Bug eyed bass

[captpierre]

Checked out Bass Pro in Vaughan today. Looked in the aquarium. Pathetic compared to what it was when new. Only bass and catfish now. 
All the bass are bug eyed. I wonder what’s up. 

[Headhunter]

Fish Crisp display in front of the tank...

HH

[CrowMan]

Not uncommon for fish in captivity...usually the result of poor water quality. 

https://www.acaquarium.com/tips/popeye-fish/#:~:text=What is Popeye Fish Disease%3F&text=Popeye disease (otherwise known as,as well in certain circumstances.

[manfish]

The bass can't believe the prices ?

[Headhunter]

2 minutes ago, manfish said:

The bass can't believe the prices ?

Yah, i noticed that as well when i was in their a few weeks ago for the first time in over a decade. F5 Rap at $15.00!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

HH

[AKRISONER]

I’ve noticed the total degradation of those tanks since when they first opened. There was a time that they held seminars and had a multitude of species in the tanks, now it’s just a bunch of a smallmouth and a few cat fish. Kinda sad to be honest.

honestly I would not be surprised to see the store close in the near future. It just doesn’t have the same crowds that it once had, and truthfully it’s due to how poor their business model is designed for people that fish.

when bass pro first opened it was essentially the buy whatever you can think of from any brand as it relates to fishing store, that quickly changed to the buy xps or Berkeley store real quick. 
 

It’s not a good look when a guy like myself that fishes as intensely as I do really struggles to find absolutely anything worth buying in your fishing store. At the end of the day it’s better that I shop at pro j and Peterborough pro tackle anyways, but when fisherman are very particular, especially ones that fish a lot, we are not going to buy bass pro knock off baits, and if that’s all you are offering to your primary consumer you aren’t going to move much product.

I can’t speak on the hunting side.

[CrowMan]

BPS must be doing something right, because they continue to open new stores.

However, I think fishing gear has now just become a sideline for them...they don't make much effort into stock selection or marketing of tackle.

It's become a 'lifestyle" brand...the greater profit margins are in clothing, bedspreads, BBQ's, deer antler chandeliers, etc, etc. I often see suburban soccer moms in the check out line with a shopping cart full of stuff...and not single item has anything to do with catching a fish.

The same ladies that wear LuLuLemon pants but have never seen the inside of a yoga studio.

Edited March 10, 2023 by CrowMan

[dave524]

32 minutes ago, CrowMan said:

BPS must be doing something right, because they continue to open new stores.

However, I think fishing gear has now just become a sideline for them...they don't make much effort into stock selection or marketing of tackle.

It's become a 'lifestyle" brand...the greater profit margins are in clothing, bedspreads, BBQ's, deer antler chandeliers, etc, etc. I often see suburban soccer moms in the check out line with a shopping cart full of stuff...and not single item has anything to do with catching a fish.

The same ladies that wear LuLuLemon pants but have never seen the inside of a yoga studio.

In my 70 plus years I have seen a lot of originally fishing and hunting outfitters go lifestyle as you say. Abercrombie and Fitch, Eddie Bauer, L L Bean just recently i came across a Columbia Catalog I got from LG Custom Tackle back in the mid 80's, it was all fly fishing vests and their Quad parka, no lifestyle yuppie crap anywhere

Edited March 10, 2023 by dave524

[CrowMan]

24 minutes ago, dave524 said:

In my 70 plus years I have seen a lot of originally fishing and hunting outfitters go lifestyle as you say. Abercrombie and Fitch, Eddie Bauer, L L Bean just recently i came across a Columbia Catalog I got from LG Custom Tackle back in the mid 80's, it was all fly fishing vests and their Quad parka, no lifestyle yuppie crap anywhere

So true...it's just like Canadian Tire..does anyone actually but their tires there..

[akaShag]

3 hours ago, CrowMan said:

The same ladies that wear LuLuLemon pants but have never seen the inside of a yoga studio.

🙄