Fishing Personality – Phil Appleyard

So, what does someone who has owned and operated a successful independent tackle store and dive outlet for 28 years do in their retirement? More fishing of course.

That is Phil Appleyard’s plan when he hands over the keys to the Pakuranga, Auckland-located The Big Fish Bait and Tackle Company to the Top Catch group in September 2024. 

Instead of being behind the counter listening to customers’ angling successes, Phil is going to be out there and doing it, creating stories to share from the other side of the till.

The sea and fishing have always been in Phil’s blood. His parents were Island Bay, Wellington-based crayfishers, with Phil working in the industry fishing both in New Zealand and across the ditch.

Before his involvement in the tackle trade, Phil made the same mistake as many others, believing it would give him more time on the water and was “an easy way to make a living”. He quickly found out reality was far different from this popular misconception, for many years working six or seven days a week to ensure the business succeeded.

The Big Fish Bait and Tackle Company storefront.
 
It was this personal touch offered by Phil and his staff that set The Big Fish apart in a regional landscape dotted with tackle retailers.

“One of the big things was our service, doing all rod and reel repairs on site instead of sending them off to a third party to work on,” Phil says.

Phil had a hand in the establishment of the Cascades Road store which, for the first three years, was owned and operated by Paul McNeale, Phil Barbour, and Alistair Ritchie, under a similar banner – The Big Fish. 

Upon purchase, Phil changed the name to The Big Fish Bait and Tackle to better represent what was on offer. Sometime later he teamed up with the late Dennis Hyde who operated Cascades Dive from the premises.

“There wasn’t a dive shop in the area at the time, so it was a good fit.”

Dennis passed away in April 2017, Phil buying the business and incorporating it into his operation under the name Big Fish Dive.

The Big Fish Fishing Club was established a year before Phil took over the tackle business and this has always had a close association with the retail outlet. The shop became a day-by-day base for the club with members calling in after work. It helped that there was a liquor store next door! 

It was not uncommon to see members arrive with fish to weigh, the forklift being commandeered as a gantry for the bigger species such as billfish.

The Big Fish Fishing Club has always had a close association with the retail outlet.

“In a sense, we were the local fishing community for the anglers living in the east Auckland area.” 

A relationship was established with the Bucklands Beach Yacht Club which hosted monthly club meetings, AGMs, and the like. 

The Big Fish hosts an annual kids' fishing day at the yacht club and has a collection of 45 rods and reels used just for the event. It is popular, requiring multiple sessions to ensure everyone gets a shot.

In 2000, the club affiliated with what was then the NZ Big Game Fishing Council. It was to later change its name to the NZ Sport Fishing Council to better reflect who it represented.

Phil served as a Council zone representative for 25 years before working his way up the ranks to complete a three-year term as president. It was a busy time for the council, with its public outreach arm LegaSea dealing with key fisheries management issues and the in-school Hiwi the Kiwi programme gaining momentum.

As well as the repair service there were other features that saw The Big Fish stand out.

“We sourced much of our own bait, packing it on site. We also have berley made to our specifications.”

Over the years Phil has employed several female managers, the first in the industry to do so. Included in the lineup have been Tania Gibbons, Peta Woolhams and Andrea Szalardi.

“They have all been good anglers and divers, and were all very shop proud, keeping it in immaculate condition. They could not only talk the talk but walk the walk, and our customers respected them for that.”

Paul Emerson has been working at The Big Fish for five years now and was recently appointed as manager under the new management. He has had a lifetime working in the industry, starting at Ferg’s Fish and Dive at Half Moon Bay before moving on to W.S. Laurie’s at Westhaven.

The Big Fish Bait and Tackle prided itself on personal service, doing all rod and reel repairs on site instead of sending them off to a third party to work on.

Apart from being an avid angler, Paul’s specialty is in the service side of the business, the basic skills taught by Phil when he first entered the industry.

Another feature of the shop is the extensive display of fish mounts scattered around the walls. Many resulted from Phil’s own angling adventures while others belong to customers or club members.

“They ended up here because there was either no place for them at home, or they had been banned from the house by partners or wives!”

The Big Fish Fishing Club’s trophies are also on display.

In the oddities department are three rods used in the Zena movies as props. Phil picked them up at an auction and they have provided a great talking point among store visitors. Phil says he has been offered ‘silly money’ to sell them but so far has rejected all bids.

While The Big Fish prides itself on customer service, there has been some tackle not welcome.

“Covid was tough on tackle retailers with customers having time on their hands to search out 'bargains online'. When it came time to service this gear, quite a bit of which was not available through NZ retail outlets, myself and others put a premium on the repairs.

“One of the reasons smaller ‘bricks and mortar’ shops like ours can survive is by offering great service, something online outlets cannot do to the same extent. People soon learned there was more to making a purchase than just the price.”

Top Catch management has had their eye on the shop for 10 years or so and 12 months ago made an offer that fell over at the last hurdle. This time around all has gone to plan and Phil can start to organise his calendar around fishing trips rather than stock indents and opening hours!

- By Grant Dixon