The opening of Bass Pro Shops at the Fingerlakes Mall is being hailed as an economic savior for Cayuga County, but smaller outdoors-related business owners are concerned for their future.

"It's the big guy ate the little guy," said Charles Coleman, owner of the Bearwood Bait and Tackle Shop in Skaneateles. Coleman, 62, opened his shop in 1996. "This was my retirement plan. I can see my retirement plan going down the road."

But local outdoors retailers are hopeful their personal sales attention, specialized knowledge and unique products will help them survive the large retailer's entry into the market.

"I know they're never going to get into raw fur," said George Warren, owner of The Fur Shed in Weedsport, the only location in the area that buys raw fur. Warren has run his trapping, hunting, fishing and shooting supply store for 42 years.

Greg Walters, owner of Greg's Archery in Moravia, expects that Bass Pro will hurt his archery business, but that he will retain the market for high-end consumers. Bass Pro's archery products are for the more casual user, said Walters, while his shop sells to customers who "shoot a lot more target. They are way more serious hunters. They practice year-round."

Walters stocks bow manufacturers like High Country Archery that only sell to "pro shops." Walters also has facilities that Bass Pro doesn't have: an indoor shooting range, an outdoor shooting range and a 3-D outdoor target course extending over 30 acres of woods.

Julio Claps Sr., who runs Camillus Gun and Bait with his son in Elbridge, also says his business provides more specialized knowledge and higher-end products for serious outdoors lovers.

They carry lines of bows that Bass Pro doesn't stock, as well as the local Camillus knives. They also build their arrows on-site, and can rebuild a bow from the ground up if it breaks. They have a shooting range, and they conduct classes for first-time buyers.

"Things like that keep us alive," said Claps, who has been in the business for 24 years.

Staff at Bass Pro will turn over fairly frequently, Claps said, so they won't have the depth of knowledge that his longevity in the business provides to him.

"They've got a base knowledge, but they haven't got an extreme knowledge," said Claps.

Plus, thanks to Claps location on Route 5 & 20, outdoorsmen have stopped and visited his store on the way to Bass Pro.

"It isn't all black," he said.

Janet Barry, owner of Barry's Bait & Tackle in Waterloo, will know the impact of BPS after the bass fishing season, which opened Saturday.

Barry said that her bass and trout fishing store might get the "hardcore fisherman" if her store stocks baits specific to the Finger Lakes which Bass Pro Shops wouldn't carry.

On the marina end of outdoor retail, Chuck Spaulding, owner of boating store A-1 Enterprises in Moravia, said he will be able to compete with Bass Pro because he stocks a brand of boat, Yamaha, that "matches up very well" in quality and price to the Tracker brand that Bass Pro sells.

Spaulding also thinks Bass Pro might help the boat rental business he started last year if more fishermen come into the area.

Coleman said he'll sell off the products in which Bass Pro outprices him, and exclusively stock specialty fishing gear made in central New York.

"That's what I'm going to have to have on my walls if I want to compete," said Coleman.

Amaris Elliott-Engel can be reached at 253-311 ext. 282 or e-mail amaris.elliot-engel@lee.net