Academy Sports

[Sam]

Heading to New Orleans for a wedding and plan to stop by a local Academy Sports store to get some LSU tee shirts and to look at the fishing tackle.

 

Any suggestions about the tackle; especially tackle we can't get in Virginia?

 

I have some Academy crankbaits that are beautiful and hope to find some more plus other baits and tackle you guys suggest.

 

Thanks for the feedback.

[tomustang]

Their cranks are sweet for the price, every time I get a chance to go into an Academy I pick more up. Last time I got some silent and rattling squarebills

I think some of the Havoc baits are still $.99

[Jrob78]

The H20 crankbaits are awesome, can't be beat for the money.  A lot of people like the H20 rods and reels, they are inexpensive but I don't have any personal experience with them.  I've heard mixed reports on H20 jigs and spinnerbaits, I don't use those either.  

 

I don't know if Grande Bass baits and Lake Fork Tackle baits are widely available nationwide, (other than online) but Academy carries both and they are good plastics.  You might also find some local saltwater stuff in NO, we don't have that in our stores in Dallas though.

[Sam]

Thanks, guys.

 

Yes, I have a few H20 crankbaits and will take a look see at what the have in NOLA.

 

Happy New Year!

[Bluebasser86]

If you like the Luck E Strike/Megabass style jerkbaits they now offer a similar bait in the H2O lineup that works very well. Also a big fan of their prop bait (similar to a LC Kelly Jordan prop bait) their walking bait that's similar to a Sammy and their hybrid walker/chugger that's like a Gunfish are both really good baits. I also like their frogs really well and they come in a variety of sizes and colors. Of you like Zoom or Big Bite Baits it seems like they carry a ton of that stuff for way cheaper than anywhere else. I buy all my Ol Monsters, Mag Worms, brush hogs, and trick worms I can from them because they're sometimes 2 dollars cheaper than anywhere else around here. If you like jigging spoons they have really good variety of those. They always seem to have lots of discontinued gear also that you can get for a steal. I bought 2 filler spools of PP braid for 4 dollars a spool last time I was at one of the ones by me. 

[Catt]

H2O hollow body frogs!

[Jrob78]

H2O hollow body frogs!

Yep, that's a good one too.

[Sam]

Thanks. I will be sure to pick up some crankbaits and hollow bodied frogs.

 

Sincerely appreciate the feedback.

[Bass_Fanatic]

I go into my local academy every week and walk the aisles looking for clearance items.  They will put things on clearance for ridiculous prices.  Just last week I bought some Excaliber sqaurebills for $.99 and a couple Diawa Zillian Type R's for $199.98.  They are also starting to carry Roboworms and Missle D-Bombs.  The H2O mettle is the best $50 reel out there and you can find them on sell many times for $39.99 too, so make sure to check them out.  Suffix Camo braid is on sale right now for $6 a spool, reg $19.99.  They are clearing out all the camo braid here apparently.  Just keep your eyes open to the clearance stickers!

[Chris S]

2 square bills, one lipless, 3 bags of pitboss, 2 bags of hooks ='s $8 ,wonder why I have not been to BPS in over a month???

[RonnieF]

The mettle reel was $29.99 hot deal for a while. Not sure if it's still available. Got 2 for Christmas plus a Lews tournament lazer. It helps to have a better half that's a manager there. Lots of times end of isles ( end caps) have clearance items. H2O hard baits have worked well for me, including the Sammy clones.

[tomustang]

The mettle reel was $29.99 hot deal for a while. Not sure if it's still available. Got 2 for Christmas plus a Lews tournament lazer. It helps to have a better half that's a manager there. Lots of times end of isles ( end caps) have clearance items. H2O hard baits have worked well for me, including the Sammy clones.

Word is a new model is coming out, this time both righty and lefty

[Sam]

Hit the Academy in Gretna as we went to the Mardi Gras store to order Mardi Gras beads.

 

Selection was not up to par with the Veterans Highway store but it was fun to walk around and look at the tackle.

 

Thanks to all for their replies.

[philwauke]

Late to this thread but new to the forum. If you get to harahan location early in the week you can get excellent deals I found several strike king spinner baits and deep diving crankbaits for under 2 dollars each and also got some lazer trokar hooks for a quarter a pack. Sometimes I feel like the lures attract the fisherman more then they do the fish.

[JLBrown]

My biggest issue with Academy is their selection or should I say lack of. Not a fan of their brand of rods, but that is currently the top line of rods at the store near my house.  Been shopping this store for the past 15 years and in the past I've found Ducketts, Falcon's, and Castaways, but no more. The department manager said those brands are not what "his customers" are looking for.  I could order online, but that's not the point.  I would like to go and actually look and purchase it.  I do still purchase all my terminal tackle from them, so I still go there frequently.

[Catt]

The inventory of each Academy is set by regional managers!

The bulk of Academy's sales is Team Sports, Apperal, & then Hunting/ fishing.

[sizzlefry]

^{ive used there rods and think they are really good rods plus they have a no questions asked full return policy which is good I should say lifetime guarantee}

[davidjking05]

I'm currently using and H2O Express baitcaster with an H2O Express 6'10" pole and I love em both. Haven't let me down yet, and pretty decently priced