By Matt de Simone
The Honey Hole Bait & Tackle held the fishing enthusiast store’s grand opening last Friday in Blue Ridge.
Owners Leonard Trout and Tina Reed welcomed the community into their new vibrant bait and tackle establishment. The store presents a colorful, fresh face for Southwestern Virginia’s catfishing community.
According to Leonard, catfishing is the No. 1 growing sport in the country.
“Catfishing is No. 1, right now,” Leonard explained. “It’s bigger than football; bigger than baseball.”
There isn’t another bait shop like the Honey Hole in the Roanoke Valley (and miles outside of the area, really). Leonard and his fellow sportsmen believe in sustainable fishing. Everything Leonard and his constituents catch, they photograph, and then release back into the water.
Leonard was inspired to open his shop after his many visits to The Minnow Pond in Southeast Roanoke. The shop sold Leonard his first fishing rod. Since the business closed years ago, Leonard wanted to open a bait shop.
The Honey Hole sells exclusive items that customers won’t find within 75 miles of the bait shop. Additionally, the shop offers specific items customers won’t be able to find in any other region of Virginia.
Leonard explained that the exclusivity of certain items “keeps the demand down.”
Most of the shop’s handcrafted items are supplied by veterans, including handmade cutting boards by Fatfish Designz.
Community members including Board of Supervisors representative from the Blue Ridge District Billy Martin, Botetourt County Economic Development Director Ken McFayden, and Chamber of Commerce Executive Director Khari Ryder were on hand to cut the ribbon.
Leonard and Reed currently plan for the shop to sponsor and provide resources for local competitions.
For more information about The Honey Hole Bait & Tackle shop, visit its Facebook page.
