About Us

Our Mission

To develop brands that inspire outdoor enthusiasts through exceptional service and product education.

"Every day, anglers from around the world seek expert product advice from TackleDirect to help them be more productive on the water. Our team of fishing veterans takes our tagline of business from a customer’s view with each interaction. I could not be more proud to work with the people I do."
A picture of Patrick Gill smilingPatrick Gill
Founder & CEO, TackleDirect

Our Story

We were an internet start-up, long before internet start-ups were cool. Actually, in the fishing industry, even mentioning the internet was very uncool at that time and many people and brands initially turned us down. The Gill Family had long operated a marina in Ocean City, New Jersey when their son, Patrick, then a university student, brainstormed with his father the idea of creating an online catalog that sold fishing equipment. Working with limited heat in a tiny bait and tackle shop over the water at the marina, Patrick and their first employee, Wayne Nicholson, built the first version of TackleDirect.com over winter break from college. It was 1998, and almost 20 years later, TackleDirect now boasts over 80,000 products from more than 800 manufacturers shipping to over 200 countries internationally.


Our Team

Patrick Gill: Founder & CEO

Frederick Haas: VP of Purchasing Brian Brown: Director of Customer Experience Jerome Wilson: Director of Operations John Vaughan: Director of ERP John Winslow: Director of Human Resources Joseph Mattero: Controller Melanie Wilezol: Director of D365 Accounting

Alex T: Receiving Manager Carlos T: Warehouse Manager Chistopher R: Call Center Manager Ewa J: Database Administrator Kelly K: Email Marketing Manager Ryan M: Freshwater Category Manager Simona T: Buyer Svetlana S: Buyer Tyler R: Warehouse Manager Tyler B: Assistant Customer Service Manager

Bobbie F: Lead eCommerce Merchandiser Carl B: Assistant Retail Supervisor Devon H: Lead Product Merchandiser Elina S: AP Lead Charles V: Warehouse Supervisor Gail B: Warehouse Supervisor Kevin H: Lead Order Processor Lisa S: Executive Assistant Nicholas C: Assistant Retail Supervisor Priya M: Marketplace Supervisor

Albert W: Customer Service Andrew M: Retail Assistant Arianna S: Apparel Category Buyer Autumnrose R: Administrative Assistant Bernie D: Fishing Product Specialist Billy T: eCommerce Assistant Christopher R: Order Processor Christopher R: Order Processor Daniel D: Retail Assistant Eric S: Customer Service Fernando F: Warehouse Assistant Hamel B: Order Processor Jacob S: Retail Assistant Janee B: Warehouse Assistant John F: Warehouse Assistant John R: Warehouse Assistant--> Kelly S: Customer Service Khalid H: Warehouse Assistant Kraig F: Fishing Product Specialist Malachi W: Warehouse Assistant Matthew E: Warehouse Assistant Michael H: eCommerce Assistant Penelope N: eCommerce Assistant Peter E: Warehouse Assistant Rebecca R: Social Media Coordinator Robert C: Warehouse Assistant Robert S: Warehouse Assistant Shawn U: Warehouse Assistant Thomas W: Graphic Design William L: Fishing Product Specialist William R: Warehouse Assistant Zachary L: Warehouse Assistant