pilgrimage to Fishing Gear Shopping Mecca

Last week I went back East to show off my son Owen to friends and relatives.  Found out that my parents live 30 minutes away from a Bass Pro Shops and just had to make the pilgrimage.  Anyway, I did a very red neck thing and had my picture taken in front of the shop.

As for the shopping, the place is huge.  However, given the stores location in Central New York (~300 miles from the ocean) there wasn't much in the way of salt water gear.

Brian

Too cute, Brian.  Our addiction makes us a sad lot............

Bass Pro Shops in New York????

I recently visited Cabela's in Kansas City. I was not hillbilly enough to get my picture taken but I did take some pictures.

Too cute, Brian.  Our addiction makes us a sad lot............

I agree.  I'm going to Vegas this weekend and visiting the new Bass Pro Shop will probably be one of the highlights of my trip.

When I lived in Tulsa, Oklahoma years ago, I would drive over 3 hours to Springfield, Missouri just to visit the original Bass Pro Shop.  It was like Disneyland for rednecks.

We are all toast when they open the Bass Pro shops in Manteca!

I've been to the Vegas Bass Pro 2x in the last year.  It is very much a Disney-like experience...  It is attached to the Silverton Casino about 3mi South of the strip.  Really nice casino.  Hot cocktail waitresses in the sports bar.  Fishing/Camping/Gambling/Drinking/Girls in hot pants with bare madriffs = good marketing plan, IMO...

of all places to build a Pro Shop - WHY IN VEGAS???

The Bay Area is sorrounded by Water - thus "BAY AREA"......why wouldn't you build one here?? We've got the Ocean,the Bay,The Delta,Foothill lakes, fishing destinations to the North and South of us.....AND THEY BUILD ONE IN VEGAS 

...sorry....I'm ranting again ....need... a....hug...quickly....my skin is turning ...green.... and..... my shirt is getting ....tighter   

The land cost to much. Not many places you can find a huge hunk of undeveloped land in the bay area for the prices they pay in Vegas/KC/Manteca etc..

Bill....how about giving me a couple of your paychecks......I will build one.....and when I do....they will come 

TRUST IN THE MOOCH 

The other thing these shops seem to enjoy is a social environment that is not quite so hostile to hunting and such.  Going into a shop and having an area for guns as big as an entire Big 5 tells me something............

Mooch, you and Randy need to make a plan.

I always dreamed about buiding a two-story tackle shop in the Peninsula (San Mateo County - since it's a centralized area)

First Floor will house all the tackle + fully rigged fishing kayaks of every brand....I'll even have some kayaks without FF's so Blue Kayak can still be my friend  (it's always good to cater to the old-schoolers )

Second floor will house a Fish fry kitchen - bring your catch and we
ll cook it for ya! (Chuck will take charge), sushi bar(I will take charge) and a beer bar(Chris CPYAK will take charge) We'll have Fosters on tap so Scwafish and come down and visit from Ukiah 

Friday nights will have Hawaiian BBQ's and free kayak fishing seminars hosted by: Erik /kzreelrods for sturgeon....Stuart - kayak salmon.....Blue Kayak-how to fish without FF...Mr. Matt on how to loose a big ling cod with 12# line (Still water incident) .....Freddy on how to come home with a fish on each hand (two -fister).....Bill on how to flip your kayak in calm water conditions  (oyster point incident) ....

come on folks!!! Let's make this happen! Bill.....let's get the funding going!!!! Like I said...."If you build it...they will come"

I'm sure the Tackle Reps hate making the business trip to Vegas

Mooch why the hell aren't you out fishing?

my fat behind is stuck on the office chair that I'm sitting on...I can't seem to shake it loose....but I'll be out tomorrow - got a date with Pat at Moss