Mom and Pop shoops for minnows and info, bass pro or Cabelas for large amounts of gear.

I love the mom and pop shop because they take the time to treat you right. They know all of the recent fishing reports, they know all of the best gear and setups for what you want to do, and they will teach.
However, they cannot carry the selection that the big boys have, so I often order what mom and pop don't have from Cabelas.

Since there are few "mom and pop" shops in my area (of the two that are within 20 miles, one is great for fishing tackle but overpriced ($10 for a Shadrap?) and the other is run by a bunch of grumpy yahoos and is also way overpriced) I end up ordering tons of stuff from Cabelas, haven't had an issue yet, and got some good bargains to boot.

I really like Bass Pro. The prices usually tend to be cheaper than Cabelas too. I personally will never shop at Cabelas again due to an issue that I had with them regarding goose decoys. They told me that they had the decoys that I had wanted in stock, so I drove to Sydney from Denver. (I wanted to avoid the shipping charges and excess handling fees for such a large purchase) Well anyway when I got up there they informed me that they did not have them. They offered that In-Store pick up but that is an extremely stupid concept. A company that I had been very loyal too due to its grand customer service really failed.

I find that the majority of the time Gander Mountain has the best price on guns and a good selection too. i always go to Gander and check first on guns before I go anywhere else.

Love Bass Pro Shops, but shop a lot at wally world due to convenience....

Shops*

Order from Cabelas online, but bass pro for in store needs!

Its crazy, I have two Bass Pro's and a Cabelas all within 60 miles of each other in the Kansas City area. Really convenient but unfortunately has put a hurting on a lot of the mom and pop shops in the area. When I have my choice and time I driving to Liberty, Mo and hittin up Roger's Sporting Goods. Been going there since I was a kid and they know my by first name. Prices are usually cheaper then the big boy's and if not, they price match! Feels like a real outdoors man store without all the glitz and glammer.

I like cabelas if I have time to drive down to it. The mom and pops stores appreciate your business more and they treat you like they do as well. Wally world, at least what I have seen is full of people who don't want to help you. When you arrive at the sportsmans' counter it is people that scatter when you need help.

I try to support the mom and pops stores as much as possible. They are priceless when it comes to local knowledge....spending a couple bucks on some lures you probably dont need/already have can get you a long way if you know the right questions to ask. That being said, this is not always possible. If I had to choose between Bass Pro or Cabelas for fishing gear it would be Bass Pro hands down. I have been to a number of Cabelas where they didnt even have the hooks I wanted. Besides, Bass Pro has a much bigger selection overall. When it comes to hunting Cabelas and Bass Pro are one in the same for the most part....but if i had to choose i would say Cabelas for hunting gear.

I've been shopping Cabela's since they were running ads in the back of the magazines and I've never had a bad experience. Their customer service has always gone the extra mile for me. Prices are competitive. I have met with indifference from Bass Pro, but only isolated instances. Every employee has a bad day now and then.

I go to Cabela's for the experience and to see what's new. I tend to buy some fishing gear from there. I get equipment for my bow from Cabela's but my bow and arrows come from local shops.

mom and pop or academy. Academy has lots of stuff and are cheaper, plus theyll bargain a bit more. never been to cabelas. Bass pro is a great store, and i love it, but academy is just a little cheaper. I usually buy my ammo at walmart.