Crap. My son and I were going there to get bait this morning. He's 9 and loved the store which has been here since 1985. It's a local institution around here. Apparently, a pickup truck hit a power pole and landed on top of the store at 2:00am. There's few pictures showing the truck upside down on top of the building. I can imagine the physics involved that get a pickup to fly 50 to 75 feet horizontally and vertical enough to land on a 15 foot tall building.

It was a real local store, owned by locals employing good folks with great fishing advice. With a CVS, Walgreens, and real estate office on the other corners, Fishin Franks was a reminder of the way things used to be in the area and unique. When I was in there last week, someone asked about a Bass Pro Shop discount and the response was 20% more.

I hope they rebuild, but I'm doubtful. Building codes and the fact that it's in a redevelopment area will make sure it's expensive and characterless. Plus the land is in a prime location.


Video: Link

"A long-standing Port Charlotte business was destroyed in a fire Sunday morning after a vehicle crashed into it.

Witnesses said a pickup hit a pole at a convenience store next to Fishin Franks Bait and Tackle on US-41, went airborne and landed on top of the building.

The driver of the truck was airlifted to the hospital with severe burns. US-41 was shut down as firefighters worked to put out the flames. All lanes were open by 9 a.m.

The truck’s charred remains sat atop the building until a tow company removed it at around 8:30 a.m., more than six hours after the crash."

Another video with more info.

I hate that for y'all. A good bait shop is so very essential. I hope that they do manage to come back and reopen.

Best of luck to Fish'n Franks Bait and Tackle. That's as American as apple pie. I've got lots of great memories growing up visiting local bait shops. Run by locals who knew the area and the fishing.

That's sad, you don't see too many of those anymore. I hope they rebuild.

My son and I just drove past the store and it was really clear the path the pickup truck took. There's a gas station to the north of Fishin Franks with two entrances off 41. The entrances are about 150' apart and in between them is a low area for drainage. The guy drove off 41 just past the northern entrance into the low area and launched it off the embankment leading up to the second entrance. It's got to be at least 150' between where he took off and where he landed on top of the building.

I read some updated information that says investigators suspect alcohol was involved. If the guy who did this lives, he'll never live this down. His best bet is to move out of state. There's 50 people there right now just staring at it.

More from the updated article:

"The 62-year-old said he doesn’t know what he’ll do now.

“I’ve been here 35 years,” he said. “That’s your entire life of memories that I look at this and I have more than your … I got your whole life worth of memories in here. My whole life of memories. Our life. This is all we’ve done for 35 years and it’s over.”"


This picture comes from the Charlotte County Fire and EMS Facebook page. The black and tan thing above the wall is the passenger side rear corner of the pickup truck. You can see the wheel well, leaf springs, and axle, sans wheel.:

This message has been edited. Last edited by: trapper189,

That really is a shame. As for the Physics involved there is one thing that is for certain, that truck was moving fast.

You mention your Father Son routine...

I remember my Dad taking me to Vandegrifs bait shop. It was in a guys two car garage. Bob Vandegrif was retired and a great guy.

I still remember the smell of the place when I walked in...sound of the minnow tanks in the background.

Dad and Bob would shoot the breeze while looked around. Bob would always give me an extra pack of something for free...a bobber...some weights, etc.

Later, I would go out at night to pull crawers and sell them to Bob for a nickel a piece. He’d ding me for broken ones.

Find another store if you can for you and your son. Hopefully they rebuild.

And that's why I posted this in the "What's Your Deal?" subforum. I'm pissed off because fishing is my and my 9 yo's thing. We started it last summer in Michigan and he couldn't wait to go to Fishin Franks when we got home even though we had never been there. It's literally just down the street from us. We've been passing by it for years.


The first time we went, we got a bait bucket, a dozen shrimp, and some hooks. Well they gave us 2 dozen as we found out when we got home. We caught a couple fish off our dock and my son decides he feels bad for the one shrimp that's missing a piece of its tail and we have to keep it as a pet. He named him Stumpy. Circle of life discussion, tears shed and no more live bait for awhile.

We've been there at least twice a month since.

I’m sorry you guys who live down there. That’s tough to see. Mom and pop shops of any kind are such a rarity these days. Remember all the good times.

Well, that is a damn shame. Good, old, established bait and tackle shops are getting to be a rare commodity, and a bit of a community treasure...almost like finding a rare old school bar.

It saddens me to see someone lose an established business along with a lifetime of memories... but, I will say that if you are going to lose a landmark establishment like Fishin Frank's that is the way to do it. That type of spectacular destruction seems like something out of a Coen brother's movie.

Nice to see the locals supporting Frank and I hope he can find a way to reopen his business, even if in a different location.




Link to original video: https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=b29AwpDrjhw