Tackle Store Review - BobCo Tackle

Having been to tackle stores in industrial units before and been thoroughly unimpressed I wasn’t sure what to expect before visiting BobCo Tackle. Needing some maggots and casters for a fishing trip the next day I decided to give the store a go as it had been recommended to me by another angler whilst fishing recently.

Parking up and walking into the building the entrance gives off the impression that it is heavily geared towards carp anglers, with Bivvys set up and big banners stating they stock they latest carp fishing equipment. Continue walking and you will enter the main building. It is enormous... and fantastic. It is a full industrial unit set out for anglers. It has everything for coarse and carp anglers as well as a surprisingly well stocked sea and fly fishing section. In front of the entrance there is a table crammed with second hand bits and bobs as well as older pole and waggler floats. The table also had hooks, boxes attachments, nets, a small pole roller and other things I didn’t have time to sift through. Turning right there are numerous brands of pole boxes (both new and second hand) with many various attachments and fittings. Walking around the edge of the building this gives way to carping equipment, from rig bits and monofilament to leads and hooks as well as fully set up bed chairs and sleeping bags.

That's ALOT of bait!

At this point I noticed the back wall which is covered in groundbait, a groundbait range so extensive that it may rival Stapeley Water Gardens. Whatever brand you prefer or require they will more than likely have it there, and if they are not on the back wall they will be on the shelves in front of it. The groundbait wall faces the majority of the box tackle required for coarse fishing. Premade rigs, floats, weights, hooks and hundreds of other things which could have kept me looking for hours, and would have had I not reminded myself that I needed to by some maggots and casters for the following days’ session. The wall to the left of the bait counter held the sea fishing and fly fishing equipment. The sea equipment was the most extensive I have seen since moving to Yorkshire, and would recommend a visit for all sea anglers in Leeds or passing through.

The staff there were quite helpful in instructing me on how to get to and fish a number of fisheries towards York (ones which I will hopefully get round to fishing in the next few months). What was slightly irritating was the condescending tone that I was given when asking about a pole repair, but I think I may have been interrupting what he was doing (which was in fact fixing someone else’s pole section). The bait I bought was very fresh and would have lasted a number of days kept in the right conditions. They also sold pinkies and squats which I have found quite difficult to get hold of recently.

Looking up I noticed some distance above my head there were a number of poles and rods set out, all at full length resting on the racking above. Getting upstairs I didn’t quite know where to begin, the poles were all set out on racks, but what was more helpful was the fact you could hold the pole and get a feel of the weight of it. What was more, they had set up a long bench, and fixed to the top of the bench were poles seats. You could actually sit there and effectively see how the pole feels in your hands. This is something I have only seen once before and is something that all pole anglers should do before considering what pole they should purchase. The floor continued around the perimeter of the building with keepnets set up at full length hanging from the wall on one side with all float and feeder rods set up on the other. Had I had more time I would have stayed up there and looked at them all!

My only other slight criticism would be that the members of staff I asked could only advise me on commercial fisheries, and when I asked about catching Chub in the Rivers nearby I was only told the limited information I had already learnt for myself. Other than that I would describe the place as excellent! If you are a keen carp or coarse angler and you are in need of some terminal tackle or just rig making bits I strongly advise you pay this place a visit. It has almost everything you can think of in one place and to top it all off it was really surprisingly well priced. I could certainly see myself getting carried away there some time in the New Year topping up my rig making equipment and adding a few new bits along the way!

Store Review *****