23 hours ago, Big-Bass said:

We used to be loaded with stores here.  We had a Gander Mountain/Outdoors in Dickson City, we have a Field & Stream that opened a few years ago, we used to have some little mom & pop places (still have Hunter's Gallery) and we are about 2 hours from BPS (Harrisburg) and about 1.5 hours from Cabela's (Hamburg)...

 

BUT...the best of all of them closed a few years back.  It was called Angler's Paradise in Whitehall, PA...holy smokes what a selection and what a cool little store!  I used to go with my father before he passed and hit the "trifecta" of BPS, Cabela's, and Angler's Paradise!  They used to be such fun days and I miss those road trips with him.

I am with you on that about anglers paradise. I cried like a baby about that closing. That was a bass shop. Anyone else in that area and my area could not hold a candle to that place. They had what I wanted, got me what I wanted, cut me deals on some things that normally are unheard of, would spool me for great prices, toss me a factory free-be here and there. Could share info there. Get in-site there. 

 

Some of you guys are fairly young. Bass Pro Shops is not what it use to be. That place was full line dealers for many manufacturers. Not today, they jumped the shark pushing the house brand stuff. There may be a big following for XPS and BPS branded stuff I don’t know. As an example if I’m a Bill Lewis Rat-L-Trap fan from way back and I bought many of them from BPS, than you (BPS) strip that line down to nothing and push some JM rat-l-trap look alike/want to be. You don’t get my vote. My example is true. But when the same thing happens with Rapala, Storm, Strike King which it has, I’m not going out of my way to support that. I am not lying, I am not over exaggerating. A good well named hard bait product comes in let’s say 14 patterns, BPS carries 6, what is that. A top brand tube or grub is multiple colors, they carry 4. BPS tubes and grubs are out there hanging in every color going and colors that you have no idea where they came from. It must be me, getting old, living in the past too much these days, getting crotchety. 

And if I may add. I am intrigued by the whole Johnny Morris story and how he and Bass Pro Shops evolved. The back of a liquor store of all places. He put together one heck of an enterprise. And BPS is a great place to shop for the diversity alone. I would like to meet the guy. His conservation efforts alone are great for all of us. 
 

I am not a business man. And I’m sure there is a reasonable explanation for it but I would think if you are to be King of the Bass Fishing industry, Top Brands like Rapala, Culprit, Mann’s, Berkley, etc. would have their right place hanging full line there. It was at one time. What happen? Product rights? I don’t know, I’m not a business guy. Is more money generated by the square footage of XPS baits than that of other manufacturers? I would think BPS and some of the brands go back a long time to pull up short of what is available to sell. Admittedly I am not a business man. Just a consumer trying to get what is available. 
 

 

1 hour ago, Spankey said:

Bass Pro Shops is not what it use to be. That place was full line dealers for many manufacturers. Not today, they jumped the shark pushing the house brand stuff. There may be a big following for XPS and BPS branded stuff I don’t know. As an example if I’m a Bill Lewis Rat-L-Trap fan from way back and I bought many of them from BPS, than you (BPS) strip that line down to nothing and push some JM rat-l-trap look alike/want to be. You don’t get my vote. My example is true. But when the same thing happens with Rapala, Storm, Strike King which it has, I’m not going out of my way to support that. I am not lying, I am not over exaggerating. A good well named hard bait product comes in let’s say 14 patterns, BPS carries 6, what is that. A top brand tube or grub is multiple colors, they carry 4. BPS tubes and grubs are out there hanging in every color going and colors that you have no idea where they came from. It must be me, getting old, living in the past too much these days, getting crotchety. 

There is an easy answer to this problem: Tackle Warehouse

Better selection, better prices and GREAT customer service.

Hey guys let’s get off the my store is better than yours and get back on the sales. 

33 minutes ago, roadwarrior said:

There is an easy answer to this problem: Tackle Warehouse

Better selection, better prices and GREAT customer service.

Plus, when you spend more money than any sane person would spend...they give you a free t-shirt!  I have a lot of their t-shirts.  

1 hour ago, BigAngus752 said:

Plus, when you spend more money than any sane person would spend...they give you a free t-shirt!  I have a lot of their t-shirts.  

Ive only gotten free stickers and cheap rod sleeves. I guess I'm not a big baller haha!

Also I agree about BPS. I live a mile from my local one so I go there alot even if its just to walk around. XPS hard baits get a whole aisle, then they cram Rapala, SK, Bandit, Bomber, etc... Onto one aisle. BPS soft swimbaits have two pegs for each size of each color, Rage Swimmers or Berkley Power Swimmers get maybe ten pegs total. Same with rods. Whole aisle of Carbon Lite rods alone. Half an aisle for all of Lews models. 

 

Anyways..... Whats on sale? 

2 hours ago, Luke Barnes said:

Also I agree about BPS. I live a mile from my local one so I go there alot even if its just to walk around. XPS hard baits get a whole aisle, then they cram Rapala, SK, Bandit, Bomber, etc... Onto one aisle. BPS soft swimbaits have two pegs for each size of each color, Rage Swimmers or Berkley Power Swimmers get maybe ten pegs total. Same with rods. Whole aisle of Carbon Lite rods alone. Half an aisle for all of Lews models. 

 

Anyways..... Whats on sale? 

Nothing at BPS 

56 minutes ago, GTN said:

Nothing at BPS 

BPS has an excellent sale going on right now for electronics. Especially if you are a black level club card holder. They have G3N SI+ Helix 10 units for $1,599. Additionally if you buy one they give you a $100 gift card, and if you are a club card holder you get $320 back (3x points + original points) in Club points, so effectively $420 total in gift cards. Holds true for multiple other electronics they have on sale right now as well.

Sportman's Outfitters has a Presidents Day sale going on. Looks like they add something every day. Friday they had Daiwa Tatula's rods and reels 15% off and today they had Lew's rods and reels on sale.

Basspro and Cabela's are selling Abu's Ambassadeur C3 5501, left-handed, for 70 bucks. This is the cheapest Swiss made Abu reel I believe.  If you don't mind the heavy weight, the C3 and C4 reels give out a solid "connected" retrieve that few baitcasters can't provide. 

On 2/13/2021 at 8:53 AM, Spankey said:

I am with you on that about anglers paradise. I cried like a baby about that closing. That was a bass shop. Anyone else in that area and my area could not hold a candle to that place. They had what I wanted, got me what I wanted, cut me deals on some things that normally are unheard of, would spool me for great prices, toss me a factory free-be here and there. Could share info there. Get in-site there. 

 

Some of you guys are fairly young. Bass Pro Shops is not what it use to be. That place was full line dealers for many manufacturers. Not today, they jumped the shark pushing the house brand stuff. There may be a big following for XPS and BPS branded stuff I don’t know. As an example if I’m a Bill Lewis Rat-L-Trap fan from way back and I bought many of them from BPS, than you (BPS) strip that line down to nothing and push some JM rat-l-trap look alike/want to be. You don’t get my vote. My example is true. But when the same thing happens with Rapala, Storm, Strike King which it has, I’m not going out of my way to support that. I am not lying, I am not over exaggerating. A good well named hard bait product comes in let’s say 14 patterns, BPS carries 6, what is that. A top brand tube or grub is multiple colors, they carry 4. BPS tubes and grubs are out there hanging in every color going and colors that you have no idea where they came from. It must be me, getting old, living in the past too much these days, getting crotchety. 

BPS is nowhere near what it used to be. I remember always circling my calendar for late February (or whenever the sale dates fell on) marking their big Fishing Classic Sale, you could get great deals on ALL the major brands like Shimano, Daiwa, Lews, Abu Garcia etc., it was great! Now (and it's been this way for about the last 6 - 8 years at least) their classic sale is a joke, nothing much to be had except their house brand stuff which IMO is 50/50 at best. I've stopped circling the date a few years ago...it's a shame, that used to be a highlight of winter and a sure sign that Spring was around the corner. I know TW has a lot of stuff (although it seems lately they've been out of a majority of what I'm looking for) but for me it was always nicer to be able to go into a brick & mortar store and actually see the rod, reel etc. I was looking for, hold it in my hands and see how it felt...kinda' hard to do that with the online only stores!

3 hours ago, Brett's_daddy said:

but for me it was always nicer to be able to go into a brick & mortar store and actually see the rod, reel etc.

 

This is me too.  I bought all my tackle and gear in person for 20 years until 2020.  Had to order online out of necessity because in person retailers were completely wiped out.  I've stocked up this winter big time so in the event that another shortage comes along this spring, I won't have the same problem I did last season.  I would never buy a pair of shoes online because I can't try them on and the same applies for a rod and reel.

If there are any Mitchell reel fans, here is a pretty good sale, particularly if you're in the Richmond, VA area and Green Top is close by.

https://www.greentophuntfish.com/mitchell-308-pro-series-spinning-reel/  

Mitchell 308 Pro for $35. 

Just snagged a KVD 100H baitcasting reel for only 25 bucks at Rural King. Not bad for a reel that has 16 lbs of drag and a few years ago was going for 79. 

What's on sale? I can't figure it out unless I hear it here.  

 

I just got the teeny BPS sale flyer in the mail. Gave it a quick glance and tossed it. Is it a sale if it's all the same old regular price?

 

I was just looking through the 598-page 2021 Spring Master Catalog they sent me. After 100 pages of ads I gave up looking for the Table of Contents. Then I jumped to the back to look for an Index. Nothing. I guess I'm going blinder faster than I thought.

 

And don't get me started on how much I miss my Cabela's hardbound catalogs and their very high quality gear selections.

 

Okay, I suppose I'm just testy because I have this TW gift card I got from my wife and TW doesn't have a P5 or Conquest that I want. Fwiw, I have drawer full of unopened t-shirts.

 

I LOVE GREEN TOP. Although I miss the old cramped store they had before they moved into the Gander building after they left town.

Not sure if anyone posted this yet but. Fisherman source is selling sunline xplasma 50lb braid 600 yards at 50%. 

Bass U subscribers are currently getting 15% off all purchases at TW.  

For how long and does it work if I join today?

I believe it's only for February - must follow a link after you sign in.  

Sportsman's Outfitters is bring back their President Day sale on Daiwa Tatulas. The 100 and 150 are $113 and some change. Use code TATULA15. I don't know how long it is going to last.

There's a bunch of stuff for sale on Berkley's website, some stuff marked down about 50%.

4 minutes ago, Meowmicks said:

There's a bunch of stuff for sale on Berkley's website, some stuff marked down about 50%.

Thanks for the heads up. Been wanting to pick up some Power Swimmers and eye balling the chigger craw.

17 hours ago, Josh Hartman said:

I believe it's only for February - must follow a link after you sign in.  

Thanks.  Just grabbed a Metanium DC and a Tatula SV103 at 15%

 

....and a bunch of other random things.

Cabela's has Seaguar Red Label 50% off.