The bankruptcy of Big Rock Sports (BGS), a major wholesaler in both Canada and the US, is expected to impact product availability for anglers and hunters.
BGS filed for bankruptcy in Canada in December and declared bankruptcy in the United States in early February. The Canadian arm of the company employed 72 people. According to The Outdoor Wire, during its peak, BGS offered more than 200,000 products and serviced more than 20,000 fishing, hunting, camping, taxidermy, and marine retailers across the US, Canada, and other countries.
While larger retailers can order direct from manufacturers, smaller operations often don't have the volume. Even with larger retailers, BGS helped fill a void between orders. The result could be longer wait times on some items, and higher pricing due to less competition, according to industry insiders.
The Canadian Sportfishing Industry Association said the collapse of the company is unfortunate but wasn’t prepared to comment further.
Originally published in the Walleye 2026 issue of Ontario Out of Doors magazine
