Performance Tackle: Tournament Headquarters

PERFORMANCE TACKLE

If you were to talk about Southern California tackle shops and their employees, Performance Tackle in Los Alamitos would certainly rank as one of the premier in terms of versatility. As technology pushes the sport in more technique specific directions, diversity becomes increasingly scarce. Anglers find a niche within the sport and often stay in that comfort zone; tackle shops in turn become specialized much as the anglers themselves. This can pose a positive or negative situation for the consumer. One the up side a customer can find a shop that caters to his or her preferred segment of the sport, providing the customer knows just what that is. On the other hand a novice angler may need more guidance and a specialized tackle store may or may not be able to serve that anglers needs best.

Enter Performance Tackle. Owner Marc Higashi a long time passionate angler is probably one of the most versatile anglers on the west coast. A long time largemouth bass tournament angler, Marc is just as comfortable (and effective) in the wheelhouse of a sport fisher spotting Marlin off Cabo San Lucas. But it doesn’t stop there; Marc has numerous successful long-range trips to his credit as well as many Sea of Cortez adventures, which he hosts annually through the shop. Just when you think you’ve seen Marc do it all, he’ll come out of the back with a grip of new rods he just wrapped for an upcoming surf fishing trip on the remote beaches of Mexico ! One thing about Marc is that he is always pushing the sport forward. Over the years I have gone in to the shop to talk to Marc only to leave with a new technique or idea that I would have never thought of. More often than not what I left with worked in ways I would have never guessed. Marc carries this attitude over into his store and instills this mind set in his employees, and the result is a loyal group of customers that keep coming back for more.

FRIENDLY AND KNOWLEDGABLE

Curtis Owens, Marc’s right hand man heads up the store while Marc is either locked down in the rod wrapping division of the shop or away pulling on one of those same sticks. It should be known that performance tackle is considered the premier rod wrapping location for technique specific rods, having their own complete custom series built to their specifications. Curtis is co- owner in a 28 foot diesel powered Farallon and if there is something to be heard about island fishing Curtis is on it. Curtis is about as cool as his boat, always smiling and eager to help out a newbie. Customers have come to appreciate Curtis and the store for this genuine atmosphere and it shows in the results of the happy anglers that visit the store on any given day. Performance Tackle is the type of store that you can drop in to say hi and you’ll leave a bit smarter.

Rich Siosin and Dave Ullery are part time employees who will fish for whatever whenever. These two dudes keep tabs on different sides of the sport both in the fresh and salt-water arenas. Want to’ know how the local ponds are biting, talk to these guys. Even the more hushed local exotic bites seem to get networked through these gentlemen so it would behoove the savvy angler to befriend these guys. Dave the reel repairman brings yet another facet to the performance tackle line up. Not only a guru with the reel works but ‘Woodchopper’ as he is affectionately called, has traveled to more exotic regions of the world and pursued fish that one would have a hard time pronouncing let alone catching.

If you have not been to Performance Tackle in Los Alamitos you owe it to yourself to poke your head in there and say hi, spend a little time (and perhaps a little money). They’ve just received a limited order of Lucky Craft 110 flash minnows and are blowing them out at a great price. Drop in and mention the SWBA and this article and I’m sure Marc would knock a few more pennies off of your total bill.