Anglers keep store near Ruston buzzing with activity
Cranford’s Northside buzzes with activity just about anytime you drive by the business located along Highway 33 just north of Ruston. The reason is that Steve Cranford and his business manager, Ray Caraway, have the store stocked with just about anything an angler would need. Plus, the store is located just miles from from Lake Claiborne, Lake D’Arbonne and other area fishing holes, including Hoogland Lake in Lincoln Parish Park.
“My dad bought the lot where the store is located years ago,” Cranford said. “He sold it to someone who built a combination convenience store and barbecue restaurant. Seventeen years ago I bought the business and converted the restaurant part to a sporting goods mini-store. It’s been hopping ever since.”
Based on the location of the store, anglers can be launching a boat half an hour later on D’Arbonne or hanging a left just north of the store puts you on Highway 146 to Lake Claiborne an hour away.
“When you head out for a day of fishing to one of these two lakes, you can stop, gas up your vehicle and boat, grab a couple bags of ice, come in the store where we have breakfast sandwiches served hot, pick up beverages before you step into the sporting goods section where you can buy live bait,” Cranford said. “We sell everything from crickets to cold worms to red wigglers to meal worms to shiners and goldfish.
“We have a limited supply of rods and reels along with a wide variety of bass lures and crappie jigs as well.”
To locate the store, just drive up Highway 33 about two miles north of I-20 where you’ll likely see vehicles looking for parking spots in front of the store or filling up at the gas pumps out front. They’re open seven days a week from early to late.
“This business has been good for us and our employees and it just makes you feel good,” said Cranford, “to be able to stock just about anything a deer hunter or a crappie, bass or bream fisherman may need for a good day on the lake or in the woods.”
Don’t miss a stop at Terzia’s Bait & Tackle in Ruston.
Greg Terzia talked his dad, Bubby, into giving him a bit of space in his equipment rental business located at 1700 E. Kentucky in Ruston to sell fishing gear. For the past several years, Terzia’s Bait & Tackle has been able to offer bass and crappie anglers a wide selection of lures, rods and reels.
“We’re different from some of the big stores in that we can offer colors and patterns of fishing lures you can’t find in the larger stores,” Terzia said.
Walking into the compact area Terzia claims as his own is to see the limited space chock full of fishing rods and some of the most popular lures for both bass and crappie to be found anywhere.
*Editor’s Note: In late 2022, Cranford’s Northside was sold to Sam and Mandy Lally who will offer the same fishing tackle, services and products as before. Other than having new owners, the name is being changed to Big Bucks Chevron.
