Best Places to Purchase Bars and Chains

[billfish]

All new to the trolling game, and want to start beefing up tackle.

Any advise as to the best place (online or shop) to purchase spreader bars and daisy chains?? I know a few places on Cape can be VERY expensive with all their tackle :cool: I know all the components of the set ups are important and make the sets more expensive depending on how they are constructed, but I dont want to spend the entire bank this early in the game... But man it would be fun to :brow

Any advise appreciated!

~Bill

[capt38]

Hi Billfish, Fisherman's Outfitter has top quality gear at reasonable prices. They have a web site and stores in Gloucester, Marshfield, Plymouth and West Dennis. These guys also will share spots and techniques. Good luck!

[AtlanticRancher]

Hey Bill;

Depends on what you fish for, but Melton tackle does a great job with bars and lures for warm water/non-giant stuff. Stalker Outfiters is good , and Finest Kind has some good prices from time to time. Always had good experiences with Fisherman's Outfitter for rods and reels.

[DaleH]

FWIW the $80 4' squid bar with (15) 13" squids from Fisherman's Outfitters is a hard deal to beat! But, that price is for internet sales only ... and you will get an earful if you go into the shop by land looking for the same price. Ask me how I know :eek: ?

Yes, my Dad worked retail too and I know all about overhead ... yet I think the staff could have nicely said "that price for i-net sales only" ... the berated lesson in retail economics I surely could have done without ... :rolleyes: .

Oh yeah, best part ... they catch fish --127-3- !

[sage fly guy]

Bill,

I think more important than initial cost is the shop itself. Find one that you are comfortable with and can talk openly about your tackle needs. You are going to spend some decent $$ anywhere you go, but find a shop where they are open to any and all questions.

If you stay at the trolling game for any amount of time you are going to want to learn how to build your own, bars and chains. Initial costs will be larger, gathering rigging supplies, bars, shells and mono, but after you have built 4-6 bars, and a dozen chains you will have saved some decent dollars to justify the initial outlay.


Depending where you are on the Cape take a look at the Hook-Up, always have good advice, and take Capt Eric's tuna course this winter, invaluable. I've been to most every tackle shop that carries big game equipment and they are at the top of the list. I also like CMS in New Bedford, they carry a large amount of supplies and build all my custom tuna stix for me, at a very reasonable price. I've been to Fisherman's Outfitter's, they open at 8am, not the greatest to begin with, and then when they open an hour late on the day in August when I decide to show up, I won't be going back.

chris

[Clarence M]

Call "The Hook-up" in Orleans and ask for Capt. Eric Stewart. Tell him what you have and he will help you fill in what is necessary to get started.

My friend and I fished for three years without catching any tuna. Last year we got lucky and caught a couple. This Spring we met with Eric after hours in his store and talked tuna for an hour. We left with some starter gear and have boated at least 40 tuna in five trips offshore.

Enought said.

Call him today

[billfish]

ALL GREAT INFO!! Thanks guys!

[Lucky]

e-Bay or www.finestkind.com

Melton is a bit expensive for me...but their stuff is good. At Finest Kind you can buy all the components and build yourself and save a lot of money. Very easy to rig a bar, chain or singles.

[mainecoast]

Saco Bay Tackle in southern Maine. They even have a web cam to show you product live over the internet.www.sacobaytackle.com.

Tightlines Tackle Co. mid coast Maine. www.tightlinestackle.com.

Both have served the commercial guys for years and have old school knowledge of tuna.

They don't shoot thier mouths off alot.
Watch out for the quiet ones.

Keith

[Go Fish]

The Fisherman's Outfitter online deal is really hard to beat. 4' Titanium bar, Ocean Concepts squid and premium rigging for $80.

I found you can't buy the parts for that cost...

They pull great and catch fish.

[Frankie G]

R n R in Hingham has been making a run at building their own bars and has really beefed up their offshore offerings in the last year. A bit on the pricey side it seems after seeing the prices out here, but the guy who makes the stuff is in the store and is really easy to talk to. Good stuff.

[sage fly guy]

The Fisherman's Outfitter online deal is really hard to beat. 4' Titanium bar, Ocean Concepts squid and premium rigging for $80.

I found you can't buy the parts for that cost...

They pull great and catch fish.


For 13" shells, under $40 for the whole kit and kaboodle. Make your own, $80 as good a deal as it seems is still expensive.

chris

[Jim Miller]

Hey Bill
Buy a good bar or two from a store/manuf.. Then use it to model your own. Like Chris said, it will be initially expensive to purchase crimpers, sleeves, shells, hooks etc. But you can buy in bulk and start saving money.
Especially useful after a bluefish attack on those beautiful new squids! :eek:
Once you build some bars/chains .... you will want to tweak them to swim correctly and taylor them to the wake/speed G spot of your Parker.
Good Luck! :-%

[tsheehy]

Where are you guys getting OLC squids for < $4 each?

-- Tom

[Jim Miller]

have found bars at Shark River Mail Order (NJ) to be very reasonable. 36" SS bar w/ swivels.... $5
and got these 4" and 8" shells on Ebay for very short $$$.
40 cents and 60 cents each respectively.
(these were for south of ACK venues)

[billfish]

WOW, thanks Jim. All makes sense, especially being able to repair bars from Bluefish wounds and taylor to work best from my boat. Thanks for the insight!

Bill

[DaleH]

For 13" shells, under $40 for the whole kit and kaboodle ...
Where ... ?? Getting (15) 13" squids at that price ("if" truly Ocean Concepts bulb squid) is darn near wholesale price, as the wholesale is ~$1.79 for a 9" squid that retails for $3 each.

[Capt.Sickdog]

I make custom tuna gear and sell many locally. check your PM

[sage fly guy]

Where ... ?? Getting (15) 13" squids at that price ("if" truly Ocean Concepts bulb squid) is darn near wholesale price, as the wholesale is ~$1.79 for a 9" squid that retails for $3 each.


Actually Dale, I like/get the Boones. And yes wholesale it is, you would have to be nuts to pay retail for the offshore trolling stuff.

If there is a need for it, maybe I could put together a group buy for shells over the winter. It would be a no BS type of thing, you want 100 13"er's, you pay up front for 100 13"er's, if we got enough shipping would be free. Let me know if there is any interest.

chris