Just an fyi...

Yes, I know that loading new line on your reel is easy, but for quite a while the shops where I've bought the line have always loaded it for free. Tonight, I stopped by Dick's Sporting Goods (OP) and had two spools loaded with mono backing and braid, then the employee started to hand me a ticket to give the cashier. It was for a $4.50 fee for each spool. I objected because they didn't make me aware of the fee ahead of time, so the guy was nice enough to waive it . . . this time. He told me that other sporting goods stores are now charging a fee, too. So, I guess I'll go back to doing it myself.

_________________
2011 Native Ultimate 14.5 Solo | IRISHWATERDOGS Fishing Team | Heroes on the Water

I typically take my reels to Strike Zone to get new line and usually pay around $.02 per yard for Momoi or Suffix mono and $.12 per yard for Braid. I did the math once and its about the same as purchasing the line and spooling it myself except the line is laid better on the spool with their equipment, specially on my surf conventional reels with out a levelwind and I don't have all the half empty spools. I am not a fan of tying to lines together to take advantage of leftover line on a spool although, I do tie short fluorocarbon leaders directly to my main line. On March 19-20th Strike Zone will have a Momoi Factory line promotion where they will charge only $.005 per yard for 8 -16 lb, $.01 per yard for 20 - 30 lb and $.02 per yard for 40 -80 lb on Momoi's Hi-Catch mono.

_________________
Hobie Outback SUV Golden Papaya
Native Ultimate 14.5 Tandem Yellow

you bought the line from them and they still charged you to spool it? i can see charging if you brought them the line from somewhere else but come on. when i worked at boaters world we spooled for free as long as you purchased the line from the store. we would even strip the old line for you.

i know stike zone has always spooled our big offshore reels for free when we purchased the line from them. i dont have the stamina to spool 8 reels with a total of almost 4 1/2 MILES of line anyway

_________________
Even after a bad day of fishing, it was still a good idea to call in sick to work!!!


Red Heritage Redfish 14

I can understand the service charge since retailers are not exactly having a wonderful time right now paying bills themselves. Specialty stores like sporting goods are places based on wants not needs on most cases so their traffic is down and they need the bucks. For me anyway I still load my own reels but I'm not using miles of line on my Curados and alike. The few times I have had it loaded at the store it's been at Strike Zone.

Charging for loading a reel with line purchased from the store kicks customer service right in the face. It doesn't cost the store(s) one damn dime to load the line. In fact, the other sales clerks in the store would probably enjoy gathering around and watching this process since they have nothing else to do since there are no customers in the store. Hmmmm wonder where the customers are and why they are someplace else????

If you didn't buy the line in the store.... well, that's another story

_________________

Mudman, Thanks for the info about Dick's.
Over the past few years I have been going to Strike-Zone. They have been a great help for just about anything I need. Whenever I have needed to respool my reels, I simply chose from 'their' line assortment and they machine it on. (The process is much FASTER and EASIER than doing it myself) and the cost is about the same if I would have ONLY bought a new spool of line.

_________________
Home Theater Installation

How about this.... I just had a reel respooled with line. When I ask the owner how much for the line and the respooling, I was told to forget it. "You spend enough in here so don't worry about it!

Maybe buying from your local tackle shop and paying a couple dollars more for a reel really are worth it

_________________

I disagree. It's ALL about customer service, especially in a bad economy. I can buy the same exact product in MANY different stores, all within close proximity of each other, and for roughly the same price. If I don't have time to spool it myself, of if I'd rather have it done by machine, I'll buy it from the store that will load if for free. Plus, if they are going to charge you a fee to load it, they should tell you in advance . . . NOT after the line is loaded on the spools.

I need to spool two more reels with braid, but I won't be buying it from Dick's.

_________________
2011 Native Ultimate 14.5 Solo | IRISHWATERDOGS Fishing Team | Heroes on the Water

I agree with mudfish. Customer service has to be there or I may as well buy it online for a a lot less. The only reason to pay more in the store is for the customer service.

_________________
Even after a bad day of fishing, it was still a good idea to call in sick to work!!!


Red Heritage Redfish 14

Hey Mudfish,

Let us do it!....
(There is enough experience and friendly people on this site...and we ALL just sitting around typing)

_________________
Home Theater Installation

I went into Dicks at the Town Center yesterday and did not get charged. I picked my line off the wall for 3 different reels and just paid for the line.