I hear all the hype, and it didn't live up to any of it yesterday, they didn't have the correct type of anchor rope I wanted, (the type with the clasp the clips onto the anchor) they don't carry Minnows (not to say I can fault them for that, but yesterday it was a deal breaker, I needed minnows) , I ended shopping at Gander, that may have been the most disappointing part of the whole ordeal. Though the staff was helpful, they seemed pretty quick to know they didn't have what I was looking for, and did offer a solution, that would've worked, but wasn't what I was looking for, makes me wonder if they normally carry anchor rope or not and if they were out and had no control of ordering more.
I'm sure this can happen to the best of the stores out there, don't get me wrong it's not like I wouldn't go back. (unless I needed minnows) I rather spend my money there than Gander.
you shouldn't be going to EITHER STORE for bait.. tell me that there isn't a local bait store to go to. I would bet that there still is somewhere..
give them your business and not some big box store, where the kid working there doesn't know what end of the fishing rod to hold or what end is up on a spinning rod..
There used to be a great little bait shop in stillwater, but they lost their location, afaik short of going to a marina that's it for the area. I was able to get my frozen shad from a nice local bait shop (Moore's bait in Minneapolis) but I did that before yesterday.
Quote: There used to be a great little bait shop in stillwater, but they lost their location, afaik short of going to a marina that's it for the area. I was able to get my frozen shad from a nice local bait shop (Moore's bait in Minneapolis) but I did that before yesterday.
If you were in Stillwater the nearest place for live bait is across the bridge in Houlton WI at the gas station on top of the hill as far as the anchor rope goes Fleet Farm in Hudson was close to Stillwater .
Not every store is going to have what you want. With that said I really do think that Sportmans Warehouse really does cater to the "bigger base" of fisherman with their incredible selection across the boards. Although I must say with new Fleet Farm open here in Blaine I find myself going there less and less. Fleet Farm is like a mans mall. But I still pick up the bass essentials at SW that nobody else carrys.
I didn't see Jake, not that I was really looking, (but i did check and see the guy that helped me wasn't named jake, honestly at that point it didn't matter his name I just wanted to keep moving, I was really just there to get the rope and minnows and run, I wanted to make sure I was on the water with some good light and we were right on the front of the rain.
Again don't get me wrong I'm sure it's a great place, it just missed the mark for me yesterday, and I was in a hurry then I had to shop gander it was only going downhill....
I stopped at a Super Wallmart the other day to pick up some Spam. After 20 minutes of searching, I asked a stock person...they weren't sure...then when we did find it together...just my luck..the Turkey Spam was sold out.
what I am saying is this: We need those bait shops to make it.. those are the guys that truly know their stuff inside and out. when those close. or if an Everts' closes, where will you be? going to K-mart for some little girl with a dip net, who couldn't tell you if the bait was delivered yesterday or last year.. and it goes belly up two minutes after you reach the front door..
you can shop all those big box stores that you want, but if the local guy goes out the door, Like a Bill's in Stillwater.. then what do you have ? NOTHING..
no place to go.
you guys keep shopping at those big box stores and in Five years there won't be a bait shop anywhere..
the number has been cut by 85% now..
and then you can get the "three best, or six best" colors of everything you want at Wal-steins..
not the good "local color" but the six best sellers..
maybe that's all you guys want. Six colors of Bombers, or Spinnerbaits, or worms, or Rapalas..
and then you can pay someone $25 a bait to custom paint your lure for you.. and that will really "save you money"..
as for me, take me to a PRO SHOP.. where the PRO'S SHOP..
and not some place where the guy in Cabelas doesn't know what a Gamakatsu hook is .. ( like happened to me in Richfield)..
Personally i think that the local bait shops are the best but i dont want to spend money at gander but sometimes you have to. I have never had a problem with anyone at Cabelas but this was in Owatanna(i don t like the Rogers set up), they have always been helpful to me. MHO
-------------------- When life gives you lemons and you try to make lemonade what happens when you dont have the sugar or water?
Jake...I think he's calling you a little girl with a dipnet now...
KIDDING RAT!
I just think you are using a very broad paint brush and painting outside the lines a bit.
I can't talk about ALL SW's but the little girls at the Woodbury and Coon Rapids store seem pretty committed to knowing their products...compaired to other stores of the same size.
Jimmy's went out of business because he lost his location. I am just as sorry to see that bait shop close up as anyone...not only because it's the closest to me, but because the guys that worked there were friendly and committed to knowing their products.
Now the closest bait shop to me has an owner that chases people out of HIS fishing spots. (But that's another story)
I guess I would stop in at one before commenting on what they do or don't know. In my friendly opinion.
Here's a few more SW's employee pictures.
Except for the last two...the second to the last is my Mom...she got skunked...and the last one...just smelled like skunk.
Nice fish, I like one local bait shop in my area and use it as often as I can. There is no way for the size of this shop that a guy could have everything on hand so it is stocked with what sells in the area.
I shop Gander and Fleet Farm but would love to see a Sportsman Warehouse move into the La Crosse area
Keep up the great work guys Some of us refuse to jump on the band wagon screaming the sky is falling
-------------------- Bret Clark - IDO Ice Pro Staff "Never take life seriously. Nobody gets out alive anyway."
well okay.. lets talk real talk here.. In LaCrosse alone.. who is left that is a "real bait shop"? Bob's on the Island..
How many bait shops have closed in La Crosse alone in the past 30 years? 8,9, 10, or more? and most closed within a couple of years of the other..
Mac's bait shop in Onalaska remains closed to this day. This was the premier bait store.. In terms of selling bait..
I can give you a list of close to 100 dealers that have closed due to the "big box era.."..
and what I really feel is the kick in the ax that Wal-Mart is getting out of the tackle business, after closing all these other businesses.
no the "sky is not falling" but I don't see Gander opening at 5 or at 6 am for minnows. and I doubt that Sportsman's opens at that time as well.
and while, I admit that the industry has drastically changed, like most of the places that "rented boats" are now condo's..
if you lose any more small dealers, you are going to have just what I said, the three best or the six best of "what ever sells"..
we have a number of live bait fishermen here.. I am not one of them.. but remember, as a kid, it was live bait, that allowed you to be successful and keep you interested in fishing..
when you eliminate the kids, or cut them way back,, you eliminate our sport, in the long run..
The Journal/Sentinal already did an article about duck hunting. that we WILL LOSE Duck hunting as a sport, because of lack of recruitment.
why do you think they are lowering the age of hunters for deer hunting? to keep the sport alive..
there is a big picture here..
Its our sport and I want to see it go and growing 10,20,50 years from now..
as a person who owned his own bait shop, I knew my clients and clientèle.
and I was one of the stores that closed.
I have been in the business since 1972. I have good reason's to say what I am saying..and not just off the cuff..
and this is not a personal attack or meant to be taken wrong at all.
just plain, concrete words from some one who has worked behind that bait shop counter for many years.
I didn't say that the staff at Sportsman's knows nothing.. thats' not the context here.
but you go to K-mart, wal-steins, and what ever, and you get some little girl, who doesn't know what end of a pole from another end of a pole..
I am sure that you have excellent staff. BUT, for the most part, you are NOT in the live bait business. Live bait is an add on. a couple of extra bucks for the till.
and while that's great, the Original poster, was talking LIVE BAIT..
and his concern was not getting it at Your store and going to a Gander..
when he should, be going to a live bait shop...
I am sure that you have excellent staff. BUT, like I said, Cabelas was "suppose to have " excellent staff as well, and the guys there couldn't do anything but read the sign on the item just like I can do.. nor did they know what a Gamakatsu hook was..
what I am saying is that we need those remaining bait shops to stay in business. Its good for our sport in the long run and good for the industry..
they are not SPortsman's competition..
and they are the "first liner's" in fishing recruitment.
Quote: well okay.. lets talk real talk here.. In LaCrosse alone.. who is left that is a "real bait shop"? Bob's on the Island..
IN La Crosse, you have Ace on the South side. Bob's is actually on French Island. To be specific. Outside of La Crosse you have Tri-State in La Crescent, Schafer's on the Prairie(I think that's the name), Lawrence Lake Marina in Brownsville and Capt. Hook's in Genoa. Hungry Point in Trempealeau sells bait as well, but not much else. So the options really aren't all that limited.
But ,back to the discussion at hand. I go into most places hoping they have what I'm looking for. If they do, bonus. If they don't, well I'll make adjustments. Expecting a place to have the exact anchor rope, (to me) seems like a stretch. It's just rope...ya tie it to the anchor and huck that sucker out there hoping to make a giant splash right? Minnows....well there's bait dealer's licensing and so forth. That's a flip of the coin.
Quote: Though the staff was helpful, they seemed pretty quick to know they didn't have what I was looking for, and did offer a solution, that would've worked, but wasn't what I was looking for
At least they didn't waste your valuable time looking for something they didn't have. That to me says a lot. It sounds like they have some educated people working there.
-------------------- The Graphic Artist Formerly Know as “Thomas E. Donaldson”
Thomas E. Donaldson - HuDo Graphics Boat Lettering, Decals, Logo Designs and MUCH MORE!
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Quote: And this has what to do with the staff of Sportsmans Whse? ( That you say basically knows nothing )
Quote: I didn't say that the staff at Sportsman's knows nothing.. thats' not the context here.
Uh....ya, you did
Quote: give them your business and not some big box store, where the kid working there doesn't know what end of the fishing rod to hold or what end is up on a spinning rod..
I agree Blue, there are some great bait/sport shops in the area and I have been in everyone one of them at one time or other in the last 35 years and at some point did not find what I was looking for or the help I was hoping for.
Nope, didn’t need to rant…….just moved on and kept lookin’
-------------------- Bret Clark - IDO Ice Pro Staff "Never take life seriously. Nobody gets out alive anyway."
IN La Crosse, you have Ace on the South side. Bob's is actually on French Island. To be specific. Outside of La Crosse you have Tri-State in La Crescent, Schafer's on the Prairie(I think that's the name), Lawrence Lake Marina in Brownsville and Capt. Hook's in Genoa. Hungry Point in Trempealeau sells bait as well, but not much else. So the options really aren't all that limited.
I agree Blue, we have some very good local bait shops and as long as we're throwing in plugs I think it's worth mentioning Neshonec Sports in West Salem as well. Mel and Darlene are two of the nicest people you'll meet.
Sportman's Warehouse
Re: Sportman's Warehouse
Outside of La Crosse you have Tri-State in La Crescent, Schafer's on the Prairie(I think that's the name), Lawrence Lake Marina in Brownsville and Capt. Hook's in Genoa. Hungry Point in Trempealeau sells bait as well, but not much else. So the options really aren't all that limited.
we have some very good local bait shops 
and as long as we're throwing in plugs I think it's worth mentioning Neshonec Sports in West Salem as well. 
Mel and Darlene are two of the nicest people you'll meet. 
Looks like your bank is empty too Bret. 
