When I first started bass fishing a trip to Bass Pro Shops was better than Christmas morning. Now, 90+% of my tackle and gear is bought elsewhere. My one must have are the 30 pack stikos for $10. Best and most reasonably priced alternative I have found to the GY Senko.
Anyway, I'm headed to a BPS this weekend and wanted to see if there are any purchases you all make from BPS that I'm missing. Hidden gems in a world of overpriced tackle, if you will.
Thanks in advance!
RT
I usually only purchase rods and reels from BPS. 99% of the time they are the same price as anywhere online. I like to feel and hold them before the purchase. Lures on the other hand I pretty much know what I want/like and find them much cheaper online.
I think they have slowly went downhill in regards to fishing deals (Spring classic and days of xmas are the only big deals). But they do carry a lot of tackle if you ever need it. Mainly I go there is to burn gift cards or have a nice meal.
I do have to say they do great stuff for kids too!
They pushed out a lot of better tackle for their own. Most of it, not so good, some of it, not so bad. I don't spend my money there anymore for fishing gear. I buy online mainly.
BPS did make a flat sided XPS crank a few years back that is deadly. I wish i'd bought more. The hooks get replaced on them as the stock ones are garbage. I've caught tons on them.
The BPS Speed Shad are about as good as it gets for ribbed paddle tail swimbaits. I use them all the time. The biggest difference between them and Kietechs is the squid scent and the fact that Kietechs are a tad softer and tear much sooner. Put the two side by side in a pool and you can't tell the difference, IMHO.
BPS branded lines are good as well. Excel and the KVD endorsed stuff is legit, especially for the money.
For BPS the only reason I ordered recently was to get one of the fancy new Plano soft plastic speedbags that everyone else was out of.
I have always really liked their tender tubes, having a few colors in the boat never hurts.
Really haven't seen them have good deals in a while and they used to get 90 percent of my business too. Now it is pretty much TW or bust for me. I do miss getting the BPS master catalog though. Even with the internet, it was fun going through that catalog.
FYI BPS will price match most online retailers.
Also, BPS tends to have pretty good prices on electronics when they are on sale.
Those stik-o’s are virtually indistinguishable from the Yamamotos.
The cheap side of my wishes they still made the Huddleston knockoffs.
On 9/28/2018 at 10:38 AM, Dirtyeggroll said:FYI BPS will price match most online retailers.
It would take me 3 days just to check out if they had to price match my inventory list for next year ????
On 9/28/2018 at 3:56 AM, Big Rick said:The BPS Speed Shad are about as good as it gets for ribbed paddle tail swimbaits. I use them all the time. The biggest difference between them and Kietechs is the squid scent and the fact that Kietechs are a tad softer and tear much sooner. Put the two side by side in a pool and you can't tell the difference, IMHO.
BPS branded lines are good as well. Excel and the KVD endorsed stuff is legit, especially for the money.
I'll have to check out the speed shad. Most of my keitech type swimbaits are used as a chatterbait trailer anyway so I could use some added toughness. Scent can always be added after the fact.
And just a heads up, if you buy keitech... Don't get so excited to check them out that you tear open the package on the ride home. The Mrs. Will NOT appreciate the smell. Promise.
I still go to BPS/Cabela's but not as much as I use to. To me its fun wandering through the aisles looking at all the fishing gear. Most times I don't buy a thing but it keeps me sane in the winter. A friend of mine swears by the Kermy soft body topwater frog. I've never caught a fish on the one I have.
I'm down to buying just Stik-o's. Anything else I need, I can elsewhere cheaper
Scan all the price tags. They use to use red ones for markdowns, sometimes now they are red, sometimes regular tags. But I've been picking up a few jigs, spinnerbaits, and plastics for half price or less lately. Lot of work I know...
Stick-o's and 4" Magnum Flipping Tubes are the two main things that I consistently buy from BPS. I typically wait until black friday/Christmas time/Spring Classic to buy other things from there when they are on sale.
On 9/29/2018 at 2:35 AM, Steve1357 said:Scan all the price tags. They use to use red ones for markdowns, sometimes now they are red, sometimes regular tags. But I've been picking up a few jigs, spinnerbaits, and plastics for half price or less lately. Lot of work I know...
Good heads up. I'll have time. The one I'm at is in a mall so I'll have a day lol.
I went a few weeks ago and got some killer deals. I got some KVD J200 Jerkbaits for 1.88 a piece. Normally 9.99. Snagged some 1.5s and 2.5s marked down to 3.88. I was a little surprised not only did they not have KVD Triple Grip 1x Strong 2x Short Trebles, but they didn’t even stock them! I figured the guy was mistaken but I never did even find a spot for them on the shelf
My last purchase at BPS was years ago, purchased some Balsa Boogie cranks. Now all my shopping is done online and sometimes a Mom & Pop tackle/bait shop.
I buy from BPS when I have gift cards, otherwise I go to Tackle Warehouse.
I bought a few things from BPS online. Shortly after they sent me a $10 off a $30 purchase code. So I purchased just over $30 and used the code. Basically 33% savings. Again, they sent me another email with a $10 off code. I have done this about 4 times these past couple months. I've also picked up the orders at the store to save on shipping. Fortunately BPS is only about 10 minutes or so away.
Cabela’s usually has better deals than bps even though bps bought them. They almost always have something good on sale for half off.
I go frequently but can never find items on sale other than Xmas or spring sale.
Moonpies.
On 10/24/2018 at 8:58 PM, thedilettantedad said:Moonpies.
Hah, yea I cannot walk by that display without grabbing one. I don't even like them anymore but my childhood memories keep me buying them!
The BPS version of a flick-shake worm are pretty decent. They have nowhere near the salt of the Jackal ones, but with a weighted hook the action is very very close and the BPS ones are a ton more durable. I also really like their larger stickbaits more then the GYCB ones. The 7" in particular has a much slower fall then the actual 7" senko but still has that wiggle.
I’ve really only been there three times I think. So it’s all still new to me, I like to touch and look at things so I would rather go to the store even if it’s a few more bucks. Most off the stuff I see seems to be the same price as online prices. Buying tackle in general is still new to me so it’s allot of fun to go through a store like that.
My wife's company has a store in a mall with a BPS, so I usually kill some time there when we meet up sometimes. Was there with my $10 Certificate recently, and walked out about 2 hours latter with it still in my pocket. Spent a bunch of time looking at boats. I'll probably end up getting worm weights, bobber stops, or some other boring things with it at some point.
Stik o and clothes are now just about the only things I buy from them. Good selection on XL Tall shirts.Unfortunately the Shine has worn off, online much cheaper! I swearvtheir prices have gone up the last couple of years. Makes me sad as there is a store 10 min from my house.
The 1 thing I buy there is one of their cranks. It is cheap, they used to be $2.99 but now they are $3.19. It is the XTS crank, it was originally sold as the Lews Speed Crank and it is a killer crankbait. I change the hooks out which are small, size #8 trebles and I've used that size as well as short shank size #6 and the bait works the same. It has a slow wobble almost as if it isn't working quite right but they all swim that way and for some reason the fish can't stand it. It is 1 crank that you can practically guarantee will get bit when you tie it on and I normally like using nicer lures but the XTS crank just catches fish and that is the only item I buy at BPS anymore.
On 10/24/2018 at 8:58 PM, thedilettantedad said:Moonpies.
I take a young man (he's ***) to BPS every once in a while and he always buys a moonpie while he's there.
On 10/25/2018 at 12:25 AM, Derek1 said:I’ve really only been there three times I think. So it’s all still new to me, I like to touch and look at things so I would rather go to the store even if it’s a few more bucks. Most off the stuff I see seems to be the same price as online prices. Buying tackle in general is still new to me so it’s allot of fun to go through a store like that.
I made my first big purchases in fishing at BPS years ago, and I’m glad I did because it allowed me to handle gear. As I’ve aged I buy more on deals and online, only because I know what I’m buying. Due to a 4 hour drive, I only go about once every 1-2 years, but I still enjoy looking at tackle and picking up rods. I’ve been to the Springfield store twice, that place is an experience!
On 10/24/2018 at 5:29 PM, B_Rose12 said:I went a few weeks ago and got some killer deals. I got some KVD J200 Jerkbaits for 1.88 a piece. Normally 9.99. Snagged some 1.5s and 2.5s marked down to 3.88. I was a little surprised not only did they not have KVD Triple Grip 1x Strong 2x Short Trebles, but they didn’t even stock them! I figured the guy was mistaken but I never did even find a spot for them on the shelf
I've got caught up in trying a lot of different brands of crank baits, but for $3.88 I would have loaded up on 1.5s. heck, if I'm just out for a casual day I'll be the first to admit I throw them stock right out of the package.
On 10/25/2018 at 4:32 AM, Ratherbfishing said:I take a young man (he's ***) to BPS every once in a while and he always buys a moonpie while he's there.
I think we all know the missing number there ????
On 10/25/2018 at 4:32 AM, Ratherbfishing said:I take a young man (he's ***) to BPS every once in a while and he always buys a moonpie while he's there.
I think we all know the missing number there ????
On 10/25/2018 at 9:30 AM, rtwvumtneer6 said:I've got caught up in trying a lot of different brands of crank baits, but for $3.88 I would have loaded up on 1.5s. heck, if I'm just out for a casual day I'll be the first to admit I throw them stock right out of the package.
Oh yes, I bought all i could find that were marked down. Living in Delaware we have all ponds, lots of em. Heck I’ve got close to 10 or so within 10 minutes of me. But the kicker is the deepest pond in the state is 10ft, and avg depth of all state ponds are around 6ft. Seriously. So my crankbait inventory isn’t much other then 1.0s, 1.5s, shallow 1.5s, 2.5s, Echo 1.75s, Lipless, and a dozen or so medium divers.So I’m Granted, we do have the Chesapeake Bay and a few rivers but ol 15ft sea nymph ain’t a fan of tidal water. I’ve fished the Nanticoke some, but having one of, if not the the most productive pond in the state 3 mins away....”When in Rome” ????????
oh and LETS GO MOUNTAINEERS! #BeatBaylor haha. I lived in Fayette County for 10yrs, moved back up here just a few years ago. I miss catchin monsters out of the Kanawha and trout from Sunmersville Tailwaters.
I have 500 dollars in gift card with BPS from buying a boat there, so far I only spent less than 100 bucks there even I have VIP discount 10-20%off. I can't never find anything to buy at BPS for the value of 50 to get free shipping. Compare to 10 years ago which I bought a lot from them.
On 10/25/2018 at 9:30 AM, rtwvumtneer6 said:I've got caught up in trying a lot of different brands of crank baits, but for $3.88 I would have loaded up on 1.5s. heck, if I'm just out for a casual day I'll be the first to admit I throw them stock right out of the package.
I think we all know the missing number there ????
I think we all know the missing number there ????
Hmmmm, doesn't this site like numbers? I tried to edit to the spelled out number but it still wouldn't take it.
remember bps when all they had was a catalog and an 800 # to call in an order...this is an excellent time of yr. to watch for some excellent buys -- will be cleaning house and move inventory out...over the yrs. have picked up some nice reels and rods at a nice price...
good fishing...
Roll Tide...
On 10/25/2018 at 12:22 PM, B_Rose12 said:oh and LETS GO MOUNTAINEERS! #BeatBaylor haha. I lived in Fayette County for 10yrs, moved back up here just a few years ago. I miss catchin monsters out of the Kanawha and trout from Sunmersville Tailwaters.
#Threadjack #LetsGoMountaineers
Looks like the Carbonlite 2.0 series is on sale right now. Usually $120 on sale for $80. Sale includes both spinning and casting model rods and reels.
My closest BPS is 2 hours away, but I usually stop when I'm in the area. Not my favorite place to buy from but I like to browse. I do like some of the BPS plastics for the price, like tubes and ribbontail worms. BPS also sells an exclusive rattling version of the Strike King KVD squarebill. I'm not sure the rattle makes much difference, but if you want to diversify your crankbait portfolio, it's worth picking up a few. Sometimes you can find them marked down. There's also a nice 13-piece KVD squarebill kit you can get from BPS that has a variety of colors and sizes, both rattling and silent, and comes in its own 3700 box. It's a good buy and you can catch it on sale pretty frequently.
As said above they've gone the way of increasing their house-brand stock over carrying as much name brand stuff. I'm not one to get hung up on brand, but it's bit me before. I don't even bother looking at their Black Friday ads anymore, really any of their ads for that matter. It's all Bass Pro brand, very little in the way of name brand sales.
I have a Cabela's outpost store near me, and we're seeing more BPS brand stuff in there where name brand stuff used to be. Some things are good quality, but I've had a lot of other stuff that really lacked. I've even told my wife to tell relatives to get me something else for birthday's and such other than Cabela's gift cards, I can never find anything I want in there.
Sad.....
On 11/7/2018 at 9:57 PM, Preytorien said:I have a Cabela's outpost store near me, and we're seeing more BPS brand stuff in there where name brand stuff used to be.
After Black Friday, Christmas, and the hunting season, I am willing to bet if you go back in late January or early February, you will see even more BPS branded items. The one positive to that, is you will begin to see a lot of the name brand items that have been either BPS exclusive, or colorways that Cabela's never carried, in your Cabela's store.
I do like their Crankin Stick rods. They offer a shallow running crankbait called the Egg that is an excellent crank, just change the hooks when you get one.