Poor Richards

no one is ever at the eastside one, everytime i go there the guy says hes only had couple customers all week

people that think the eastside sucks are more than likely the worst anglers in PA

Poor richards is the best bait shop in the 3 states from ohio new york and pa. Every time I go there always helpful and kind. wish there would be more bait shops around like poor richards. 

where are we supposed to get bait then? i fish eastside 75% of the time and ive never seen another baitshop over there...

catch your own or make it. that's what i do

Yeah I saw that too, I like PR east more than PR west that'd suck if it closed.   

You must not be looking too hard. There is a bait shop across the road
from Gary's Deli, near Gannondale, and another at the foot of East Ave.
just east of the boat launch.

ORIGINAL: FiveMilePete

You must not be looking too hard. There is a bait shop across the road
from Gary's Deli, near Gannondale, and another at the foot of East Ave.
just east of the boat launch.

 
 
Just make sure you walk in the right door there.
 
Well you can get crabs in the wrong one.

Its just the East Side that is closing

Yeah, I've never been there but you got a point. I'd love to try the east side streams some day though, any word on when PR East is closing, please dont yell if it was mentioned, didn't see it.

GOOD I LIKE BAC MUCH BETTER

Ill have to admit, i dont care for any of the shops in erie. But the one that gets my business is BAC West. BAC presque isle sucks. PR east usually saw me everytime I came to erie. For me, its not that big of a deal, but I tie all my own flies. There is however that time when nothing but skien will do! I dont care who you are, theres days when those fish wont touch a fly. You put a dime of skein on and fish on!

I forgot to mention... ive never walked into the fish usa store, but i wouldnt consider it a "bait shop" do they sell bait?

I don't fish the east side very often and rarely went to the PR east, so I have no opinion of the store or the people, but I do fish the west side a lot and often visit PR west.  I have had very good service there and found Gary and Dot to be good folks.  I once had a rod tip break off a rod I purchased at PR's.  I was pretty upset about it and took it back to the store.  I walked in and showed it to Gary and told him I had a problem.  He asked for the rod, walked over to the rack of new rods, pulled one out just like the one I had, handed me the new rod and said no you don't have a problem, smiled and told me to go back to fishing.  I greatly appreciate that kind of service.  It was a Cortland fly rod just in case anyone wanted to know.

I must also say I have had very good service at BAC west, Lake Erie Ultimate Angler and FishUSA the sponsor of this site.  There are some really good shops in Erie and the folks that work there are good folks.  I know some will have their favorites, but in generally you will get good service and good products from the establishments in Erie. 

ORIGINAL: Bughawk

I don't fish the east side very often and rarely went to the PR east, so I have no opinion of the store or the people, but I do fish the west side a lot and often visit PR west.  I have had very good service there and found Gary and Dot to be good folks.  I once had a rod tip break off a rod I purchased at PR's.  I was pretty upset about it and took it back to the store.  I walked in and showed it to Gary and told him I had a problem.  He asked for the rod, walked over to the rack of new rods, pulled one out just like the one I had, handed me the new rod and said no you don't have a problem, smiled and told me to go back to fishing.  I greatly appreciate that kind of service.  It was a Cortland fly rod just in case anyone wanted to know.

I must also say I have had very good service at BAC west, Lake Erie Ultimate Angler and FishUSA the sponsor of this site.  There are some really good shops in Erie and the folks that work there are good folks.  I know some will have their favorites, but in generally you will get good service and good products from the establishments in Erie. 

Bug,

Of all the posts ever on this board, I could not agree more with this one.ESPECIALLY THE LAST SENTENCE.

Everyone has their favorites, but really I don't think any tackle shop in Erie is bad. Most are doing way more business than most of the other shops statewide, and most are more than helpful and competetive as far as prices go.  9 times out of 10 when you hear bad words about a tackle shop from Erie, it is from some jagoff just looking for trouble.   That's coming from someone who has spent a good bit of money at all the Erie tackle shops.

I've been to tackle shops in other parts of the state where I felt I was being taken by them, which I will not get into, but most of the Erie shops are top notch in my book.

jth,
 
It depends on your definition/threshold of acting like an arse. I don't doubt that at some point anyone might catch the folks at any shop, in a less than friendly spirit. Look at the frustration shown on this board after the 100th person asks if there are fish in the creeks, how many fish, and what are the biting. The folks at the Erie bait shops often get that before 8am. all while trying wait on customers, fill minnow buckets, and answer the same questions over the phone ( they could write a book of the questions they get asked ). I take this into consideration, and as long as I am treated fairly, I can overlook an occasional bad attitude, or short reply. In the long term, I believe you will find them curteous, if not friendly far more often than not.