I want to give a HUGE shoutout to Kevin at Bass Pro Shops.
It was my nephew-in-law’s birthday, so we decided to surprise him with a trip to a place he had always wanted to go: Bass Pro Shops. What he didn’t know was that I had also decided I was ready to spend some good money getting him set up with a new fishing rod, reel, and tackle box loaded with goodies.
Now, here’s the funny part: I know almost nothing about fishing. 😂 I know what a fishing rod is, I know there’s a reel involved, and I’ve learned enough to know that apparently there are about 47 different ways to catch a fish depending on what fish you’re trying to catch, what water you’re standing next to, what line you’re using, and what the fish had for breakfast that morning.
So we started looking around for a rod and reel that could handle everything from bass to salmon. My nephew was being pretty quiet and timid at first. He was excited, but he was also clearly trying not to make anything too expensive. He kept looking at things like, “Yeah, that's probably fine,” while I was basically telling him, “Dude, it’s your birthday. Pick something you actually want.” 😂
Then Kevin came over and asked if we needed help.
That turned into roughly two hours of Kevin helping us find the right setup.
And I mean really helping us.
He asked questions, listened to what my nephew actually wanted to fish for, explained the differences between rods and reels, answered every question we threw at him, and helped us understand what equipment would actually make sense instead of just trying to sell us the most expensive stuff on the wall.
The biggest thing I noticed was watching my nephew change throughout those two hours. At first, he was barely saying anything. Before long, he was the one asking questions, getting excited, comparing equipment, and really engaging in the process.
Kevin was incredibly patient the entire time.
But more than that, he seemed to recognize something in my nephew that I think is really important: he genuinely loves fishing. Kevin told him that he wanted to give him the best opportunity to get out there and enjoy doing something he himself clearly has a passion for.
That meant a lot to me.
This wasn't just someone helping us buy a rod and reel. Kevin took the time to teach my nephew. He treated his questions seriously, shared his knowledge, and made the whole experience exciting rather than overwhelming.
It was also my first time at Bass Pro Shops, and I have to say that everyone we interacted with was friendly and helpful. But Kevin absolutely stood out.
Kevin, I don't know if you'll ever see this, but man… they aren't paying you enough. 😂
Seriously, you have the kind of customer service and passion that makes people remember an experience. At this point, I'm pretty sure you need to just open your own fishing shop. I'll probably be there asking you what half the stuff on the shelves does. 😂
Thank you, Kevin, for spending so much time with us, answering what felt like a million questions, and most importantly, making my nephew feel excited and confident about getting into fishing.
You made his birthday even more special, and you made our first experience at Bass Pro Shops genuinely memorable.
Bass Pro Shops, give this man some recognition. Kevin deserves it. 🎣👏