I stopped in this morning, and it was like going back in time. It was an honor to meet Ernie Giglio, and his son Tom. The old Giglio's was a piece of NJ tackle shop history, and I hope the new place can make it and thrive.

These are tough economic times for tackle shops and any place that caters to people who fish. Tough competition from internet sources, customers that want everything "yesterday" , because of their reliance on ther internet and the nano-quick service demanded by the modern patron.

Rising rents and real estate prices in some of the areas these tackle shops are located, together with big box retailers like Walmart, Bass Pro, and Cabela's, are pushing these small guys out of business faster than ever before.

But where at Cabela's, Bass Pro, or Walmart can you get a clerk to tell you how to rig for the fish they're catching today, or caught last night?

Where at the above stores can you go to talk about the best time to get the fish, or where you might at least try, to have a chance of success, rather than the skunk?

You can't!

You can only get that info at the local tackle shops, and, for some people, on the internet.

There is nothing like the service that a local tackle shop, that is in tune with its customers wants and needs, can provide. Nothing.

So when ya get a chance, stop in and say Hi! to Ernie and Tom, give them a good luck dollar for their wall, enter the contest for the free weekly plug giveaway

And above all, don't be afraid to linger and BS with the guys.



(Side story... I walked in there this morning with studded wading boots on, and Ernie stopped me at the door...

Ernie: Hey you're wearing creepers, I don't think you can come in here with those...Tom do you think he can come in here?

Tom: Hey guy, I'm sorry, we just had the floors refinished, maybe you should take those off.

Me: Hey Ernie, what are "creepers"? You call them creepers?

Ernie: Yup, that's what we call em, what do you call em?

Me: I guess you're right, that's what the old timers called them. Only the younger generation started calling them Korkers after the company that made them.)






Understanding that the knowledge of this shop, and the men inside, pre-dated Korkers, made me realize I was in the right place. These are the guys who fished before they HAD fancy equipment, $400 rods, and $800 reels, and fancy studded shoes to walk the rocks.

These are the guys who took old boots, brought them to the shoemaker, and asked him to glue on the modified bottoms of golf shoes with the studs, to make an ancient version of the mass produced Korkers we can buy today with a quick credit card payment.

These are the guys who fished when it was WORK to catch a 50, and you had to go all over in search for them. There was no internet back then, all the fishing knowledge and info was shared around the counter of the tackle shops, IF you were lucky and happened to be there when the sharpies came in.

And back them they didn't call themselves sharpies, they would smack ya on the head if ya even used that term.

They were just guys who fished.

And fished because they loved it, and loved the sport, and loved the catch, and the challenge of using the ancient gear to land the big one.

These were the fishing heroes of yesteryear. At least they were mine. And it all starts again with the re-opening of Giglio's.

When Ernie said I was wearing creepers, I felt at home.

Stop by and say Hi to Ernie, Tom, and the guys who are starting to hang out there. The surf community is a small world. You never know who you might meet in there.