DT10Sam

Hi Cliff, Well I am not surprised at all, as I said in the past posts on this topic that I would not deal with your former employer as a result of the way business was being conducted with the new kid on the block. I refused to do any business with him and then of course when you were let go for no apparent reason (other than this weasel getting his way) well that put the nail in the coffin for business from our store. They did call stating that my products were in and ready for delivery and well you know my reply was a professional and a definite NO not interested. If you decide to take the products again and wish to be a distributor for them Cliff then you can count me back in. Oh I almost forgot, wipe that silly grin off your face five months wasn't that long to wait. Best regards, Sam

Yes I do fish, it just happens that I have been far too tied up in business that I have not made time to fish. I will be away fishing all day on August 5th hoping to add a largemouth bass to our team stats, I will be taking Glen up to a lake that is private and the last time I was there the bass were huge. Next week I will give that salmon fishing another go at it and take Laurie out both salmon fishing and then bass fishing. Well that is all for now until the next report. Best regards, Sam

Hi Everyone, It certainly was a very hot day yesterday with many more to come so both Glena dn I decided that we should go fishing as soon as we close the store. Since it wasn't really a planned fishing outing we decided to target some largemouth with top water lures and then fish for some walleyes with erie rigs and hard baits. The evening was quite peaceful and the fish were co-operating. Here are a couple of the bass that hit the top water lures. Glen with one of his many bass. A couple of small walleyes. Last bite of the night was a sunfish. It was a great evening of relaxing and fishing, with everything released. Best regards, Sam

Awesome pics, Regards, Sam

Hi Everyone, It has been awhile since I have posted and it is mainly as a result of being very busy with the store. I have had many of my past clients coming in and wanting us to get back into taxidermy in our region. I have run a successful taxidermy business for years and then decided that an Outdoor Store with hunting and fishing products is what I always dreamed of owning and now I find myself having a large request to do taxidermy once more. Both Glen and I have many years of taxidermy experience and I personally have over 30 years experience. We have setup a shop in our store in the back and I would like to welcome all of our past clients as well as future clients to come in and inspect our taxidermy mounts that we are now putting together and in the near future we will post some pics of our artistic abilities. If you are in the Belleville area please stop in and we will be pleased to chat over a cup of coffee on us of course. Glen and I have discussed taxidermy to great lengths and we will only be mounting big game and fish and we do not want to expand any further. That alone will keep us busy and we are now in the process of tanning a couple of dozen deer capes that we took in last fall and will be mounting them in the next couple of weeks. After they are done we will be starting on the fish that we are presently accepting. Should you want some birds mounted we will refer you to an accomplished bird taxidermist in the area that is an expert in his field. Best regards, Sam

Lew I am at a total loss for words. My deepest condolances to you and your family Lew. Regards, Sam

Interesting read indeed, and the writing was on the wall for the Sportsman Show. Everyone is right in their reviews thus far and I did state this in the past that something was going to tumble in the future. I can give you an insight from a vendors point of view. The Fishing Show is sort of profitable if we carry the right products at the show that are discontinued at reduced rates etc. It was also a place where new products could be unvailed for the consumer. After paying for the booth, and the many expenses that go with it staff, lodging, food, hydro, advertising, moving products with trucks etc. the end result would be awareness for the consumer that there is a business that carries a product that they much crave. As for the Sportsman Show it was going downhill for years and when they refused to have Bass Pro at the show that was their nail in the coffin. All this was because LeBaron's did not want to see Bass Pro at the Sportsman Show. I believe that Sylvia from LeBaron's on the the Sportsman Show committee or has very power influence and prevented that from happening. Going into one show would be less of an expense for a vendor as there is only one show to worry about and with that is also one less incoming revenue resources. The result of this Sportsman Show amalgamating with the Fishing Show means that Bass Pro Shop will now see an increase in their revenues. This news is a huge win for Bass Pro Shop. Remember the marketing strategy is excellent they advertise that they do not charge admission and parking is free. Hard to beat and they also have agreements to have the big names in fishing there as well, so why would you want to pay huge money to go to the Sportsman Show and see what credit card companies, oil companies, cell phone companies etc have to do with the great outdoors. You already know what the oil companies do to you on a long weekend or during the summer when you have to gas up your boats. The cost of the booth at the Sportsman Show is huge and will not attract any more business than it has in the past few years. What the Sportsman Show has done is killed the Spring Fishing Show and for that I am sad to see. I would now recommend going to Bass Pro Shop for the March Break where I am positive they will further increase their presence in the market place as well increase their advertising. I can honestly say that I will not be attending the Sportsman Show as a vendor or a consumer. I have learned this year that some of my customers that did attend got the necessay information on the products that they wanted and ordered here or waited until my shipment arrived to purchase it at the same price that was at the shows. Again this is only my opinion and I hope I have not offended anyone with my remarks. Best regards, Sam ps Walleye are biting good in the Bay and the winner bait is spinner baits with worms

Hey Cliff, I have a funny gut feeling that you will pay dearly for messing with Bly. Regards, Sam

Got to love memory lane..............thanks Gerritt Regards, Sam

Excellent report.........I am always grateful to see fisherpeople making it a family affair and have their young ones out there enjoying our great outdoors. Regards, Sam

Awesome nice catch. Regards, Sam

Welcome aboard toboth. Regards, Sam

Great report Bill and it was great seeing you and your family at the store. When's the fish fry or did I miss it . Best regards, Sam

Happy Birthday Joey, hope you had a great weekend. Best regards, Sam

Happy Birthday TJ, all the best and you know Monique was very good to you for not posting any of your pics as you to her. Have a great day. Regards, Sam

Sorry double posted.

I am sadden to read that another tackle store is shutting down and I do wish Reg and Lorna Jones all the best. I am always saddened when a business is shutting down and this is usually attributed to lack of sales and support by many of their previous customers. Yes Big Box operations have taken their toll on small businesses such as Gill Finigans. After performing considerable research I have learned the devastation that a Big Box operation such as Bass Pro can do to an area. Bass Pro draws from a 150 mile radius and that means disaster for the local tackle shops within that radius. There will be many more that will tumble under that the same circumstances in the near future. Some information that seems to be a factor when businesses such as Bass Pro sets up in the geographical area of devastation. Bass Pro negotiates their lease where they will get 5 years rent free in a mall location promising to draw many customers to the mall. After the 5 year term is up then they will have to pay rent. In the meantime they still have to pay common fees etc. They also negotiate with suppliers better deals on their purchases with additional percentages off on large volumes, as well as anticipation on early payments which again means additional percentage off of their wholesale price. Bass Pro also arranges for a bus ride to their store from areas well within the 150 miles radius. After learning all of this I decided to move our business to an area that hopefully will be out of the way of Bass Pro's threat and also to an area where people will hate driving through Toronto to get to Bass Pro. So far so good and my only downfall is the population base does not exist in this area. Another very disturbing area is watching all of the OFNer's on this board that rant and rave on how great Bass Pro is or get all of your products from Cabella's great deals there. True that maybe the case at times and store owners in Canada have to deal with Distribution Centers, Customs Brokers and shipping etc. all taking it's toll on the shop owner and these fees do not apply to anyone when ordering just one or two items from Cabella's. Big Box stores will have lost leaders in the store that attracts them there and then of course they will purchase other items and pay more for it than if they shopped at their local tackle store. I agree that there are some real good deal there and mentioning the great deal only assists Bass Pro with their advertising, after all the shoppers there are now helping to promote them. Whenever this happens it is difficult for small businesses to try compete against this mentality. In the end you will read that another tackle store is going out of business and let's all hurry and stop buy to see what deals we can get so that lid nailed in that tackle stores coffin. Everybody is sad to see them go out of business and do not realize that everyone had an important role in making sure that he did or did not succeed. Eventually when all of these local stores are shut down I guess you can all order from Cabella's or go to Bass Pro shop to get what ever you need. Keep in mind tha many years of the local stores and their life savings that they have placed into their business to get it to where it once was a good business. How long will it be before others are swallowed up by the same methods. Let's look at JB Fishing Depot, they are great guys and really know there stuff there. How many of you shopped there in the past and now have reduced the amount that you purchase from there and are sending your money to Cabella's or Bass Pro. I know that there are many of you that are doing this very thing. Many of you always mention that customer service is what you are looking for and that you will pay a little bit more to receive it. Many shops including myself have lowered many of our prices to just move some inventory without making any profit. It just happens to still be a little higher than the Big Box stores and price becomes the big factor and not customer service is not an issue any longer. I do realize that everyone wants to get the best bang for their buck and want more for their hard earned money. The difference between the customer and a shop owner is the customer wants to get the most he can for his hard earned money and a shop owner is not allowed to earn any money. It seems only in a retail business are the words, "What is the best you can do on that price?" Do you ever use that line at the grocery store when you go to purchase a steak or a roast. Do you ever go to a restaurant and ask what is the best you can do on that prime rib dinner? I once had a restaurant owner come into my store and consistently ask me what is the best I can do on a rod and then again on a reel. I then felt like going to the local butcher and getting a steak and going to his restaurant and ask him if he would cook it for me since I got a better deal else where. I read this over and I do apologize for ranting.....I just hate seeing good people loosing their life savings and dreams when they have to close their businesses. In the past year I have lost considerably well over 300,000.00 and I do not know how to repay my family back as I already lost all of my life savings and pension fund as they were used to open up my business. I am now hoping that over the next few years I will have enough customers to keep my business floating. Tough sleeping at night not know where we are going business wise or if we are going to make it, it can just change over night and then poof we are gone. To become a millionaire in owning a tackle shop first to have to invest 2 million dollars and after one year you will have a million dollars left and there you have it you will be a millionaire. For those of you that are in the GTA, take a serious look at supporting your local tackle shop before he goes the way of the dinosaur. Best regards, Sam

Went out after I closed the store tonight and got a couple of eaters. The best time is in the evening and at night. Will be heading out again tomorrow night as well in themouth of the rivers. That seems to be productive and getting you the eating size a couple of pounds each. Best regards, Sam

Hi Easton, We put a fresh pot of coffee on every morning and seem to get a crowd of regulars in here telling the same lies with different twists in the ending. Quite comical adn we seem to enjoy the many laughs. Anytime you are up stop in and a coffee will be waiting for you. Best regards, Sam

Thanks for all of the kind words guys and there is only a couple more sleeps until walleye time. :thumbsup_anim: Regards, Sam

Hi Everyone, Well walleye opening weekend is coming very shortly and I will be open all night Friday night. Those of you that are driving along ways and coming this way i will have coffee brewing all night long for you. Our store will open Friday morning at 8:00 amd and stay open until about 11:00 pm Saturday and then open again Sunday morning. Somewhere in there I need to get some shut eye I guess. I have over 400 dozen worms and lots of minnows, worms will be 2.00 a dozen and minnows 5.00 a scoop (approximately just over 2 dozen). We have the largest selection of hard baits int eh Quinte area and lots of room for vehicles towing boats. Stop in and talk fishing over a warm cup of coffee. Here is a quick map to get to our store, hope to see some you when you arrive and please drive safely and have a great time fishing in the tournament. Best regards, Sam and Laurie Directions take HWY 401 to HWY 37 South. Very first intersection is Adam St make a left turn (East) and we are right there first building on the right.

I do apologize for the update that does not seem fair in this world. Both Laurie and I have discussed this with our son and both Laurie and I can not seem to get by without having our eyes gather some condensation. We are praying that things will turn around and give Lauren the miracle that she desperately needs. It seems odd that I worked for years at Millhaven Penitentiary and many times I have been placed in situations that I can determine the outcome of an individual's life looking through rifle sights and many times I wished that I had the power of simply making an exchange of life with some undesireable behind bars with someone as young as Lauren. I guess that is what God is for and I hope he hears my prayers. Kind regards, Sam

I would like to thank everyone that has donated to Lauren's cause. We have raised just over 2200.00 and I hope that somehow in all of this that the family will be able to take Lauren to Disney World to enjoy some quality time. Lauren's family was informed that Lauren has 6-12 months left and that this cancer is terminal. The treatments are to extend some time for Lauren. Again thank you to all that assisted, I certainly appreciate it and I know that Lauren's family does as well. Kind regards, Sam

Thanks Bill for the bid. Regards. Sam

Just recived 100.00 bid from an annonymous donor. Sam