Grand Lake Sports Center: A Step Back in Oklahoma History

I spent the spring traveling the southeast and parts of the midwest, primarily but not exclusively following the Bassmaster tournament trail. Being the consummate tackle junkie, I made an effort to visit as many tackle stores as possible. In places like Guntersville, that meant no fewer than four stops. Elsewhere I struggled to find anything good. I tried to support the mom & pops, but it’s increasingly difficult to find local or obscure gear in the era of eBay and Tackle Warehouse.

While covering the Open at Grand Lake I stopped in multiple shops around the lake, with the final one being Grand Lake Sports Center in the downtown area of Grove, Oklahoma. I didn’t know quite what to expect, but when I saw the large wall mural outside — with a section devoted to the area’s paddlefish, I entered with high hopes that it would be a special experience.

There was plenty of great modern tackle inside, including some local specialties and a few discontinued items, but what really grabbed my attention right off the bat was the extensive selection of vintage tackle.

Once I started asking questions about the collections (including whether certain items were for sale. Spoiler alert: they were not), owner Sam Williams lit up. He took me on a tour of his collection, which hung from every shelf, surface and piece of taxidermy around the store.

The lake’s impoundment was started in 1938 and Sam’s forward-thinking grandfather started the shop not too long later in order to take advantage of its position as a tourist destination. As Grand became a favored spot for tournaments, he prospered. He also built a live bait farm outside of town to serve his customers.

Everywhere I went there were relics of bass fishing history — some from my lifetime, others from before I was born. I tried to bargain for a vintage Mann’s 1- to no avail, and took stock of other artifacts like Buck Perry Spoonplugs and old school Bomber 6As and 7As.

Elsewhere I saw lures that I didn’t recognize. Sam explained how people dropped off or sold him their collections. He remains steadfast that he won’t sell them.

If you find yourself in or near Grove — I’m sure we’ll be back for their fourth Bassmaster Classic at some point — it’s worth a stop. Tackle stores like this one are diminishing in number quickly. I suspect that some young anglers have never seen one — or some of the brands for sale there. It’s our obligation to spend money at these local gems when we can.

And don’t hesitate to ask Sam about his collection. He’s rightfully proud of all that he’s acquired and of his store’s history. It was one of the highlights of my 16-day trip to Oklahoma, Missouri and Arkansas. I will be back.