chirmy Posted November 15, 2004 Report Share Posted November 15, 2004 opens tomorrow less than 2 miles from my home. Sneeking checkbook from wife tonight. Never been to one so those of you who have, should I be this excited? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Markell Posted November 15, 2004 Report Share Posted November 15, 2004 I have been to the one in Atlanta. You are like a kid in a candy store at first. Make sure to stop by the fish tank. I still prefer to order my tackle online. Much easier. I would like to someday visit the Bass Pro headquarters. I have heard it is huge. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Richoc Posted November 15, 2004 Report Share Posted November 15, 2004 Springfelid headquaters is still the best. Have on 45 mins south of here and go just to get out of the house at times. Jump on opening specials. Remember needs and wants, or buy some flowers before you get home. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cflbasser Posted November 15, 2004 Report Share Posted November 15, 2004 I live about about 45 minutes from the BPS in Orlando... When I go I usually figure out exactly what I'm going to get and how much it's going to cost... Then I triple that, cause that's realistically how much I'm actually going to spend!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nathan Posted November 15, 2004 Report Share Posted November 15, 2004 Hey Tim, The main store in Springfield is 90 miles south of me,and I have a Cabelas in Kansas City 90 North of me......My wife gets really worried when I get that wild look in my eyes when we are heading to one of them!!!....If you fish that tourney at Table Rock,you won't be far from the main store!!!..Nathan Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
siebler_custom_baits Posted November 15, 2004 Report Share Posted November 15, 2004 I got one opening i think this month like a mile from my condo about 45min from my house. Im soo excited. Gonna go up for xmas with the kayaks and beat up the ocean then go to BPS Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
basskat Posted November 16, 2004 Report Share Posted November 16, 2004 If you visit the Sprinfield BPS you'll need a full day or two. I've been to three others beside Springfield and they aren't half the size of it. We have one in Memphis which is 100 miles and a new one opening in Tupelo which is only 15 miles next month. As many lakes as we have close to us good fishing tackle stores are few and far between here. Wal-Mart carries a bunch of junk. If you want crankbaits you either have to order them, drive to Memphis, or pay about double the price at a local store. Will be interesting to see if he'll come down on his prices with BPS opening up. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
IslandBass Posted November 16, 2004 Report Share Posted November 16, 2004 You guys are so lucky! I remember when I visited their web page for the first time and used their store locator to find the one nearest me. I was disappointed to learn that the closest one was in Nevada and I live in WA State!!! Anyway, I ordered my first item from them, a Shimano Curado 201BSF. They told me it was going to arrive on the 19th and it came on the 12th, just about 4 days after I placed the order. --IslandBass Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mitcheal Posted November 16, 2004 Report Share Posted November 16, 2004 Here in Michigan, I have both Bass Pro Shop and Cabela's (their largest store) within a 40 minute drive. While both carry most of the world's known sporting items don't be surprsed to get sticker shock. While they probably will beat your local Ma & Pa Tackle shop, prices are not exactly wholesale. The best deals come at season ends with specials or if you sign up for one of their credit cards you can get some real deals. Both are must see for any angler or hunter. However this also holds true for the other major sporting goods retailers, like Dick's, Dunhams, and Gander Mountain. Most send out weekly flyers included in local and regional newspapers, watch for them. Often, the stores don't carry everything shown in their catalog, so keep that in mind too! Cabela's has a Bargain Cave, featuring really low prices on returned merchandise, sometimes as much as 70% below retail. However employees also keep an eye on these and often get most of the best deals. Mitcheal Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Celticav Posted November 18, 2004 Report Share Posted November 18, 2004 I love the one in Atlanta, but I only go when they are having a big to-do. This one has a couple of miles of shopping mall built on the back end to lose the ball and chain in, when you finally walk into it there is a 3-story mountain that you have to go around with people taking climbing lessons up and repalling down; from there its a left to a few acres of fishing stuff or a right to the an even larger hunting area. All surrounded by tanks of live trophy fish, a few hundred trophy taxidermy mounts of every fish and mammal. I like to ease around and check out the specials, grab the occassional free bait hand outs from the industry reps...spending extra time with the Lucky Craft reps, LOL..., listen to a guest speaker give a seminar or just dig thru the aisles for a couple of hours. Spending too much money is a given so you can forget about sticking to any "to-get list" or a budget but it is a fun way to spend an afternoon for sure. JIM Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chirmy Posted November 18, 2004 Author Report Share Posted November 18, 2004 Well, it is all that you say. My team partner handed out gun locks there yesterday and I snuck over and walked around. It is so busy that they have police directing traffic. The only 2 downs were 1) no fish in the tank yet and 2) There Roboworm is 1.00 over priced from the local boys. going back saturday for a more extensive visit. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mitcheal Posted November 19, 2004 Report Share Posted November 19, 2004 In Michigan, Cabela's in Dundee is the No. 1 toursit attraction in the State followed by the Bass Pro Shops store in Aubrun Hills. Between them, 7 million people pass through their doors. Tourism is Michigan's second largest industry after automobiles. What I don't understand is the idea that both fishing and hunting licenses sales are supposedly on the decline across the country. I do some freelance outdoor writing and for the most part, payment in that area has stayed pretty much the same for the last 10 years or even declined in some magazines like Fishing Facts. At one time they paid nearly 30 cents a word, today they pay less than a nickel per word. Go figure eh? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Attitude Posted November 19, 2004 Report Share Posted November 19, 2004 Been to the Cabela's in Dundee.....an awesome store! However, I'm a little bias towards BPS....the fishing selection is better than Cabelas....and the fish tank is a huge plus. But Cabelas does have everything under the sun...literally! ..you have to be careful in both stores! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KYBuilder Posted December 11, 2004 Report Share Posted December 11, 2004 I have a BPS about 30 minutes away from me in Cincinnati, OH, and I know it is not the biggest store around but it has plenty of stuff that I need and don't need but I can usually come up with some far fetched reason that I need it. I still want to visit the HQ of BPS sometime though that would be awesome. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WidowMaker Posted December 11, 2004 Report Share Posted December 11, 2004 Ive been to the one in Nashville its pretty nice. My pastor is a fisherman and does hospital visits in Nashville several time a year. If i ever do need to go to BPS i have ample opportunity to do so. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bump Posted December 11, 2004 Report Share Posted December 11, 2004 I have been to the Orlando store and I have the Dania store just ten minutes down the road. I dont do much shopping there because like cflbasser said the prices can be way too high. I go there just for certain items that i need right away. Plus the Dania store also has the IGFA Hall of Fame right next to it. Chris Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
woodieb8 Posted December 31, 2004 Report Share Posted December 31, 2004 we now have one in canada, toronto area. my problem is the ma and pa shops suffer from the big box stores. at least ma or pa open at 5.am for bait license and info. just my 2 cents from the great white north Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
