Eagle Claw hooks

[Ray Kunz]

Does anyone know why Cabelas has stopped handling Eagle Claw hooks?
I been using them with satisfaction for years.

[AllenOK]

With BPS getting ready to close on the deal to purchase Cabela's, I wouldn't be surprised to find out it's a move to steer customers from Cabela's to BPS if they wish to stay brand-loyal.

[bikebum]

the week before the Bass Pro purchase was announced an employee at my Cabelas told me that word from on high was they had to eliminate 30% of the SKU's. That demand of taking a chainsaw to stock was why they got rid of Mustad hooks and many others. I don't know if this was to make the sellout to Bass Pro look better or just a strategic decision but when I walk in a cabelas anymore it becomes very clear early on that they make their money on clothing and everything else in there they don't mind tossing in the wastebin.

[Rocketfish]

I was wondering the same.

[Ray Kunz]

To slightly change the theme I note that Bikebum strikes on a familiar situation with sporting goods businesses.
Just look at the other big name places: Orvis, L.L.Bean and now Cabelas. They start out building a reputation and following in a sporting goods business and end up being just another stupid clothing store. I guess it shows where the extreme profits are. Now let's keep our eye on where BPS will now go.

[BBBruce77]

I have friends that used to work for Orvis back in the 80's and 90's and I remember a dicussion about how the number crunchers were reccomending that Orvis drop everything fly fishing related and cocentrate on womens conservative clothing as it generated over 80% of the companies revenue. The nay sayers won out but just barely.

[Bugsy]

REI, Patagonia, and Lands End are a few more among the additional outdoor retailers that grew by selling to the masses. In tandem with Bruce's statement, I think it was the 80s when these catalog retailers made the big push toward apparel and household items.

Here's an anecdote. For years, one of the largest volume fly shops in the US achieved its success not by selling Sage rods or by booking trips to exotic locations; rather, this shop was one of the largest authorized retailers of Patagonia clothing. To emphasize, this shop was actually the highest volume fly shop in the US for several years following the growth in the early 90s. While its tourist-driven location near an affluent and active population didn't hurt, it took a good business sense to capitalize on the opportunity for reliable year round sales.

[RHenn]

The Cabelas/ BPS merger in my opinion will not be a good thing. I worked at BPS in the Fly shop, and to say that it is a sorry excuse for a fly shop is an understatement. The newer store I worked in had over 2/3rds of the total floor space devoted to clothing, fishing has become a side business to them. There are 4 BPS stores within an hour drive and I don't spend any money in any of them.
The local shop I use has some clothing which the owner has told me that is more profitable than fly gear, but at least the fly shop is well stocked.
I talked to the Eagle Claw folks at ICAST because I was having a tough time finding Billy Pate hooks, and he told me that they can be ordered directly from them.

[Charlie1947]

With BPS getting ready to close on the deal to purchase Cabela's, I wouldn't be surprised to find out it's a move to steer customers from Cabela's to BPS if they wish to stay brand-loyal.

SAD! Plum SAD! I have bought a lot from Cabela's, they are just a few miles from me! I love their CGR rods!