And the cupboards were bare

[LDUBS]

I recently received a Bass Pro gift card for my B-day (woohoo!). I went to their web site to do some snooping prior to visiting the nearest store. I was kind of dismayed at how many items are out of stock. I would say at least 80% of the rods I looked at were out of stock, including BPS' own brand. In a world-wide pandemic this isn't a surprise and I'm not being critical. I guess that gift card will have to burn a hole in my pocket for a while.

BTW, BPS is talking about buying Sportsmen's Warehouse. I always thought my local Sportsman's Warehouse was pretty decent and they are a lot closer than BPS. Soooo, who knows. Maybe I'll be spending my gift card there.

 

[overboard]

After BP bought out Cabela's, our local Cabela's in Hamburg Pa went to crap, now with the pandemic it's even worse! Even when it was just Cabela's, I would go there with a list of 10 things and come home with maybe 5-6, then have to mail order the rest of the items if I wanted them.
Now I rarely even go there anymore and just mail order almost everything I need or want, and I'm not alone judging by similar comments made by quite a few others. My first thought when I read that BP was buying SW was, well, are they going mess that up also!
Another thought also comes to mind, and you need to be OLD to remember this :lol: , remember the old Herter's catalog that was about as thick as a phone book and had just about anything and everything hunting or fishing related in it, then there's Sears, hope it don't come to that down the road with BP.
I went to Cabela's in either Feb, or early March, before BP and well before Covid, for Stren fishing line, they were out of stock and wouldn't be getting any until they got their shipment in closer to the opener of Pa trout season, WTH, doesn't anyone fish in the winter or spool reels early.
Another time I drove out there 4 times for stocking foot wader wading boots, no way no how could I wear the boots with the waders on, they were tight with just cotton socks on and I kept telling that to the girl that was bringing them out for me to try on. The 4th time out there I finally saw boxes with W on them, they fit but barely, It was never mentioned that they came in W but that they were out of them, DUH,, again, they didn't restock until close to the Pa trout opener.
End of rant, have fun with the gift card, just saying you may have to make at least 10 trips to use it up and get what you want! :lol:

 

[LDUBS]

I've never been to a Cabela's store. Closest one is in the next state over. I really don't remember Herter's but the Sears catalog was a pretty big deal. I would have thought it a natural step from a big catalog operation to internet sales. Someone missed seeing the future I suppose.

Funny you mentioned wading boots. I just recently bought a pair of Caddis brand at SW. I brought my waders with me to the SW store so I could try the boots on with the waders (waders were another B-day present!). Guy there asked a few questions about size then brought a box out. I was shocked at how well they fit over the wader booties. Anyway, I sure hope the BP takeover doesn't mess up SW. They opened up a store that is relatively near me. Well, maybe 15 - 20 miles away but it is either that or pretty slim pickings.

We have another fishing gear place with three locations in Northern California called Fisherman's Warehouse. IMO, their Sacramento store is the best across the board for fishing stuff. Sadly that is a 70 drive one way. Not too long ago I stopped by their newest location in Vacaville, and they look like they are also having an inventory problem. I also like Outdoor Pro Shop in Cotati. My son, who lives in Santa Rosa, goes there. I guess these last two shops I mentioned won't mean much to anyone not in No California.

Back in the bad ol days, there used to be big spaces dedicated to fishing gear at places like Thrifty or Long's Drug, or K-Mart. Walmart used to have a decent selection of tackle, but not so much any more.

 

[Alex from GA]

I agree with the "out of stock" @ BassPro. They send me sale stuff every week or so and all of it isn't in stock. Where I have a winter home in FL there is a really good bass fishing store and on the gulf there are several salt water tackle stores. Our local Walmarts, there are 4 within 12 miles, have a lot of tackle.

 

[Attwanl]

Website said they were “out of stock”on a new inflatable life vest I was wanting, never had one but thought it might be a good idea since I fish alone a lot. I went there to pick up a few things anyway and they had it in stock... so you might want to go and check it out, they might. This was just last Saturday and they have be out of stock for about a month.

 

[Kismet]

Another thought also comes to mind, and you need to be OLD to remember this :lol: , remember the old Herter's catalog that was about as thick as a phone book and had just about anything and everything hunting or fishing related in it.

With the Herter's catalog, I was like a 1920's prairie farmer wife, paging through a Sear's catalog for everything from "good shoes" for the kids to a dream Craftsman House to be shipped by rail to the prairie.

It took about 50 years for me to finally get an eight-shot revolver--the Trapper's Gun--that Herter's advertised just to torment me in that wonderful, expansive catalog. It had listings for every feather and fly, eyeballs and taxidermist's mounts for most species of American game, and the basics and necessities to do just about ANYTHING connected with the outdoors. It was a kid's dream book.

But dear gawd, if you ever have come upon a canoe or fishing boat sold by Herter's, you realize that the darned watercraft weighed as much as the trucks they shipped them in. :mrgreen: