West Marine — Local services in Marathon

It's a pretty well appointed store with reasonable selections and overall we always find the fishing supplies we need.

Why I didn't assign a perfect 5 stars here are 2 minor issues.

We're bought several fishing rods and reels and 2 of those reels needed line (the others already had line on them). While it didn't seem that the store was particularly busy, we still had to wait about 30 minutes to get someone to help. In fact the people from the store seemed to be around, right there where we needed help, but didn't really seem to be eager to help. I could be misreading something.

When shopping for an appropriate line, I always look at 2 thing. The test weight (say 20 pound) and the thickness. Being European, diameter comes first, as that determines how the line behaves, how likely the fish will respond to the bait (the thicker the line, the more suspicious the fish), and once I know what line thickness I want (fishing for small fish, thinner line, whereas targeting larger fish, we generally use thicker line), then I check out the selections, look at color, price, and the test. For example, if I want 0.35 mm diameter line, monofilament or fluorocarbon, I then check the test (for example 15 lbs). If a line's test at that desired diameter is 12 lbs, whereas another (of the same desired diameter of 0.35 mm) is 16 lbs, then I obviously would buy the latter. These guys, on the other hand, has absolutely ZERO concept of the diameter. They can only conceptualize test. Say 15 lbs. But it's just incomprehensible to me how one just doesn't get it that a line with a test of 15 lbs could be as thin as 0.25 mm (for some of the most expensive European and Japanese brands) and as thick as 0.40 mm and how these people are completely oblivious to the diameter and if it makes any difference between lines with such vast difference in their diameter. When I tried to explain this, the guy just got upset and walked away, sent his colleague to do the spooling. Again, that's fine, we got everything we needed and caught a lot of fish, which is what...

Wondered in for a part, and a very nice woman at the register asked if I wanted to upgrade to "gold". No thanks I replied. I see that as silver you get $10 back for spending 500. If you pay $25 now, you'll be gold and get the $25 off your next purchase over $100, she said. Sounds like a scam, I replied. Not at all, and you'll get the $25 back, she said. I should of taken my part and left but she was so nice, with small talk about boats. I said ok, paid my $25 extra and started my gold membership. 5 days later I'm back in there for a jabso replacement kit. I get to the checkout and it's $104. Hey, I say. How about that $25 off for being gold? That's mailed to your house, says a different but just as engaging woman. I don't have a house, I live on a sailboat. I can't help you with that. I say, I knew this was a scam. She says it's not a scam at all. I say, how do I get my $25. She says, I can't help you with that, followed by what kind of sailboat do you have? A broken one, I reply, that just got $25 more expensive. I go on to say, can you send the coupon to my email. I can't help you with that, she says and goes on to explain she works so her hubby can fix the boat. Is there anyone here that can help me get my $25, I ask. I can't help you with that, again she says. Is there a promo code, discount or recognition of my gold membership? Same reply. I knew this was a scam I say again. Not at all, she says. I ask is there anyway to get my $25? Same reply, 4th time. I leave and I rather have the boat sink then go back there and buy...

Clean and organized store, clean bathrooms, and a very friendly staff. They have a vending machine for drinks instead of those mini fridges which I thought was weird, but it was operational.

The dressing room could be a little sturdier since it looked a little make-shifty for a store in this price range. They spool your reels here, but in our case they accidentally put the wrong line on, which we didn't find out until we were in the heat of Mahi fishing which was... problematic.

Would go back, but will hit some of the stores in Homestead for the pricey stuff before going down because this store is already expensive, but then add on the Keys location surcharge...