Thursday, March 28, 2024

LIVING THE DREAM: Local fishing professional Kyle Hall opens Granbury's Tri-Lakes Tackle Town

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Kyle Hall is living the life most guys can only dream.

Hall is chameleon-like as a professional angler when he walks into Tri-Lakes Tackle Town to greet managers, Dan Woods and Bucky Brown. He's the "kid" in the room, and he as the owner of Granbury's new bait and tackle store – he's also the boss.

Hall is just 24 years old but could pass for 17.

It's a sharp contrast to the grizzled-looking "veteran" in the rookie-of-the-year photo displayed above some of the shop's t-shirt selections.

Hall won Major League Fishing FLW Rookie-of-the-Year last year, had a 10th place overall finish in the season standings, and he's approaching $200,000 in career earnings.

He opened Tri-Lakes Tackle Town three months ago, a full-service bait-and-tackle shop complete with minnow and worms.

Hall's face and nose are sun and wind burned in that historic photo, and he's wearing a beaming smile. He looks thoroughly exhausted – not a single cast left in his arm – he left it all the lake.

Surely this isn't the same guy who comes bounding into the shop with neck-length curls popping out in every form from underneath his ball cap, but there's that trophy-winning smile, and Hall is more than ready to talk about his venture.

"Professional fishing doesn't keep me busy all of the time, and I was looking for something that I could do that would also be of service to Granbury," Hall said. "Fishing is one thing that I do know a lot about, and the people I fish and work with also have a wealth of experience."

Setting down with his father, Keith, the two began formulating a business plan with the idea the shop would be geared toward all kinds of angler experience levels from cane poles and red-and-white bobbers to some of the finest bait-casting reels on the market.

"We all worked together to provide fishing equipment that is suited for anyone. I like to try out all of the stuff that we sell. I may not use it in a tournament, but I want our customers to know it's something we have tried, and we feel good about selling to them," Hall said. "Of course, we also have lots of stuff that I do use regularly."

Okay, let's add "has unlimited fishing equipment resources," to Hall's dream living.

If you want to live the dream, you have to be prepared to work hard for it, and as Hall sets down behind a magnificent wooden table, there are insights into his work philosophy covering the wall. Elon Musk's "Seven Rules for Success" are perched just behind his shoulder.

Hall is MLF's rookie-of-the-year, but a better title might have been the "come-back-kid" after starting the season with a 142nd place finish. Hall was so far down the pecking order there were two choices left -- quit or fish harder.

Quitting just wasn't part of the equation, and Hall kept casting, and his determination started paying off with a 45th place and his first big check on the pro circuit. That was soon followed by a 12th place and then a top-ten finish.

Hall was starting to fulfill the promise he had displayed when he won the 1,000 Islands Toyota series event when he took on some of the world's best small-mouth bass fisherman.

Some people may have thought Hall just came up lucky at 1,000 islands because he didn't come from a small-mouth bass territory, but they didn't know he had camped out and lived on the Great Lakes for a month before the event started.

Hall has applied the same type of efforts in gathering people together like Woods and Brown, who run the store and take care of things when he is out of town.

"When people come in, they will find they are dealing with experienced anglers who use the equipment that we well here. That's very important for me because I want our customers to know we sell what we believe works the best," Hall said.

Tri-Lakes Tackle Town is located at 1735 E. U.S. 377 in Granbury, next door to Blacks' Pawn Shop.

You can visit their website @ https://www.loc8nearme.com/texas/granbury/tri-lakes-tackle-town-llc/6178571/ 

Russell@HCNews.com

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