Rangerkev, are you talking about Brazos Tackle? I stop in there occasionally when in Weatherford to visit my daughter. Last time over, I took my grandson by and let him look at the minnows and other bait fish. Friendly dude! Seems I always come out of there with $10-$15 worth of stuff when I stop by ... LOL

Txchamp,that is the one.I have been shopping there for about 10 years.I dont mond paying a little more and dont have to fight the crowds and get to visit.It is a neat little shop and he has just about everything I need.If he does'nt he will order it.

I like to go to Bass Pro for selected items that I know in advance. I like Academy alot because in many cases they have better prices that even Walmart.

Hum, someone forgot to include K-Mart in this topic! I decided to stop by the Lubbock K-Mart on the way home from work today and check out their fishing supplies, since the local Academy store is out of a few items I wanted to purchase. With the smell of the catfish-type baits and dead-fish-in-a-package type baits, I kept hoping someone wouldn't walk down the aisle I was standing in and think it was me that smelled that bad.

Anyway, I left empty-handed, and don't think I'll check out their fishing department for several more years.

Academy beats quite a few of Wal-Mart's and Bass Pro Shops' catalog prices, and obviously has a better selection than Wal-Mart. The problem is the inventory of an item in Academy can be quickly wiped out for weeks with one purchase by one person, which I have managed to do numerous times.

I am willing to pay extra to get what I want, and that's the main reason I do so much catalog shopping, whether it be from Bass Pro Shops, Cabela's, or some other Internet merchant.

BPS - When I plan my purchases in advance!

Wal-Mart - When I'm out of town and need something in a pinch.

Academy - When I need to get out of the house for an hour or two on the weekend. :p

Used to always patronize the local stores, but lately they're few and far between. Academy has become my "go to" store because they have most of the items I need and many, many times I've found clerks who know what they're talking about and are willing to share that knowledge. I love BPS, but I live in the Hill Country and there's not one close. I shop at Wal-Mart as a last resort.

BPS- On-line only. If the others don't have it.

Wal-Mart - Line, weights, hooks, hard baits.

Academy - Soft plastics, hard baits, rods, reels.