Fishing Rods

Once or twice a year I stop by this old-time out-of-the-way tackle shop about a mile from work called Ace Fishing Tackle to look around for some unique fishin' "stuff".

This place is no Bass Pro Shop or Academy. It has aisles of old plastic lures, jigs, spinner baits (with pictures of guys wearing polyester trucker caps from the late 70s or earlier 80s). It has rows of low end rods and cubby holes full of hand poured plastics and hand made lead weights. It has refrigerators with frozen bait and barrels with live perch, minnow, goldfish and pans of crawfish that scatter as I walk by them. ( - - blocked - - ), it just smells like an old tackle shop.

Anyways, as I was walking back out to the entrance past the glass counter with old and used reels I saw a rod rack with the All Star logo on it. But instead of AllStar rods it had the familiar Carolina Rig special, a collapsible Helium flippin' stick, a He69APC, and a few others. I hear a voice from the other side of the counter that said, "Those are the best rods in the place". It was the owner, an elderly gentlemen probably in his 80s. I said, "( - - blocked - - )". He proceeded to tell me how he replaced both his AllStar and Waterloo (custom built rods using GLoomis blanks) rods with the Kistlers. He proceeded to tell me how the Kistler family worked with All Star and Castaway. He proceeded to tell me how a fisherman he knew replaced all his AllStars with Kistler Heliums. I was stunned he was so knowledgable about the history but pleased. He also noted how strong those rods were compared to the other manufactures and he said something regarding four times the quality better (I think). I told him I also replaced all my rods with Kistlers and thatI knew what he was talking about. I had to shout as he's a bit hard of hearing.

He closed out the conversation by telling me he should be getting four more rods in soon and thanked me for stopping by. I then left and went back to work.

Chavez, your post reminded me to make my annual visit to the shrine to fishing history that is Ace Tackle.

Wandering the aisles you can find some of the latest hot lures, not only from today, but from the last 40 years of fishing. Something in me begins thinking how they could re-organize, clearance out the junk, and make this a profitable business. Somehow, though, that's not the point. I think the old man owns the whole little shopping strip, and doubt the tackle business has made a profit in years, except possibly the thriving live bait trade. I hear guides, tournament anglers, and other fishing buddies joke about Ace, but they miss the point. This is the kind of tackle shop we all grew up visiting, and it hasn't changed a bit. I like to take my kids there when I can, they have a blast (mostly looking at all the live bait). Sadly, I imagine it will be gone soon after the old man is. I found a few gems today on the shelves that will make it in my boat. I always do...

I'll be sure to stop by and pickup some live bait there next time I take the kids to a local pond. And yes, sadly I too predict it will disappear once the owner does and probably few folks will notice or care. I think in the several times I've gone there I've only seen one other customer in there besides me so profit making business it ain't. I do know the old man owns the whole strip mall in which he rents out the space to other businesses so maybe he keeps it open for sentimental or nostalgic reasons.

The only other small tackle shop I occassionally visit is Highland Lakes Tackle in Round Rock. They carry an assortment of Yo-Zuri and Lucky Craft lures and GYCB plastics and other stuff yet I end up buying most of my stuff online nowadays as it's cheaper and selection is better.

I like Highland Lakes Tackle also. Good selection, and they'll order anything you want. They're a little out of the way, so I don't get there too often. Once BassPro and Cabelas come to town, it may be the end of them too. But then Cabelas carries Kistler, so it's not all bad! The little tackle shop in Bastrop was a great place, but they've been gone for a year or more now, a victim of poor location after the freeway was rebuilt/expanded.

Darn it, now i'am feeling old and I was born in the late 60s.

I am glad you guys stop in and patronize Ace Tackle. I found the shop two years ago and try to go about every two months. If you are truly a fishing nut, talk to the owner a little more, and I know he is hard of hearing, but it will be worth it. Where Parmer goes in front of the store, there was a factory there and he was raised on that land. The factory jobbed out lures for Heddon and others for many years, and he told me that they would buy cedar in Missouri and store it in the rafters for curative purposes. All of the plugs up on the wall over the front door were once produced by this factory and I have tried to buy a couple of the placards every time I go in. So, spend a little extra time and get a great history lesson. He is still quite sharp and remembers everything, including that my grandmother worked at the Stagecoach Inn back in the 50s!!