There comes a time for change and change can be good. That’s what we’ve got going at Santa Barbara’s only real, full-service bait and tackle shop, Hook, Line & Sinker at 4010-5 Calle Real (between upper State Street and Highway 154).
After many happy years of owning and operating the historic shop, my daughter, Capt. Tiffany Vague, and I have sold the store.
Capt. Tiffany builds quality custom fishing rods as part of her own business, Vague Rods, and rest assured that Vague Rods is part of the product mix proudly on display by the new shop owner. Custom rods can be ordered through the store.
Tiffany needed more time to focus on her unique art, which includes weaving and marbling as well as wrap work like cross-wraps, chevrons and fish patterns. She also repairs rods and fixes fishing reels for the shop.
So she is still very much involved.
For myself, I have been doing more work as a maritime safety expert for court cases involving boating accidents. I enjoy the work very much, and it utilizes my experience and skills.
The new owners are a great team. Ben Miller, his daughter Kai and her husband Ian Wallace are fishing people who know quite a lot and can help customers pick out just the right stuff and show them how to rig up for fishing success.
These are sharp people, and I believe the store is in good hands.
Ben has plans to expand merchandise, bring in ammo sales, and build out an e-commerce website to grow out of a brick-and-mortar only store. They have a solid plan for the future of the store, and that means it will be good for our community.
Ben and his team continue a long-standing and unique history of the shop — father-and-daughter teams.
Hook, Line & Sinker was founded over 50 years ago by Bill Sedar. When his young daughter, Jean, was old enough, she helped her dad in the shop, and she ran it on her own for years. She sold the shop to Yong Shin, and his daughter Jeannie helped him run the store.
I bought the store from Mr. Shin, and my daughter Captain Tiffany has been running the store with me ever since.
Now Ben comes in with his daughter, Kai, and her husband, Ian.
I know many of the bait and tackle shop owners in California, and so I know how rare and precious it is to have such a lengthy history of father-daughter teams in a single store, and especially without a break in that storied history.
Stop in and wish Ben and his family well. Never miss an opportunity to buy local at our brick-and-mortar stores rather then shopping with the online giants, which just suck money out of our community.
I urge you to support Hook, Line & Sinker with your business. The store stocks all manner of saltwater and freshwater baits and tackle, including local, custom-built Vague Rods by Capt. Tiffany Vague.
— Capt. David Bacon operates WaveWalker Charters and is president of SOFTIN Inc., a nonprofit organization providing seafaring opportunities for those in need. Visit softininc.blogspot.com to learn more about the organization and how you can help. Click here to read previous columns. The opinions expressed are his own.