Is Cabela's Dropping Len Thompson?
 

I just checked the Cabela's website and a great deal of their spoons are now listed as " no longer available" rather than out of stock. Was looking to buy close to 20 or so smaller spoons for trout but they only had the small 5 of diamonds in stock. It would make sense as Bass Pro does not list them on their website. This could be a bad move if Cabela's intends on dropping the Len Thompson line up.

Maybe Len Thompson dropped Cabela's. I bet it's a nightmare trying to deal with them and Bass Pro.

Len Thompson is a great family business from what I can tell. They were here long before Cabela's and Bass Pro came to Canada. They probably do a great business with Canadian Tire without a lot of the red tape they might be experiencing with free trade being what it has become.

BW

I don't think Len Thompson would drop Cabela's, that's got to be a pretty big market for them. I could see it being the other way around because Cabela's might be pushing their knock off 5 of diamonds and red devils instead of the Len Thompson's. It would be nice to hear that Len Thompson officially dropped Cabela's though, prehaps then Cabela's might start getting their "stuff" in order before other companies stop dealing with them as well.
Guess I will have to order directly to get all the spoons I wanted now.

If you try to buy pretty much anything on the Cabelas website these days, you're going to get the "no longer available" error.

If you go into any Cabelas store right now, ALL Cabelas branded gear in ALL departments is 20% off.

My guess is it has nothing whatsoever to do with Len Thompson, and everything to do with the Bass Pro takeover of Cabelas.

Cabela's has traditionally has 20% off Cabela's branded stuff at various sales. No change here.

You could always order right from the source. The factory is closed till Aug 20 though.

http://www.shoplenthompson.ca/store/..._Products.html

Maybe TFH is the answer. They have a great selection. Don't care for knock offs or the big stores much. They do catch fish but in my opinion not as many. Maybe I don't know how to use them properly. :sHa_sarcasticlol: I do have a wide assortment size shape color of those replicas.

Being a Western Canadian supplier is tough for them. Costs a lots to ship down to the Bass Pro U.S. head office and redistribute. The boys at Scotties were telling me the same as they are B.C. based and its like shipping them across the world. Then they ship it back towards The north which is more funny.

Then maybe let them pay for the shipping or we keep some of the best lures ever. (Ya I know not good business practice, but when you have a proven product world wide) They are tried and true. They take a lot of really good hits to scratch. When the rest can't have what you have, they do pay up! If not we as Canadians will rule the LEN THOMPSON (as we have). Moving your product to different markets is the way but sometimes THEY gotta pay.

Thats were I ended up ordering from, The Fishin Hole doesn't have the small firetiger spoons Im looking for.

Hope you got more than one!! lol
Never ordered direct. Do they have a minimum order or value?

20% off of EVERY Cabela’s branded product in the entire store at the same time?

Was the same in both the Calgary and Regina stores. Im not a Cabela’s regular, but I’ve never seen that before. Makes me think something’s up...

Seriously... this might just be the Crown Royal talking... but if Cabelas drops Len Thompson I'll sure as hell be dropping them :snapoutofit:

Any fishing tackle supplier that cant be bothered to carry the best casting spoons in the known universe can... well I aint had that much Crown Royal just yet so fill in the blanks yourselves.

Got that right. :happy0180::happy0034: To Cabelas I say :2mo5pow: Ha ha.

Ordered $100 worth, they offer free shipping after $65 but their prices are now on par with everyone else. They used to be a little more expensive, good to see they lowered their prices.:sHa_shakeshout:

Cabelas like TFH does not carry every size/colour of Len Thompson spoon. The reason you see no longer available is because of how their website works.

In other words the website shows all colours available and when you select a size it then shows you which of those colours are or are not available. If the colour you want says is not available then it means they don't regularly stock that colour in the size specified.

Whether or not the stock they regularly carry has changed I do not know. It would not surprise me if it has changed since being taken over by Bass Pro though.

TFH should start stocking more of these spoons again. They used to but some colours weren't selling well but now with WSS out of the picture and especially if Cabelas has reduced their offerings then there will be a market again.

Wait a minuet!!! Len Thompson makes more than 3 colors? Since when?

lmao!

Bw

Cabelas
 

I noticed a new ( I believe) display of knockoff Red Devils and five o diamonds when I was at the Manning store last week? I will are it my personal duty to go check there tomorrow!😬🤪

How do the knock offs compare to name brands anyhow? Less action and durability I presume? I've always bought the name brand items.

The knockoffs are lighter and therefore don't cast as far. I've also noticed that the trebles are of lower quality and they don't "flutter" as well as the real thing. You'll still catch fish, but I prefer to spend the extra $2.

Love Len Thompson spoons and still use them. My favourites are still the spoons made by Dam Effzett. I still have a half a dozen 74 gram ones from the 70's that don't show up anymore on their websites. Great for Lakers and Pike. Seems they are popular for Tigerfish in the Zambezi. Might have to go where the River Monsters guy went! I do seem to remember Kitimat making Effzett knock offs way back when.

http://zambeziangler.com/Effzett-Lures-by-DAM

https://www.ebay.ca/itm/DAM-Effzett-...sid=m570.l1313

They are not even close, lighter, much cheaper and thinner powder coat or in some cases paint. Len Thompsons are made from brass while the knock offs are made from tin so they rust from the first use. The better knock offs may be chrome plated for rust resistance, but paint and powder coat flake off the chrome easily. They may be ok while trolling but no good for casting. The split rings usually bend apart or rip out from the spoon. The hooks quite often are brittle and snap. As a kid I fished a lot but had little to spend on gear. The finish on one Len Thompson could last me a summer or more ( if I didnt loose it)where as the knock offs would last a weekend. I quickly learned to save up and buy good hooks rather than cheap ones. I'm sure Im still using some of those hooks from 20 years ago.

I remember one trip I ran out of 5 of diamonds so I bought some knock offs from the local convenience store. They were blank spoons with a printed vinyl sticker applied. After about half an hour the stickers fells off the spoons. Must have been made at the same place the walleye tags are made.:thinking-006:

In general the KO spoons are either steel or thinner brass, a stock LT #1 is 2 ¾ and 3/4oz (from LT web site) typically a KO spoon is 2 ¾ and only ½ oz (from a lure parts sites)

It’s good to have a couple of the KO spoons since you can work them in skinnier water but I'll keep to the original for the most part.

I don't know about you folks but I sure miss the selection and convenience WSS offered. Cabelas / Bass Pro haven't a clue and Fish'n hole is just to small to have a larger selection. On-Line just ain't the same.

I remember selling piles of them and based on price only. Unfortunately many look at that first so the knock off sell more thsn you think. They also cost a lot less and way more mark up so guess what gets promoted. I like quality myself but fishermen are no different than others looking for deals or the cheapest.

cabelas will miss you and your business if you drop them reconsider.

I could list a number of shortfalls, but for me the main one is they are made in China for pennies out of crap materials, in factories that don't comply with western environmental or labor regulations, by under paid employees. Then sold to you for somewhere in the 3-4 dollar range.

Len Thompsons are made in Alberta, home of some of the highest wages in the world, out of top notch materials. They comply with strict Canadian labor, environmental, and safety laws. And then they manage to sell them for around 4-7 dollars... thats cheaper than any other premium casting spoon I can think of, even cheaper than most brand name lures which have moved production to the pacific rim... and for some people that's not cheap enough???!!!:budo: If you cant see the value in supporting a company like Len Thompson then go on, save that extra buck or two and pat yourself on the back ya friggin' cheapskate :fighting0030: Just make sure you spend all that money you're saving on something worthwhile lol.

Len Thompson... I was metal detecting the glenmore reservoir this year when the water was low and I found a crapload of lures. The ones that lasted the best after being buried for years were the good old Len Thompson.

Lens Thompson does make a decent quality spoon.

Everyone is making it seem they are the only quality spoon company out there!!! I want to say that Lens Thompson isn't higher quality than any other name brand spoon.

They are better than those no name brand spoons, or anything from a cheap brand but they are also not the only company who makes quality spoons.

You get what you pay for.