‘We’re kind of old school.’ Local fishing tackle shop celebrates 25 years in Bradenton

As a Bradenton kid growing up in the early 90s, there were two main stores for fishing tackle.

Longtime Bradenton residents remember the legendary Pete Turner, who operated Turner Marine near downtown, something he did for 57 years before passing away in 2002.

Turner was the Bradenton Herald’s Outdoorsman of the Year in 1986 and beloved by many. I have a vivid memory of the first time his store stocked Power Pro fishing line after seeing it on many fishing shows and I jumped at the opportunity to try it.

The other was the tackle store in the Red Barn Flea Market. But in October 1996, a fire put an end to the original store at the flea market before it was rebuilt.

Not long after the fire, it was apparent there was a need for another tackle store around Bradenton. In 1998, another store came to life and at that time, its future owner Jim Eliason wasn’t necessarily looking to get into the fishing tackle business.

“He had retired from Merrill Lynch and was looking for something to do,” said Scott Traylor, manager at Discount Tackle Outlet. “An ad popped up in the paper and he said, ‘That’s kind of interesting.’ It was an acquisition for a fishing tackle store in Bradenton.”

Discount Tackle Outlet’s history

As a result, Discount Tackle Outlet has remained on First Street in Bradenton since.

Eliason, who married Traylor’s mom when Traylor was 17, became a father figure in his life. In 2006, Eliason was named the Crosthwait Sportsman of the Year, presented to him at the Crosthwait Memorial Fishing Tournament. In 2012, Traylor was offered the opportunity to take over the business and wanted to keep Eliason’s values in place.

“He focused the business on being friendly and welcoming to everyone. Bradenton has always been growing. We see a lot of new customers and if someone walks in and says it’s their first time saltwater fishing, we can get them set up,” Traylor explained.

“People are flocking down here and because of what we do, we get a lot of word-of-mouth business, good reviews and a lot of repeat customers. We’re kind of old school and know customer service is key.”

Traylor also points out how the next generation of Bradenton residents is returning. As a teen, I used to spend my summers earning a paycheck just to go see Jim to buy a new rod and reel.

The shiny Shimano Stradic behind the glass and Star Rod on the rack kept me going to work at the Learning Tree daycare as a camp counselor. Now it’s the kids of those early store frequenters who are doing the shopping.

“There are people who used to work for Discount Tackle who now have kids that are frequently at the store. It’s been good to see them growing up. They started as teens and are now married with kids who are as obsessed with fishing as they were,” Traylor explained.

25-year anniversary celebration

Now Discount Tackle is going through a remodel of the store. If you haven’t been in for some time, it has an entirely different visual appeal upon entering. As the methods of fishing have changed, the store has adapted to meet the demand. On Sunday, March 17 from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m., the store will celebrate a grand re-opening and 25-year anniversary.

“There’s now a focus on a lot more products and getting new stuff in,” Traylor said. “Stuff people see on TV that’s new and innovative. It’s brighter but still a feel-good store.”

“There is a lot of innovation in fishing these days like trolling motors going on big boats. Who would have thought when we started you’d be putting a trolling motor on the bow of a 36-foot Yellowfin? That’s why we’re always trying to keep up with the latest and greatest.”

Discount Tackle Outlet is located at 3113 First St., Bradenton.