Bass Pro comes to San Jose

I managed to stop by the new Bass Pro Outdoor World in San Jose when i was down to pick up my daughter.

San Jose Bass Pro

This is not a small store. It is massive. It has a bowling alley (although I’m not sure I get the connection). You can find bait fishing supplies, boating supplies, camping gear, kayaks and canoes and, of course, fly fishing gear.

It is so odd to see all the tarpon and tuna and dorado up on the walls in a place that doesn’t have much of any of those things. Still, a pretty fun place to go and look around. There is a big tank with all sorts of fish I’d like to catch.

They even had some Mako boats there that looked pretty sweet, although where you’d fish a boat more suited to ocean-side tarpon fishing than whatever you are going to find in the Bay, I’m not sure (honestly, I’m not sure… where would you take one of these?).

Mako boat

The store is a great thing for those that crave outdoor/fishing gear, but it does make me think about the little shops, like the California Fly Shop, that will likely end up hurt by this, or little Mel Cotton’s. People go from owners to employees. It changes the complexion a bit and it removes a lot of the personality from the experience.

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2 comments

  1. It’s a destination. Im sure your daughter liked the fish tank, and while you’re picking up a few flies, bowl a few sets!

  2. That’s a bay boat. They are meant to go in decent amounts of chop. Certainly rougher water than a flats boat. That style boat would be an ideal boat for fishing stripers in the Sac Delta. That said, Mako boats (any Bass Pro brand boat for that matter) are known to be wrought with problems after a year or two. Wiring, welds breaking (on aluminum boats), and shoddy workmanship in general.

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