Bass Pro Shops VS Cabelas

[airborne_angler]

I am currently in Vegas visiting my uncle who has fallen ill. On the way up,I stopped by the new Cabelas in Glendale Arizona. Beings how this was my first time in a store like this ,I was giddy as a child. Very impessive displays,Knowledgeable staff. Very pleasant experience. The fish in the Aquarium looked a bit ragged/rough/sick but overall I enjoyed it.

I just got back from Bass Pro Shops here in Vegas. This place hands down rocks!!! Lots of awesome displays,Huge fish in the aquarium ,enough stuff to make your head spin. They had a Tank demonstration while I was there. They threw a red t-rigged Culprit worm and the fish ignored it. Then came the dropshot,the fish went crazy over that,then they threw a storm swimbait which had little,if any,effect on appealing to the fish.

Then it was time for me to shop. I found a section with some ASSALT shaky worms in 4-5-& 6 inch sizes. They were all marked $1.49 for a bag of 10 baits,reduced from $3.29. I grabbed a few of the bags of 4 and 5 inch in different colors. I got a total of 6 bags. I then asked an associate where the "spot remover" jig heads were. The guy looked puzzled. So he went and got another associate,an older guy ,which I figured was more experienced. He had no idea what I was talking about either. We all looked and finally found em. As I was leaving the aisle I overheard one asociate asking another...."Whats a Zero Spook and where are they?" Obvious these guys didnt know very much.

The worst part of the experience came when it was time to check out. I presented my 6 bags of bait to the cashier and they all rang up for $1.49. All except one bag. For some reason that particular bag was $3.29. It was a duplicate of one that just rang up for $1.49. The cashier couldnt figure it out and called a manager. He said it was because the color of the bait. Made no sense because I just had a pumpkin/purple 4" package ring up for $1.49 and the one that rang up for $3.29 was the exact same thing!!!! Same SKU/Barcode. So needless to say I left out of ther with only 5 bags of bait. I just got tired of explaining how it shouldnt be any different  but the manager kept countering my point. This wasnt getting anywhere so I paid for my stuff and left.

What has everyone elses experience been with either of these outfitters?

[GAMEOVER]

Both are good and highly reputable, when dealing with those two go for the lower price because thats all it boils down to pretty much.

[roadwarrior]

I do the majority of my "sports" business with Cabela's and BPS. Both companys stand behind their products and have excellent customer service. I have had similar experiences with some of their staff, they are just worker bees that happen to work at a outdoors company.

[KU_Bassmaster.]

Both are AWESOME stores. For some reason I like BPS a tad more. It might be because I don't have one that near me ........ yet.  And you always want what you don't have. I have a Cabela's about 15 miles from my house and in a few months I will have a BPS about 10. WHAT AM I GOING TO DO???? ;D :

[fishingrulz]

Both are AWESOME stores. For some reason I like BPS a tad more. It might be because I don't have one that near me ........ yet. And you always want what you don't have. I have a Cabela's about 15 miles from my house and in a few months I will have a BPS about 10. WHAT AM I GOING TO DO???? ;D :

Lucky :'( ;D

[Bassassasin12]

I like BPS a bit more just cause I buy all my products online from there. All my rods and reels I get online and all my tackle I get wherever I can find it for cheap.

[cart7t]

I like Cabela's cutomer service better but their selection of bass fishing equipment sucks.  So I opt out for BPS. As a side note I placed an order from BPS yesterday.  The nearest BPS is only 27 miles away but my truck only gets around 19MPG.  With gas at around $2.85 a gallon here it was just as cheap to pay the shipping for an online order than it was to drive up there.  >

[Bassassasin12]

you think 2.85 is bad..its 3.11 up here...

[huskertko]

Both are AWESOME stores.   For some reason I like BPS a tad more.  It might be because I don't have one that near me ........ yet.  And you always want what you don't have.  I have a Cabela's about 15 miles from my house and in a few months I will have a BPS about 10.  WHAT AM I GOING TO DO???? ;D :

I know I can't wait, I drive by the new BPS everyday and everday I think to myself wow they made a lot of progress today, it won't be long.  It is sad to say that when BPS opens, I will probably not be making the 20 minute drive to Cabelas nearly as much unless they have a huge sale or something.  That 5 minute drive to the new BPS is going to be a blessing and a curse.  

[airborne_angler]

Dont get me wrong,I was blown away by both outfitters,and even though I may have had a little bit of a problem at BPS ,in no way does it mean I frown upon them. I understand there may have been a glitch in the system with pricing or whatever,and things happen. BPS will be opening a store in Mesa in the near future,so when I head to the Phoenix area im gonna have to bring some  spending cash. Im itching to take my GF to one of these outfitters ,I think shell be blown away just as much as I was.

[Guest avid]

I think Cart7 is on track.  Both stores are excellent, but I too find that Cabela's customer service is a little better.  I don't think it's policy.  It seems more to do with the rep training and experience.

[Raul]

I like Cabela's cutomer service better but their selection of bass fishing equipment sucks. So I opt out for BPS. As a side note I placed an order from BPS yesterday. The nearest BPS is only 27 miles away but my truck only gets around 19MPG. With gas at around $2.85 a gallon here it was just as cheap to pay the shipping for an online order than it was to drive up there. >

I have to get a plane ticket to get to the nearest BPS ( Dallas or Houston ), at 380 plus anywhere from 60-120 bucks of hotel it makes a quite expensive trip.

[K_Mac]

They are both fine stores. I have delt with very knowledgable people at both, but I have also talked to a

couple who wouldn't know a Spook from a spark plug. Good help is very hard to find.

[Shakes]

Bass Pro! You haven't seen anything until you've been the BPS headquarters in Springfield, Missouri. Best store on the planet, hands down.

[jayhawkfishin]

I like Cabelas because I have one about 25 minutes away.  Also, if you know who to talk to there they know a lot.  With my experience talk to older people, they know whats going on.  I have been to a lot of bass pro's but there staff just doesn't seem as good to me.  

[CrazedL.IFisherman]

I like both equally, probably order more from cabelas for some strange reason, and saw a cabelas store in person forgot in which state, that absolutely blew me away, the set up of the store was down right amazing

[Bud]

I work for a national known Fishing tournment trail that is sponsored by Cabelas.  You owe it to your self to go to the headquater store and go though that place.

[Hookemdown.]

Bass Pro! You haven't seen anything until you've been the BPS headquarters in Springfield, Missouri. Best store on the planet, hands down.

Agreed!.  If your anywhere near this place go to it.  It's store has above average selection, quality workers, and much more.  But be careful, I could spend weeks in there.  It's also so much more than just a store, it's really something to see.

[Pa Angler]

I like both, Cabela's is 25 minutes (Hamburg, PA) away while BPS (Harrisburg, PA) is over one hour away. The Cabela's store it self blows BPS out of the water it's a stand alone store and has a much better walk through Aquarium were BPS has only one tank and BPS is attached to a Mall. BPS is geared more for Fishing and has a better fishing selection while Cabela's is geared more for Hunting & camping but has a very good fishing selection as well. Both are excellent choices. 8-)

Chow

The Pa Angler

[burleytog]

Each excels in certain areas and lacks in other areas.

You can't go wrong with either.  I've been to seven or eight different BPS stores, always spend too much.  My closest Cabelas store is too far away, so I've never been lucky enough to grace one of their stores.

[stroz]

Unfortunatley I've never made it to BPS But I have ordered from cabelas online and there service and return policy are great .Just yesterday morning went to the lake down the road and snapped my 7 ft rod :'( only got it 2 months ago. Never had that happen before so came home called Cabelas and there sending me a replacement and told me to keep the broken one for spare parts I was psyched and must say there customer service is sweet.Went to L.L. Beans today they have a sweet store there fishing department is huge but mostly geared for fly fishing but they had more bass stuff then they used to.I guess there building a Cabelas about 45 mins away but there also building a Dicks about 15 min away . But no BPS in the state :'(

                                                                                                Stroz

[hairtriggr]

Having neither Bass Pro nor Cabelas close, I usually find myself at Sportsmans warehouse. I normally find what I need even if they dont have quite as wide of a selection. They do however typically have better shooting/reloading dept.

I will say that having been to both Springfield and Sydney, that BPS is the place for me-awesome. I have been to the BPS in Denver too, but it's not really in the same league as the home office.

[bigbassjim]

I just received 3 new HML rods I ordered from Cabela's. 140.00 On Sale for 100.00. They came packaged in brand new tubes stenciled with Cabela's on ea. They have quick release caps on each tube which is really cool and each rod was individually wrapped in a beautiful Cabela's stenciled nylon rod case. I have bought a lot of rods in my life time and have never had any of them go that extra mile like Cabela's; and for clothing there is no question CABELA'S. For terminal tackle and bass baits BPS.

[Al Wolbach]

I have read the comments of everyone on this post with interest. I believe both stores are very good places to shop and basicly equal in most catagories. I am a part-time employee of BPS, as some of you know, and an occasional customer of Cabelas.

You will see two age group employees' at most BPS stores,very young and older. The pay scale is the reason. The older men and women have retired from their professions and just enjoy talking with fellow outdoorsmen and sharing their experiences. Many of the younger are students that can work flexable hours and still attend school or it is  their first job. I don't believe, in most cases, you could support a family on the pay scale offered by BPS and I suspect Cabelas' pay scale isn't much higher. The pay scale is the reason you may find it difficult to find a knowable person to talk with at BPS.

I am 59 years old and retired from two careers and not looking for a third career. However, I enjoy working at BPS for the most part. I am a tournament bass fisherman and enjoy talking fishing with others and occasionally helping someone with a problem and I have learned a lot from customers. Until six months ago I thought a spot remover was a carpet treatment. A customer with time and patience explained to me how to fish them. I am still occasionally ask for a lure I have never heard of, much less fished. Trying to determine the fishing experience level of a customer, without offending them, at times can be difficult.

If I had a piont to make when I started writing this I forgot what it was so just bear with me please. Tights lines all................................Al

[Zebco202]

My two pennies worth:

I'm two hours away from the nearest BPS and I'm not sure where the nearest Cabela's would be.  I have been to the BPS in Nashville and Savannah.  Both are great stores.

I have ordered online from both BPS and Cabela's.  I've had excellent customer service from both.  Shipping is very timely.

As others have said I consider them both to be about equal, so I generall go with whoever has the lowest price.  The Bargan Cave at Cabela's is awesome, and I've found some good deals on closeouts at BPS too, but again, I like the Bargan Cave at Cabela's the best.  The one difference is that I have a lot more confidence in the BPS brand items than the Cabela's.  I've got three BPS rods which I really like and I've heard good things about their reels as well.  I haven't really seen much or heard much about Cabela's brand of fishing gear.  Hard to beat those sales on the BPS brand items.  Great bang for the buck imho.