Best Fishing Store You’ve been in

[J.Bass]

Hello ? 

 

This thread is the best fishing store you’ve been into. Don’t just name Bass Pro, Scheels or Walmart. Name the city and state the store is in and why it’s the best.
 

I’ll start… 

 

went on a fishing trip to Lake Guntersville about 6 years ago. Stayed around Guntersville, Alabama. Lake Guntersville is top 3 on my list of lakes. Anyhow my dad and I went to neighboring town to a Walmart. Let me tell you… the fishing isles were loaded with fishing rods, reels, line, and tons of LURES. It was like fishing heaven. Bass pro didn’t even come close. I counted 6 isles of fishing stuff it was the best Walmart fishing isle I’ve ever been into. One isle side was just plastic worms. Another just crank baits. 
 

Now I want to hear your favorite fishing store!

[MN Fisher]

Toss up between Scheels in Eden Prairie, MN and Fleet Farm in Carver, MN.

 

Both have large fishing sections, both have wide selection of rods/reels/lures. Both have bulk spool filling available.

 

The Fleet Farm might edge the Scheels in one area - boat equipment. From seats to pedestals to anchors to covers - pretty much stem to stern for your boat. They also have a good selection of canoes and kayaks in stock.

[Deephaven]

1 minute ago, MN Fisher said:

Toss up between Scheels in Eden Prairie, MN and Fleet Farm in Carver, MN.

 

Both have large fishing sections, both have wide selection of rods/reels/lures. Both have bulk spool filling available.

 

The Fleet Farm might edge the Scheels in one area - boat equipment. From seats to pedestals to anchors to covers - pretty much stem to stern for your boat. They also have a good selection of canoes and kayaks in stock.

Sad you referenced those.  Thorne Brothers by a landslide here locally.

[MN Fisher]

3 minutes ago, Deephaven said:

Sad you referenced those.  Thorne Brothers by a landslide here locally.

I don't go far from home - haven't hit Thorne Bros in years so I kind of forget what it's like anymore.

 

Add to the fact that FF's prices are heads-and-tails better...and I'm on a tight budget.

[gim]

8 minutes ago, Deephaven said:

Thorne Brothers by a landslide here locally.

I like the that place too.  I think they're making a big expansion this spring.  Blaine, MN.

 

The new Scheels in EP is pretty good though.  I went there about a week after it opened in July 2020 and it was the only in-person retailer that actually had tackle, presumably because they wouldn't want to have a "grand opening" with empty shelves.  Of course a couple weeks later I heard they were wiped out like everyone else.

[LrgmouthShad]

Aberdeen Bait and Tackle located in Aberdeen, NC.

 

Far and away the best

 

Look em up and see some of the photos.

[volzfan59]

Bass Pro Shops, Springfield, MO and Kodak, TN stores.

 

Edgemoore Tackle, Claxton, TN

 

Honey Hole, West Monroe, LA

 

Salt water, J & M Tackle, Orange Beach, AL

[the reel ess]

I love the mom & pops, especially at a lake. They always have what works there and they'll tell you what's been producing lately.

[Deephaven]

1 hour ago, gimruis said:

I like the that place too.  I think they're making a big expansion this spring.  Blaine, MN.

 

The new Scheels in EP is pretty good though.  I went there about a week after it opened in July 2020 and it was the only in-person retailer that actually had tackle, presumably because they wouldn't want to have a "grand opening" with empty shelves.  Of course a couple weeks later I heard they were wiped out like everyone else.

They have a lot of stock now.  I stopped in on Sunday to check out the Nerka mounts.  Great looking mount btw.  My large store bias is Scheels, but I grew up with their kids.

1 hour ago, MN Fisher said:

Add to the fact that FF's prices are heads-and-tails better...and I'm on a tight budget.

I've gotten better deals at Thorne than FF...

[J.Bass]

19 minutes ago, volzfan59 said:

Bass Pro Shops, Springfield, MO and Kodak, TN stores.

 

Edgemoore Tackle, Claxton, TN

 

Honey Hole, West Monroe, LA

 

Salt water, J & M Tackle, Orange Beach, AL

I was going to say Springfield, Missouri Bass Pro Shops a close 2nd for me. The place is huge. Another one on my bucket list is the pyramid bass pro shops in Memphis, Tennessee. My family went there and said it’s amazing.

13 minutes ago, the reel ess said:

I love the mom & pops, especially at a lake. They always have what works there and they'll tell you what's been producing lately.

At these mom and pops stores you find unique lures. These unique lures catch fish. Such as plastics made by a local in area.

[gim]

6 minutes ago, Deephaven said:

They have a lot of stock now.

 

Who has a lot of stock?  Scheels or Thornes?

 

When I was in Scheels in October they had pretty much removed all of their open water fishing tackle already and replaced it with ice fishing tackle.  That was a huge disappointment.  They lost my business that day.

[Big Hands]

1 hour ago, J.Bass said:

Anyhow my dad and I went to neighboring town to a Walmart. Let me tell you… the fishing isles were loaded with fishing rods, reels, line, and tons of LURES. It was like fishing heaven. Bass pro didn’t even come close. I counted 6 isles of fishing stuff it was the best Walmart fishing isle I’ve ever been into. One isle side was just plastic worms. Another just crank baits. 

I have found that Walmarts vary quite a bit in the selection of tackle and amount, likely based on what sells at that store and what doesn't.

 

Back in the mid-90's, I went to visit a friend for a week in Waco, TX. They had a Super WalMart that was loaded with tackle. They even sold gillnets, which will get you a quick trip to the Graybar Inn where I live.

 

One of my friend's neighbors was a local guide and fishing TV show host named Charlie Pack that had his own line of crappie rods and crappie related tackle.  The local WalMarts in Waco (I think he told me there were six of them locally that had his gear there) not only had a full display of his gear, they had a life-size cardboard cutout of him next to it, LOL. 

======================

As for the best, I can't say any stand out for me because they all have their strong points and their weak points and I have, over the years, been into various types of fishing, boating and rod building. But, I do like to visit local tackle shops when I travel because they all have their specialties and 'personality'.

[Catt]

Cajun Mart south of Sulphur Louisiana, got everything ya need & I support local.

 

Toledo Town & Tackle Many Louisiana, again support local

 

Ann's Tackle Jasper Texas, Ann Thomasson-Wilson is a legend in bass fishing.

[Luke Barnes]

Ive only been fishing for five years and havent been to really any out of my local areas fishing stores. I have a nice BPS a mile from my house, a couple Academy stores close by and one DSG that still sells fishing stuff. BPS has the best selection so that gets my vote. 

 

Back in the Army I would go to Cabelas in Kansas City on occasion and it was a huge and really nice store, but cant remember the fishing section. 

[WRB]

For me It comes down to having fishing tackle I am looking for, not quantity of rods, reels, line, lures etc.

Big box stores stock items that turn over seasonally in the region they are located and rarely cater to specialized tackle.

The “Pro” mom & pop tackle stores are getting rare today and the mid size “sporting goods” stores cater to all types of anglers.

Local bass anglers rely on a wide variety of specialized hand pour worms and custom swimbaits, etc and I am no different so patronize the few “Pro” small tackle shops in the area I am fishing.

Tom

PS, miss the Bass A Thon at Anglers Marine in Anaheim and Delta Bait and Tackle, now Fisherman’s Warehouse in Manteca, to custom paint my crankbaits.

 

[Bankc]

I haven't been to the Bass Pro in Springfield in many years.  I'm going to say it was probably around 1995.  But my memory of it is pretty ridiculous for how big it was, and how it seemed to have 50 of everything ever made to get wet.  Supposedly the Pyramid in Tennesse is supposed to be even bigger than it though.  

 

Otherwise, in recent memory, it's going to be like a 20 way tie between a bunch of different places, all about the same size.  Basically, your average Bass Pro or Cabella's.  I don't think I've ever seen a Walmart, DSG, or Academy come close.   

[Tennessee Boy]

Haven't been there in several years but Waterfront Bay Grocery & Tackle in Scottsboro Alabama on Guntersville Lake.

 

http://waterfrontbaygrocery.com/

[Fishingmickey]

I've been to several memorable ones. Two that stick out in my mind at Trustworthy in Soldotna, AK and before they expanded and got big. Cabala's in Sydney, NE. 30+ years ago.

FM

[GReb]

The Bass Pro in Memphis at the Pyramid is incredible. 

[Mobasser]

Mine is no longer here. Frank Fensom Sportsman's Headquarters in Raytown Mo.             Another favourite which is gone was Clock Bait Shop in Gladstone Mo.                                         Rogers Sporting Goods in Liberty Mo. Still good,. but have started carrying more clothing and other stuff the last few years.                                                        I bought my first ABU 4600c at Clock Bait in the latter 1980s. The owner spooled it for me, mounted on my rod and let me cast it behind the store.                    Service like this around my area is gone now. I wish it was still like this now.

[Bankbeater]

Bass Pro is Springfield, and Paul's Bait and Tackle in south St. Louis.

It's been a few years since I have been in Paul's though.

[Bird]

Don't have anything that impressive locally. The closest Walmart is comparable to a Dollar tree.

 

Myself and my retired fishing buddy have driven to the city 8 times this winter to Bass pro.

What's not to love ? They have it all.

[Columbia Craw]

That I’ve been to.  Phil’s Propeller Shop in Redding California.  They carried top of the line products and stocked bin after bin after bin of hand poured plastics suited for Lake Shasta, Clear Lake and many other locations. The amount of tackle crammed into that place was impressive.  There are several  really neat shops around Clear Lake as well.  

[Skunkmaster-k]

Wright-On Bait and Tackle. Their minnows are lively and their beer is cold. 

[5/0]

Another one that sadly is no longer around. Walton’s Pond in San Leandro, CA.

They had pretty much everything; and if there was something they didn’t have, they’d get it.