Rockingham tackle and bait shop declared best in nation

For the team at Compleat Angler and Camping World Rockingham, going to work is never a chore.

The Dixon Road business, which has everything for the outdoors under one roof, was started by Hank and Thora Alssema in 1998, daughter Alison Gee said.

Now, 15 years on, the business can boast the title as Australia’s best tackle and bait medium store, after beating a field of more than 400 stores nationwide.

Mrs Gee runs the business with husband Phil and sister and brother-in-law Joanne and Marc Samuels.

The store was named medium store winner at the Australia Fishing Tackle Association Awards gala event last month.

Mrs Gee said what set the Rockingham store apart from the rest and key to its success was its knowledgeable and creative staff.

“Our staff like their jobs, they like the outdoors, they like fishing,” she said.

“They are customer service people and they do get out and go fishing and they genuinely want to help people.”

Mr and Mrs Gee both grew up going on camping and fishing adventures and the couple said they loved their work involved talking about their hobby.

“My whole family used to go fishing up at Shark Bay and Phil is a local boy, he’s lived on the coast his whole life, so he loves travelling and the water,” she said.

Mrs Gee said the award supported her family’s belief the store was blessed after the building used to be home to a church.

“We have renovated it, so it looks a bit different,” she said.