Image Credit: basspro.com

by WNJ Correspondent Matt McCann

When it comes to buying fishing gear, nobody has a bigger selection than outdoor superstores like Bass Pro Shops and Cabela’s. Unfortunately, neither company has any stores in New Jersey. The closest Bass Pro Shops stores are in Harrisburg, PA and Hanover, MD. The closest Cabela’s store is in Hamburg, PA.
 
While these locations are certainly within driving distance, it’s not really practical to go there on a regular basis. It would be nice to have one of these stores in New Jersey so you could just stop by and pick something up when you need it. It appears that this may be a reality soon.

This past June, Bass Pro Shops signed a letter of intent to open a 200,000 sq ft store at The Point in Sayreville, NJ. The Point is a future large scale modern luxury shopping mall along the Raritan River. But this isn’t the first time a fishing superstore intended to open a New Jersey location.
 
In 2004, Cabela’s planned to open a 150,000 sq ft store at the future Meadowlands Xanadu project (now known as the American Dream Meadowlands). However, in 2010, after years of delays, Cabela’s released a statement saying that it would not open a Meadowlands store “unless there is an unbelievable opportunity”. Considering the amount of setbacks the American Dream Meadowlands is still facing, the New Jersey Cabela’s remains in limbo.

So which store is better? That’s like asking do you prefer Coke or Pepsi? Bass Pro Shops and Cabela’s are very similar, with a few unique differences. Both are enormous superstores that you could easily spend the day in just walking around and taking everything in. They both feature large aquariums, waterfalls, and wildlife dioramas. They even have their own branded clothes, rods and reels, lures, and even candy and snacks. The Cabela’s in Hamburg, PA has a cafeteria on the second floor. While that sounds a little questionable, the food is actually pretty good. Bass Pro Shops is a Tracker Boats dealer and has a whole section of Tracker Boats.

Both are excellent stores and offer a great selection of fishing gear (as well as hunting gear and other outdoor activities), but I personally have to give a slight nod to Bass Pro Shops. The reason for this is that they are very involved in bass tournament fishing and support many professional anglers. You really can’t go wrong with either store though. I guess we’ll see what the future holds for the prospect of these outdoor superstores coming to New Jersey.

Image Credit: cabelas.com

Matt McCann is a New Jersey native and specializes in freshwater and saltwater fishing in the Garden State.

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