Not typically a 'hater' but GR gander moutains..

[thedude]

....REALLY SUCK compared to the one on westnedge down in Portage/Kalamazoo area. I couldn't believe how much fishing stuff they had... in variety and in stock... for GM at least. Really made the ones up here look SAD.

The girlie at the checkout was easy on the eyes too:lol:

[dtg]

You sure you weren't thinking with the other head??:lol:

[wyle_e_coyote]

Yeah, you're not a hater...at all..of anything...ever. :rolleyes:

You want to be disappointed try the new Bass Pro near Poratage IN.

[jim sasser]

the one here in waterford/pontaic is by far the worse one around here,no gulp what so ever,very slim pickins on the rest of its hooks and other stuff.but the one thing i can say they have a nice selection of bulk tubes,and actully put stuff on red tag,not 10% off like other shops....

[Chousse]

the one here in waterford/pontaic is by far the worse one around here,no gulp what so ever,very slim pickins on the rest of its hooks and other stuff.but the one thing i can say they have a nice selection of bulk tubes,and actully put stuff on red tag,not 10% off like other shops....


Amen to that!

[GVSUKUSH]

....REALLY SUCK compared to the one on westnedge down in Portage/Kalamazoo area. I couldn't believe how much fishing stuff they had... in variety and in stock... for GM at least. Really made the ones up here look SAD.

The girlie at the checkout was easy on the eyes too:lol:

You think you're a "hater" now, wait until they don't have any Steel shot in November.....

[wally-eye]

Yeah, you're not a hater...at all..of anything...ever. :rolleyes:

You want to be disappointed try the new Bass Pro near Poratage IN.



I stopped in the Portage Ind. store about a month or so ago. Man o man talk about fishing stuff...........aisles upon aisles of tackle and accessories. I could have spent, well lots and lots of money there........

I even spent the night at the motel right next door. Very nice place......

Well worth the trip there...........

[WALLEYE MIKE]

Gander Mtn. in Utica sucks also. looks like thier trying, but just hard enough.

[ESOX]

They have two things going against them.
1) It is impossibile to stock everything everyone could possibly want for every conceivable presentation for every type of fishing.
2) I don't think their purchasing department fishes.

The Utica store has cut it's Rapala inventory by at least 1/2 the past two years, meanwhile Rapala has expanded their product line. The reel selection is mainly lower end crap, the one or two middle of the road reels in stock is their top end. The fly fishing department rivals only K mart and for quality and selection. The floor help has got to stop smoking their lunch and scarfing twinkies on break. Half those clowns don't know what some of their inventory is called, much less it's intended use. They just walk around with a dazed look on their faces.


On the plus side, Gander does provide more than half of my wardrobe.

[icefishermanmark]

The one in Novi is horrible too. I went in there looking for tube jigs and my choice was a jig with a weight running all the way down the shaft of the hook (won't catch a fish) or jigs that cost $1.50 a piece. Plus everything is organized in a terrible fashion. For the most part I like KD Outdoors and Bass Pro. But KD is closer:)

[No.4shot]

Everytime that I walk into GM and don't find what I need it makes me wonder why I didn't just go and order it online. As far as my local bait shop...Unless your a big lake fisherman forget it they won't have it. The salmon fisherman at work that I talk to said that even what they carry for that is poor.

[wyle_e_coyote]

I stopped in the Portage Ind. store about a month or so ago. Man o man talk about fishing stuff...........aisles upon aisles of tackle and accessories. I could have spent, well lots and lots of money there........

I even spent the night at the motel right next door. Very nice place......

Well worth the trip there...........


LOL....Sorry, I forgot this is a fishing thread. I was looking at hunting stuff...and they have nothing of any use to me. Most of it was stuff I could pick up at Walmart. Was not impressed. But then again I guess it's BASS Pro, not Deer, Waterfowl, Upland Pro. I'll stick with Cabela's.

[thedude]

BP had excellent fishing section, but i've been to several BPs... even the big one in MO.. and they aren't nearly the hunting store that cabelas is.

ESOX - i know what you mean by not pleasing everyone all the time... but here is a store that is only 45 miles from the rivertown GR store and it has 6 WELL STOCKED aisles of soft plastics... lots of options, colors and 5 or 6 packs of everything in the popular stuff for this area. GR this time of year has 3 or 4 bastard packages of some of the popular baits in colors no-one wants.

oh well....

Kush - i bought a case of federal sunday for duck loads and i'm ordering a case of 3.5" kent BBs this week.... so i won't be cursing anyone unless i shoot like 300 birds this year.:evilsmile

[FishDaddy09]

I think that the biggest problem with Gander Mountain is the Idiots at corporate headquarters. From what the store employees have told me they have very little control over what comes into the store. I was at the coldwater store the other day and they had mighty slim pickings for their reel selection. The guy in the fishing dept told me that they had been told by corporate that what they had was all they were going to get. They were out of the reel I wanted, so the the guy discounted a more expensive reel for me. So at least sometimes you get good service.

[waterfoul]

Heading over to Gander here shortly. I'll bet they have exactly what I need. :D

[doox00]

I like the gander in grandville, like a kid in a candy store :)

[waterfoul]

And I'll bet you know what I'm going to get while I'm there too Doox!! LOL!!

Shhhhhhhhh....... :D

[doox00]

And I'll bet you know what I'm going to get while I'm there too Doox!! LOL!!

Shhhhhhhhh....... :D


lol sure do, make sure you email me what they are exactly please :) I checked the local tackle store here, they did not have anything resembling them.

[shametamer]

you guys ever wander down to lunkers? edwardsburg

[waterfoul]

lol sure do, make sure you email me what they are exactly please :) I checked the local tackle store here, they did not have anything resembling them.

You don't have an email addy listed in your profile. Shoot me an email at waterfoul24@netzero.com and I'll get back to you.

[FishDaddy09]

I drove over to Lunkers a few weeks ago. It's a nice strore but after going there I remembered why I haven't been there since Cabelas opened.

[waterfoul]

Heading over to Gander here shortly. I'll bet they have exactly what I need. :D

Sure enough, they had exactly what I was looking for!

[wyle_e_coyote]

you guys ever wander down to lunkers? edwardsburg

Go to Lunkers all the time....they have beer!

[live2fishdjs]

you guys ever wander down to lunkers? edwardsburg

I wonder in there more often than I should...:lol: And yes, they have beer.:D

I have no problems with them at all. I always here the higher priced argument, but I don't see that as being the case. For a locally owned store it is fantastic and better than most box stores IMO.

To compare it to Cabela's or even BPS is ludicrous.

If you bass guys (or anyone else) really need something I can check for you to see if they have it...lots of soft plastics and some custom/local stuff not available everywhere.

[The Fishing Pollock]

I've quit going to chain outdoor stores except Jay's. I usually buy my stuff from a few wholesalers I have been luckey enuff to get to know from other boards and a spinnerbait company thats online . Great prices . 12 any way ya want um for 50 bucks

[duckman#1]

GM needs to take the boats out of the store and place them outside and use the space to stock more items. Guess it doesn't help when the fishing dept manager hardly fishes :confused: (tho some of the asociates are big time fishermen)4 weeks to goose season and look at how little selection of waterfoul loads they have. I think while I'm down in K-Zoo for the Rib Fest I'm going to the Portage store and check it out and I might as well hit D&R sports on the way back for some of those hard to find plastics :D

[waterfoul]

GM needs to take the boats out of the store and place them outside and use the space to stock more items. Guess it doesn't help when the fishing dept manager hardly fishes :confused: (tho some of the asociates are big time fishermen)4 weeks to goose season and look at how little selection of waterfoul loads they have. I think while I'm down in K-Zoo for the Rib Fest I'm going to the Portage store and check it out and I might as well hit D&R sports on the way back for some of those hard to find plastics :D

Which store are you refering to? Both the stores in GR have fishing managers who are BIG TIME fishermen. The GM at the Grandville store is also a big fisherman. Fished against all three of them tonight!

[sfw1960]

I've quit going to chain outdoor stores except Jay's. I usually buy my stuff from a few wholesalers I have been luckey enuff to get to know from other boards and a spinnerbait company thats online . Great prices . 12 any way ya want um for 50 bucks
So where are ya buyin' things 'sKi???
:D:D:D

[shametamer]

yeah i never miss stopping in there anytime i get down that way...diamond, magician, st.joe, indiana etc.....lunkers is cool.... gander is fine with me as well..i like their response to customer service much better than cabelas(speaking of which..3 of 5 times i go there they never have in stock what i'm lookin for)..lost my last gander exclusive wally diver color to one of those miserable st clair skis , while i was trollin for eyes today..shot across m-59 to pontiac/waterford twp store on the way home(knew taylor and novi stores were out of the color...)the pontiac guy was too, but he immediately found me some at a wisconsin gander..i took all 11 that gander had..should have them for next weeks fish..the size of cabelas or bass pro dwarf most gander stores square footage,,,ergo more space..more stock..luckily spied a new boat being stocked at 'club royale' on drive down telegraph..stopped in chatted with local bass pro, STEVE COOPER,..he's a van dam disciple..lol..but this dealership is now selling g3 boats ..the 08's look sharp..and best of all they do yammies, eveys, and hondas plus mercs....always good to have local place that sells and services all brand of engines!:D........remember the name..steve cooper..seeking to make his million on the bass tourney circuit..p.s. whatever you do keep the red head/white wallydivers in your tackle box when trolling st clair for eyes..ya can't keep the friggin little perch off long enough to get an eye!:yikes:

[wyle_e_coyote]

I wonder in there more often than I should...:lol: And yes, they have beer.:D

I have no problems with them at all. I always here the higher priced argument, but I don't see that as being the case. For a locally owned store it is fantastic and better than most box stores IMO.

To compare it to Cabela's or even BPS is ludicrous.

If you bass guys (or anyone else) really need something I can check for you to see if they have it...lots of soft plastics and some custom/local stuff not available everywhere.

I think we both know what Lunker's does, Darrin. They take the price and add what it would cost to ship it from say BPS or Cabela's. That way it will cost you the same either way. :lol:

[Ninja]

yeah i never miss stopping in there anytime i get down that way...diamond, magician, st.joe, indiana etc.....lunkers is cool.... gander is fine with me as well..i like their response to customer service much better than cabelas(speaking of which..3 of 5 times i go there they never have in stock what i'm lookin for)..lost my last gander exclusive wally diver color to one of those miserable st clair skis , while i was trollin for eyes today..shot across m-59 to pontiac/waterford twp store on the way home(knew taylor and novi stores were out of the color...)the pontiac guy was too, but he immediately found me some at a wisconsin gander..i took all 11 that gander had..should have them for next weeks fish..the size of cabelas or bass pro dwarf most gander stores square footage,,,ergo more space..more stock..luckily spied a new boat being stocked at 'club royale' on drive down telegraph..stopped in chatted with local bass pro, STEVE COOPER,..he's a van dam disciple..lol..but this dealership is now selling g3 boats ..the 08's look sharp..and best of all they do yammies, eveys, and hondas plus mercs....always good to have local place that sells and services all brand of engines!:D........remember the name..steve cooper..seeking to make his million on the bass tourney circuit..p.s. whatever you do keep the red head/white wallydivers in your tackle box when trolling st clair for eyes..ya can't keep the friggin little perch off long enough to get an eye!:yikes:



Steve Cooper???
Never heard of him......:confused:

[milmo1]

just a little insider info...
Gander stocks what corporate ships. That's it. The clowns in MN count beans, not walleye limits. The Taylor store couldn't even get motorized duck decoys, or Bismuth shot - and they are down river!!
Utica has a new fishing mgr, John - great guy. Give him a little time. He loves fishing and hunting, but he can only do what corporate allows - thank WAll Street.
As far as stocking boats, well, thats where money is...

[waterfoul]

The Grandville store is kinda lucky... the fishing manager makes a lot of their jigs, drop shot sinkers, etc... and one of their part timers ties nearly all their flies... so they have some things even corporate can't provide.

[LilyDuck]

just a little insider info...
Gander stocks what corporate ships. That's it. The clowns in MN count beans, not walleye limits. The Taylor store couldn't even get motorized duck decoys, or Bismuth shot - and they are down river!!
Utica has a new fishing mgr, John - great guy. Give him a little time. He loves fishing and hunting, but he can only do what corporate allows - thank WAll Street.
As far as stocking boats, well, thats where money is...

This may be true to an extent, but its driven by customer needs. You arent going to be getting the same thing year after year if no one is buying it. They may have a set amount of stuff that is ordered for a particualr store but this is derived on what the people ask for and what they order, but I have never been told that they couldnt order it, if you ask they can and will get it, unless its at the end of season or discontiued, and if discontinued they can give you a heads up on where there might be some.

This again is at the Kzoo store. The only difference that I see in Gander and Cableas is that Cableas has everything out all the time, where Gander has the seasonal items, most of the time you can get anything from Gander as long as there logistics are still taking on orders for that particular product!