Founded by Tomo Shirashi in 2013, Tomo’s Tackle provides a full range of tackle for all the species swimming around Massachusetts’ North Shore. The shop stocks everything from ultralight tackle for smelt to 130-class gear for giant bluefin. Tomo has staffed his shop with experienced anglers, who share their knowledge on everything from surfcasting for stripers to spinning for tuna. Speaking of the latter, Tomo’s stocks one of the most extensive selections of tuna stickbaits in New England, with options ranging from the Daiwa Dorado Slider to the coveted Strategic Angler baits. Tomo’s product manager, Jack Pamir, discussed the latest goings-on at the North Shore’s one-stop tackle shop.
On The Water: How has the North Shore striper fishery changed since you opened in 2013?
Jack Pamir: Fishing for striped bass from a boat off the North Shore has traditionally been a “wait-and-bait” event. In the past, the gear used was heavy – stiff boat rods with equally cumbersome reels. Today, the trend is toward lighter gear, which has opened up avenues for more fishing styles, and we have more customers come in seeking light-tackle setups for tossing plugs and lures. This has translated into a wider array of techniques and tackle used to target striped bass than ever before. Surfcasters are also taking full advantage of modern rods, and have almost become as gadget-conscious as boat fishermen. Today’s surfcasters are more willing to throw lures than ever before and, as such, surfcasting has become more active.
OTW: How has local bluefin fishing changed since you opened?
JP: Tuna fishermen on the North Shore have generally employed the time-tested method of anchoring up and presenting live baits on large 130-pound-class reels. While the technique has not changed much, the use of hollow braided lines and improvements to 80-pound-class reels have moved some away from the traditional finger-trap splices to more versatile connections, allowing for easier on-the-water topshot changes. The growing popularity of center consoles means many recreational fishermen have at least one spinning rod ready to make casts at busting schools of tuna, should the opportunity arise.
OTW: Are there still good spinning-rod opportunities for bluefin on the North Shore, or have the fish grown too big for spinning tackle?
JP: Depending on who you ask, the current size of bluefin tuna on the North Shore is a blessing or a curse. For those seeking spinning-rod opportunities offshore, the larger size of bluefin is most certainly a curse. Despite this, however, those who properly equip themselves for these fish can still get the chance to hook into one of these beasts, and some have been successful at it. For those seeking spinning-rod opportunities, longer runs have become the norm, with successful areas being Jeffreys Ledge and the east or south banks of Stellwagen.
OTW: What is your best-selling (or most in-demand) bluefin plug?
JP: Despite the introduction of more economical tuna plugs such as the Daiwa Dorado Slider, our most in-demand plug is the Strategic Angler Espada in sinking. For colors, it is often correlated to the bait present at the time. Given our history with Strategic Angler (we were the original stocking retailer), we now have six years of data, giving us greater ability to stock both quantity and colors for seasonally available baitfish.
OTW: Besides stripers and tuna, what other species do your customers target during the summer months?
JP: Many of them enjoy fishing for smaller species such as mackerel, flounder, shad, smelt, and herring, depending on the season. They are also drawn to our large selection of squid jigs to target these cephalopods when they present themselves.
OTW: What’s the most interesting catch, or “fish story” you’ve heard from your customers?
JP: A customer once told us about “suspension,” the act of swinging from hooks attached to your body. We were at a loss for the best hook to recommend.
OTW: What “new” species or fisheries have you seen grow in popularity in recent years?
JP: What easily comes to mind is the “jig and pop” technique in the bluefin fishery. And, what was once an exotic technique, slow-pitch jigging, has significantly risen in popularity for groundfish. Both these approaches rely on the current evolution of fishing tackle, allowing for smaller, lighter gear to catch fish that once was thought impossible with that size class equipment.
Tomo’s Tackle
104 Wharf St,
Salem, MA 01970
Phone: (978)498-4187
Website: www.tomostackle.com