Bass Pro Shop - Macon, Georgia

I visited Bass Pro Shop for the first time yesterday, and I was impressed! Hubby had some gift certificates, as did my son-in-law, Cory. He’s somewhat of a bass pro, and so are his two sons. Well, these two grandsons could each be considered a bass pro for their ages. I don’t think there are too many little kids who’ve landed as many big bass as they have. They’d been to Bass Pro Shops before, but we didn’t tell them where we were going yesterday, so when we arrived at our destination, it was like Christmas for them! They were more excited than they would have been in the world’s largest toy store. I have to admit, once I saw the size and appearance of the store, I was pretty excited, too. According to Cory, the store we visited, the Bass Pro Shop in Macon, Georgia, is an extra-large store because it’s also a distribution center. I knew this was going to be a great experience as soon as I saw the exterior. There were boats outside, a waterfall, a stream, and a waterwheel. Over to the right were a barn with bales of hay and a grassy area with picnic tables. A couple of guys were practicing retrieving with their dogs there, and kids were playing in the hay.

When we entered, the place looked like a huge hunting lodge. There was a big fire roaring in the massive stone fireplace, and in front of the fire were three leather couches and an animal skin rug. The high ceiling had exposed beams, and there were deer heads and antlers everywhere. In the front corner was a mounted grizzly bear. Old signs and other décor added to the old-timey feeling of a lodge from the past. A lady welcomed us to the store, and we began our adventure.

I was amazed at all the merchandise! There were boots, shoes, scented candles, candies, home décor, gifts, hot sauces, barbecue sauces, grilling marinades, dishes, coffee mugs, tents, caps, hats, visors, sunglasses, and lots more. There was also clothing for men, women, kids, and even babies. If you need nourishment while shopping, you can grab a cold drink, popcorn, pork rinds, and other snacks. There were several sitting areas located around the store in case you needed a break. Taxidermy mounts were everywhere, including deer, wild turkeys, bear, raccoons, coyotes, wolves, elk, ducks, geese, fish, beavers, quail, and more.

As ardent anglers, the fishing gear section was our favorite part of the store. We especially enjoy saltwater fishing, so we were mainly looking for fishing lures we could use for our Florida fishing trips. Saltwater fishing gear is pretty hard to come by in our neck of the woods, so we decided to focus mostly on that in this huge fishing store. We purchased numerous fishing lures, along with a couple of fillet knives and a knife sharpener. Cory selected a few fishing lures, too, and he also bought three rods and reels.

The store had just about every type of fishing gear you could imagine: rods, reels, nets, knives, bait buckets, aerators, line, weights, rigs, hooks, bobbers, tackle boxes, fly fishing gear, preserved baits, waders, rain gear, fishing books and videos, and more. In the fishing gear section, there’s also a huge aquarium filled with hefty largemouth bass, stripers, and a monster blue catfish. I was afraid the boys were going to jump in the tank and try to wrestle one of the lunker bass!

Bass Pro Shop carries all the big names in fishing gear, including reels by Shimano, Penn, ABU Garcia, Daiwa, Accurate, Zebco, Quantum, Van Staal, Pflueger, Okuma, Fin-Nor, Lead Masters, and Offshore Angler. Fishing lures include names like Berkley, Rapala, Bass Assassin, Braid, Bomber, Mann’s, Heddon, Fishbites, H & H, Billy Baits, L & S, Yo-Zuri, Offshore Angler, Bead, Bill Lewis, Ahi, Boone, Carolina Lures, D.O.A., Halco, Creek Chub, Got-Cha, Johnson, Mirrolure, Arbogast, Bandit, Rebel, and plenty more. With so many fishing lures to choose from, we were like big kids in a candy store!

If you’re looking for hunting supplies and hunting gear, this is the place to be. You’ll find just about everything you need: guns, ammo, scopes, archery equipment, tree stands, game cameras, game feeders, wild game feed, decoys, calls, reloading supplies, supplies for black powder guns, hunting scents, blinds, gun cases, gun cleaning kits, refinishing kits, hunting knives, and taxidermy kits. If you use dogs as part of your hunting strategy, you’ll find all sorts of dog-training equipment, too. They even have a nice selection of ATVs in the store.

Some of the brands of hunting gear and hunting supplies we saw on our excursion included Remington, Browning, Henry, Marlin, Ruger, Weatherby, Tikka, Winchester, Sniper, API Outdoors, and more. Of course, you’ll find lots more hunting supplies and hunting gear at Bass Pro, including buckets, seats, coolers, camo clothing, and boots.

We also enjoyed the section of the store that featured camping gear and camping supplies. We saw tents, sleeping bags, canopies, cots, lanterns, flashlights, backpacks, luggage, storage containers, portable water heaters, camp chairs, camp tables, hammocks, and coolers in every shape and size.

When you camp, you have to eat, right? Bass Pro has you covered in this aspect of camping gear and camping supplies, too. They have a wide assortment of camp stoves, camp ovens, cast iron cookware, fryers, grills, and smokers. You might also want to give the marinades, seasonings, and sauces a try.

I loved the section that had boats for sale. We saw jon boats, canoes, kayaks, bass boats, and pontoon boats. Many of the boats for sale had steps attached so that consumers could actually get into the boats and walk around, sit in the seats, and get a good “feel” for the vessels. This is so much better than looking at boats for sale in magazines, online, or in want ads. Another thing I liked here was the large tag that accompanied all the boats. If you’re really considering buying bass boats or pontoon boats, you can see each boat’s specifications, along with what the monthly payments would be, right there on the tag.

In addition to pontoon boats, bass boats, and other types of vessels, Bass Pro also sells boating supplies. Some of the boat supplies include things like trolling motors, batteries, battery chargers, boat seats, covers, bimini tops, outboard motors, downriggers, trailer accessories, fuel tanks, and life jackets. They have boating supplies for both salt water and fresh water, by the way.

The boat supplies aren’t just limited to fishing, either. You’ll see other water sports represented, too. These include kneeboards, wakeboards, water skis, floats, towables, snorkels, masks, goggles, and swim fins. Just visiting this section will make you want to go have some wet fun!

With just a quick search online, you can take advantage of money-saving Bass Pro Shop coupons. Some offer low cost shipping, while others provide $10 or $20 off your purchase, or even 50% off one the purchase price of one qualified item. You can also find rebates for specific products. These include a $30 rebate on Shimano reels, along with other rebates for ABU Garcia and Pflueger reels. Some of the Bass Pro Shop coupons can be used in-store, while most are designed to be used with online shopping. In this case, you’re given the coupon code to use in your shipping order.

Bass Pro Shop locations in Georgia include Macon, Savannah, and Lawrenceville, which is near Atlanta. Locations in Alabama include Prattville, which is near Montgomery, and Leeds, which is near Birmingham. South Carolina has a store in Myrtle Beach, and North Carolina has a store near Charlotte. Tennessee has three Bass Pro Shops – in Sevierville, Nashville, and Memphis, with a fourth store to open soon in Memphis Pyramid. Louisiana has stores in Bossier City and in Denham Springs, and in Mississippi, you can find a store in Pearl. Florida has five Bass Pro Shop locations: Islamorada, Miami, Dania Beach, Ft. Myers, and Orlando. Whenever you’re “down South,” you’re probably not too far from a Bass Pro Shop, so schedule a visit, even if you have to take a detour. It’s definitely worth the drive!