my spaceship.

One other thing is these business guys ought to do their homework , ice fishing is the fastest growing group in sportfishing the past three years.

Ranting now over and back to the catalogs


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## Corey (Apr 5, 2004)

I know what you mean papaperch. I filled my ice fishing display last month but it's hard to do considering that the whol;esalers are just now beginning to send out their ice fishing catalogs. I got a call from a rep yesterday asking me if I was ready to stock for the season. I told him, "heck, I did that last month". If the suppliers would get their info out earlier, maybe some of the smaller stores, like me, would put out their ice fishing merchandise earlier. Another thing that may affect it is what sells. For some reason I have trouble selling lures like the jigging Raps, so I don't invest in much inventory of that kind. I do stock and sell augers, replacement blades, tip-ups, rods, reels, combos, ice line, bobbers, scoops, spud bars, scoops, etc..


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## bttmline (Apr 7, 2004)

terry, 
it is about time you joined us here. i knew when your toes got cold and your nose started running you would not be able to hold back any longer. great to hear your typing keys chime. hope to see ya soon bud,
tim


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## johnboy111711 (Apr 7, 2004)

i know falls outdoor sports has a pretty good selection up, with more ordered. I saw many jigging rapalas on display


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## River Walker (Apr 7, 2004)

Mifflin Lakes Trading Post down on Charles Mill Lake has a ton of ice fishing gear on display,they've had it out for quite awhile now.You name it,they got it.It's only a 15 minute drive from Fin feather and fur,so you could easily shop both stores.


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## steelmagoo (Apr 13, 2004)

I was at the Mentor GM today. They are just starting to get out the ice gear. Rods, reels, shantys, and augers are on the shelves. No terminal tackle out yet but they're working on it. I kicked the tires on the Fish Trap Scout. $199.00 price tag doesn't thrill me. Salesperson confirmed that the GM stores up north sucked up all the ice stuff early last season.


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