The Joy Of Fishing Before You Go Fishing

• Posted on 11 February 2025
• By Deborah Childress
• 0

Lee Fisher International, founded by SanFu Lee, operates four stores in Tampa Bay under the name "Florida Fishing Outfitters." These stores provide more than just fishing gear—they offer expert advice, up-to-date local fishing regulations, and a strong community of fishermen. Known for its extensive product selection and knowledgeable staff, the company also manufactures high-quality products like cast nets, crab traps, fishing lines, and rods. With over 400 retail outlets carrying Lee Fisher products, the company is a leader in the Tampa Bay region and beyond. Visit their websites for online shopping and special pricing for licensed captains.

Besides the beer, preparing to go fishing can be an exceptional experience if you know where to go. Chain stores and warehouses that provide fishing gear and supplies offer little more than assistance to help you find what you are looking for. Need a crab trap? That would be aisle 8.

However, Lee Fisher International’s founder and CEO, SanFu Lee, has always recognized that fishermen need more assistance and information for their fishing trips. Under the trade name “Florida Fishing Outfitters, Mr. Lee owns and operates four corporate-owned stores conveniently located in Tampa Bay: Tampa Fishing Outfitters, Lakeland Fishing Outfitters, St. Pete Fishing Outfitters, and Tarpon Fishing Outfitters. 

“My vision for my stores has always been different from chain stores and warehouses serving the public. We provide our customers with regularly updated state and local fishing regulations, which change frequently and can vary throughout the state,” Lee said. “We also inform customers where they can go to get a license. We can tell them when and where to fish inshore or offshore for saltwater or freshwater fishing, and we always have free fisherman guides. We do a lot more than just help customers find the right aisle for the products they want. We are qualified and excited to deliver local fishing knowledge, sound advice, and our products’ specific features for the best fishing experience. We are also conscientious about serving our customers with competitive pricing. We can even repair customers’ cast nets.”

Lee also said his stores are the go-to places where fishermen help fishermen. He said he requires his representatives to be seasoned fishermen who are committed to continually fishing for as long as they work for the company.

Steve Powers, the company’s wholesale manager, said he’s been fishing for 49 years and began working at Lee Fisher in 2015. He described the company’s time invested in trade groups, including the Gulf Coast of Mexico Fishery Management Council. “We routinely attend various trade groups, including the Council which provides us expertise about specific fisheries and fish species. We share this knowledge with our customers.”

 

Tampa Fishing Outfitters, located in Tampa’s Drew Park, is known on Facebook as “the angler’s candy store.” Since 2010, it has become one of the largest tackle shops in Florida’s entire Tampa Bay region and Florida’s west coast. It boasts 7,000 square feet of sport fishing gear, supplies, and services for fishermen and licensed captains. 

 

Beyond Lee Fisher International’s four corporate-owned stores, 48 other retailers in Tampa Bay carry Lee Fisher products. They are located throughout Hillsborough, Polk, Sarasota, Manatee, Pinellas, Pasc,o and Hernando Counties, making the company the largest privately-owned fishing gear and supply company in the Tampa Bay region. As one of the largest privately-owned fishing gear and supply companies in the U.S. and Caribbean, their products are carried in over 400 other retail outlets.