Lets Talk About Mom & Pop (Defunct) Bait Shops

[mono_mono]

A buddy and I counted about a half dozen bait shops that were around when we were kids, 1970's-80's. Smelly dingy basements with a few minnow tanks, dobsons in an old fridge! Mostly ran by old men who looked 100! Boy did they come in handy... We are down to ONE here now, it's a great little place (Garage converted into shop) ....And Gander Mountain I guess. But like any tradition that has been swallowed up by the electronic age, there are less people fishing and less demand for bait. At least it seams that way

[Rags777]

I get my minnows out a converted cooler in the same type set up, old barn converted to bait shop! 4$ a dozen, wax worms 11$ for a thousand! Can't beat the prices and guy is on call, if you need minnows at 3 or 4 in the morning he is your man! the best part is he takes the time to separate all the sizes once he is done seining them, makes it easy to pick and choose what you want! great thread!

[3300]

i can't help but wounder if it isn't the distributors having to large of a minimum order to get deliveries and the state regulations.
i have a friend who delivers for a distributor and he told me of one place that's folded (i used to shop there too and is also a friend) that would try to place tiny orders and it wouldn't pay for the gas to get the order to him. so i guess that falls into it takes money to make money term.

my buddy who owns a small bait and tackle and archery and black powder guns shop is still a float, but he got rid of most live bait for these reasons and the hassle to have them. only live bait is in the fridge now.
he said most of his sales are from online like ebay and his online store front. the walk in don't pay the light bill even.

his plans are to hand it down to his son who works there too.

[Rags777]

I guess in my part the mom and pop is a little more common since we do have the ability to seine the minnows ourselves out of the local streams and ditches with the proper permits. it's all about putting  in the effort, and having the clientele to keep it afloat.

[mono_mono]

As far as distributors go....Back then a couple of the shops here depended on people screening our two rivers (Susquahana & Chenango) for stoneys, Dobsons and sucker minnows. They would buy the bait from ya...Those days are long gone

[panfishman13]

i don't think so.

keep in mind, those elderly people who ran the shops probably retired at some point, and any kids that they had were probably already invested in their own careers so they didn't want to run a bait shop. that's probably the biggest reason for the decline in bait shops.

now, every single study i've read, both the annual in-fisherman numbers and what i was able to find online, has said that the number of anglers has been growing steadily. mom and pop bait shops are on the downturn, but anglers are increasing in number every year, which means that more and more anglers are relying on the big-name stores for their fishing supplies.

also, the reason there haven't been more bait shops popping up is probably because it's more economically reasonable to start an online store rather than spending a significant sum on a physical storefront. plus it gives the store owner access to a much larger market.

personally, i've only seen 2 stores that could be considered "bait shops" in my entire life, one was about 200 miles from where i live, and the other was in Louisiana. the majority of Idaho's fishing stores are fly shops, and there's more than enough of them to go around.

[32footsteps]

Two come to mind. 

The first was Jerry's Minnows in Shawano, WI.  He had ponds where he netted his own so you weren't getting stuff that arrived on truck half dead.  Maybe it was because he played baseball with my grandpa many, many years ago that he always treated us well but when we'd go in there and ask for 2 dozen minnows he'd give us 5 dozen. He wasn't on city water and his well was grandfathered in so the stuff you were buying wasn't coming out of water with all sorts of added things in it....plus like I said, he netted his own minnows so they were about as wild as you could get without trapping your own.  He had an old mechanical cash register and when he rang you you he'd say the price, then always added in "and a few extra cents for the damn governor" and sent you on your way. 

The other one was Cliff's in Stevens Point, WI.  It was open 24 hours, had no one working at it, and you paid on the honor system.  There were times I'd be in there at 2 or 3 in the morning heading out ice fishing and all of a sudden the door would open and it was a woman in a nightgown asking if we needed any help.  That place was incredible.  The suggested prices were exceptionally low but I made it a point to pay almost double on anything I ever bought there. 

[manitron]

I agree that the state regs concerning baitfish sales have crippled many small shops in New England. The shop owners have to deal with distributors now and their minimums are straining the budgets of the little guys. They have to pass the costs on to us and ,as a result,the cost of bait has skyrocketed.

[UFCreel]

I help out in a bait shop. There is hardly any mark up on bait. The one I help at has a small selection of stuff on the wall. Most of that is cheap stuff. That can hang there indefinitely. The pricey stuff that we all clamor to have. Just sits there collecting dust. Sure some of it sells. But most just hangs there year in and out. The thing is. When customers come in they always say why don't you carry this or that? The owner of the shop can get just about anything quick. The wholesaler for the area is about 30 min away. When folks ask and put a deposit down. What they asked for is normally there the next day. But most wont do that. They ether run to the big box store. Or they order on line. After seeing the receipts for the year. I don't know how he keeps the doors open or even turns on the lights. Bait shops are not a money maker. Open 6 to 6. Winter time he does alright. But this winter has been bad. Maybe two costumers a day does not pay the bills.

[Mr.Seaguar]

I have a buddy that wants me to buy a bait shop. I tell him, we have to sell beer or I am not interested. No way am I going to scrape by. Beer will keep us in the clear.

[fishermantim]

There is no longer a place called a "bait shop".
They cannot survive on bait sales alone, so they will offer something else to help pay the bills.
If they don't own the property, they pay rent, and we all know that business rents NEVER go down!

So, unless they happen top sell magical bait that guarantees a monster fish every time, they have to do whatever will bring in the most income. Sometimes even that will not be enough and they go out of business.

I knew of one store close to home that had a bait and tackle shop as part of their larger boat sales and service business.
All it took was one idiot that "claimed to know" how to drive a boat to sue them due to a fatal accident THEY caused to force them out of business. I sure do miss Tropicland Marina in Dedham, MA. You could drop in and just shoot the breeze if business allowed, and they were helpful and knowledgeable about their stock!

Bottom line: city and state regulations and property rents and taxes are forcing many bait shops out of existence.

Then there are the regulations geared at the regular angler, who already paid his fee just for a license, and now has to deal with more regulations if they want to supply their own bait! 

[panfishman13]

if i were to run a bait shop, i'd say the secret in success would have to lie in variety.
as a fisherman, there's nothing that makes me want to buy something more than multiple options. i'd want to have a huge variety of live and dead baits, plus a healthy selection of lures and tackle, common stuff, and stuff that the other local stores don't carry.

not to mention cold beverages, hot beverages, pre-made lunches, and snack food.

in Idaho, the only live bait that's allowed is non-aquatic stuff and crawdads that you catch same-day from the water you're fishing in. so the bait menu would be maggots, redworms, nightcrawlers, mealworms, waxworms, crickets, and grasshoppers. everything else would come frozen, salted, or pickled, either whole, in chunks, or in fillets.

location would be a big thing too, setting up shop in the middle of the city is terrible, the ideal spot for a bait shop is within a 15 minute drive from a lake or river.

[icebucketjohn]

Rapidly going out of biz.  In NE Ohio, we've lost a dozen in the last 12 months.  Not many remaining.

[52isntbigenough]

Sad truth is that the cost of living and cost of owning your own business has gone up faster than the price of a dozen minnows will allow. I hate it. Nothing better than walking into a bait shop and smelling the minnow tanks.  I own a hone up in Wisconsin's most popular tourist areas, every mom and pop shop is either gone or for sale. I get my bait at a local BP gas station.

[GCD]

I think something that's hurting the live bait sales is that more and more people are switching to artificial baits. They're cheaper and you don't have to worry about trying to keep them alive.

I used to fish for Crappie exclusively with minnows... until I learned how to catch them with soft plastics, now I haven't bought a live minnow in nearly a decade.

The bait shops I see now are gas station/convenience stores that sell live bait as a side item, and some of them are still owned and operated by mom and pop.

[52isntbigenough]

I think one thing that's hurting the live bait sales is that more and more people are switching to artificial baits. They're cheaper and you don't have to worry about trying to keep them alive.

I used to fish for Crappie exclusively with minnows... until I learned how to catch them with soft plastics, now I haven't bought a live minnow in nearly a decade.

The bait shops I see now are gas station/convenience stores that sell live bait as a side item, and some of them are still owned and operated by mom and pop.

Berkey Gulp is killing Mom and Pop!! LOL

[mono_mono]

Dam Plastics! They have always been around (Mister Twister) but todays stuff mimics an injured minnow ect ect ect much better than what was offered 30 years ago

[UFCreel]

Had a guy come in the shop the other day and wanted some plastics he bought last year. Whips. He bought 20 last year and is down to a few left. The color he wanted we were out of. The thing is those whips had sat on the wall for 4 years. At $2 for ten. Yes plastics are not helping bait shops.

[slamminsam]

Too many State and Fed regs are whats really killing the all important mom and pop....10 day receipts are another joke.  Can't catch your own bait, another laughter...that used to be part of the fun.  Big box stores and online purchases are whats really killing them...they do make their money on products other than bait (low mark up), but you almost can't blame the public for saving on line...economy sucks.  Most ma and pa stores make their money on jigs 

[GCD]

Had a guy come in the shop the other day and wanted some plastics he bought last year. Whips. He bought 20 last year and is down to a few left. The color he wanted we were out of. The thing is those whips had sat on the wall for 4 years. At $2 for ten. Yes plastics are not helping bait shops.

I buy my plastics in bulk for $8/100 online. (another thing that hurts the local shops) I pour and paint my own jig heads and buy my lead and hooks in bulk online. I'd like to help mom and pop out... but I can't see paying .50, .75, or $1 for a jig and plastic tail that's only going to last one or 2 trips if you're lucky when I can make my own for 15 cents each.

[icehound67]

I can relate to this topic and have an inside view. I'm located in SE Pa, my family has owned and operated a "mom and pop" baitshop for over 30 years. I was a junior in high school and was a avid fisherman along with a friend of mine.  We would pic night crawlers at every opportunity. so we decided to start selling bait.  This was a great idea until trout season came along and we didn't want the responsibility of tending the shop. My parents explained this was not good business. So they decided to take over, slowly building up merchandise in a room off the back of our house that we refered to as the "Shanty".  31 years later we are still in business and its been a wonderful experience.  The thousands of people we have served have all been the nicest people you'll ever want to meet. Within an area of 30 miles we've had about a dozen other "baitshops", over the last 12 years we have watch all but one other shop disappear.  You would think we would be happy for this for a business sense but its actually dis heartining. Here in SE Pa our big season is state stocked trout season, over the past 15 years I've watched the state slowly decrease stocking in number and quality. WE have never had a problem getting bait from Wholesalers and sell everything from night crawlers,mealworms,redworms,blackheads,waxies,spikes,butterworms and medium night crawlers. Fathead minnows as well as a variety of sizes of shiners.  We have generations of customers who I can recall them in the shop as a child and now bring their children. I am concerned about the future of fishing in Pa seeing the decline in recent years. I do believe that the "big" chain stores are helping the situation. We have a Cabelas about 25 miles away that's been open for about 10 years, also a Dick's sporting goods etc. We have alot of customer loyalty, people who will drive a good distance for the experience.  As far as internet sales I think they are convenient I'm not sure how much they hurts our sales. One thing in our favor is hours, 6:00 am to 8:00 pm.  Fishing is a morning sport as as you all know, and you have to be willing!  I was at the shop yesterday and had a customer who just happened to be a Pa conservation officer.  Him and I had a discussion about the state of fishing in pa and both agree that the sport has declined. We,however, strongly, disagreed on the reasoning? He also stated that this is true of many states in our country.  I don't know where it goes or how it ends, but overall it is sad.  Enough rambling, just thought I'd give an inside view. Tight lines and BE SAFE.

[Rather-B-Fishin]

Spoke to an owner of a bait shop about this very issue this fall...they are hurting bad. Tom's of Napanoch NY, is one of the last in the area . I have close to 40 years of memories from stopping there.
It is the whittle effect, each hurts and none are terminal by themselves:
-walmart and other big box stores
-strangling state regs
-unrealistic demands put on manufacturers and vendors
-the internet
-fuel cost (unitl now!)
-taxes!
It sad because I rather go to them any day, it provides much more economic and social stability for a community and never mind the valuble knowledge and rapport gained!

[mono_mono]

I can relate to this topic and have an inside view. I'm located in SE Pa, my family has owned and operated a "mom and pop" baitshop for over 30 years. I was a junior in high school and was a avid fisherman along with a friend of mine.  We would pic night crawlers at every opportunity. so we decided to start selling bait.  This was a great idea until trout season came along and we didn't want the responsibility of tending the shop. My parents explained this was not good business. So they decided to take over, slowly building up merchandise in a room off the back of our house that we refered to as the "Shanty".  31 years later we are still in business and its been a wonderful experience.  The thousands of people we have served have all been the nicest people you'll ever want to meet. Within an area of 30 miles we've had about a dozen other "baitshops", over the last 12 years we have watch all but one other shop disappear.  You would think we would be happy for this for a business sense but its actually dis heartining. Here in SE Pa our big season is state stocked trout season, over the past 15 years I've watched the state slowly decrease stocking in number and quality. WE have never had a problem getting bait from Wholesalers and sell everything from night crawlers,mealworms,redworms,blackheads,waxies,spikes,butterworms and medium night crawlers. Fathead minnows as well as a variety of sizes of shiners.  We have generations of customers who I can recall them in the shop as a child and now bring their children. I am concerned about the future of fishing in Pa seeing the decline in recent years. I do believe that the "big" chain stores are helping the situation. We have a Cabelas about 25 miles away that's been open for about 10 years, also a Dick's sporting goods etc. We have alot of customer loyalty, people who will drive a good distance for the experience.  As far as internet sales I think they are convenient I'm not sure how much they hurts our sales. One thing in our favor is hours, 6:00 am to 8:00 pm.  Fishing is a morning sport as as you all know, and you have to be willing!  I was at the shop yesterday and had a customer who just happened to be a Pa conservation officer.  Him and I had a discussion about the state of fishing in pa and both agree that the sport has declined. We,however, strongly, disagreed on the reasoning? He also stated that this is true of many states in our country.  I don't know where it goes or how it ends, but overall it is sad.  Enough rambling, just thought I'd give an inside view. Tight lines and BE SAFE.

Good stuff Icehound

[buz23]

For year's Yell's bait in Whitehall, NY was the quintessential mom and pop bait store.  Located on a side street down off the main drag, you had to wade through the cats and then wait in line to get your "mixed bait" which they sold by volume - cup, pint, quart.  Although they sold other supplies, their main business was bait.  And every time you would buy bait Mr. Yell would comment that he had to charge extra (tax) for Rocky.  I guess that dates me.

Ice fishing went to hell in the 1980's in the Southern end of Lake Champlain, and two of the three shops in town closed (Tykes and Yells).  I think it just too easy to travel on the ice, find the fish and stay warm.  Plus 15 tipups were (and still are) allowed.

This story does have a happy ending.  The Yell's son and grandson operate a fantastic shop in Burnt Hills, NY - Wiggly Worm.   

[esox_xtm]

I did my time at a shop here in SE WI. Tough business, no rest, no respite and no respect. If you weren't open early enough there's dead minnows dumped on your doormat. Weekends? Gotta work. Holidays? Gotta work. Gotta come in early and stay open late. No rest for the wicked.....

Live bait is the only margin. Any hardware that hangs on the wall is expected, no demanded, but often bought at higher prices thru so-called wholesalers than you and I can buy it at your local big box store or, now, heaven help us the internet.

The edge that M&P shops have is in information and education. Sure, you can buy your new superline at WallyWorld for less. But if you'd had bought it by us, we not only would offered to spool it for you, we'd have done it properly and showed and told you how. Then you wouldn't have to come in and ask to have your drag fixed when all you needed was a piece of duct tape on the spool arbor.

Sure, you can buy the "latest, greatest" at a big box, but who's gonna tell you the rigging tips or presentation secrets that really make that lure "work"?

We made all our own jigs, leaders, tip-up rig etc., basically anything that it easily made. Then we could make some $$. Remember, this is not a hobby for those folks, they're hoping to make a living at it. With mounting regulation it becomes more and more difficult for that expertise to continue.

So here's the commercial: If you have a good shop in your locale, PATRONIZE IT! Or you will lose it. They can't make it without you. Be willing to pay a little more for the convenience and the expertise. Do what you can to insure their continued existance and you will not be disappointed. Be their friend and they'll be yours.......

[icehound67]

There are certain "perks" that can only be had at a local baitshop. Since our start we've always had a cork board for pictures, the kids really love it.  To be truthful many of the adults aren't much different, but if they want to have a pic of there 14" brownie on the board, so be it.  It's just another indicator of the decline, by the end of the year the board was overflowing with pics.  As the years went by Iv'e sadly seen # of pics drop.  The cool thing is that I have every year of pics in yearly photo albums, It's nice too look back on.  Its always been our policy that all out bait (worms) are dumped out and checked at the counter before you leave. its something simple that is a great perk. Theres nothing worse than getting to your favorite hole to find dead bait. Its always been extremely rewarding to see a kids eyes lite up for something as simple as a free bobber.  As you can probably tell this is a sentimental subject for me

[Old Goat]

had one here where it was self serve on minnows

[Rags777]

we have one about 30 miles north of me that is self serve honor system as well. grab what you need and leave the cash in the jar  , that's when you know you leave amongst good people!

[esox_xtm]

There are certain "perks" that can only be had at a local baitshop. Since our start we've always had a cork board for pictures, the kids really love it.  To be truthful many of the adults aren't much different, but if they want to have a pic of there 14" brownie on the board, so be it.  It's just another indicator of the decline, by the end of the year the board was overflowing with pics.  As the years went by Iv'e sadly seen # of pics drop.  The cool thing is that I have every year of pics in yearly photo albums, It's nice too look back on.  Its always been our policy that all out bait (worms) are dumped out and checked at the counter before you leave. its something simple that is a great perk. Theres nothing worse than getting to your favorite hole to find dead bait. Its always been extremely rewarding to see a kids eyes lite up for something as simple as a free bobber.  As you can probably tell this is a sentimental subject for me

That's the program icehound. We had the "Wall of Fame" and always checked "packaged" bait at the counter before checkout. Good customers often got some "extras" whether it be bait or a trial lure or something to honor their patronage. We also had some free after hours seminars for the public and for special groups like a hands on tackle making deal for the Boy Scouts.

M&P shops rock if you do it right but it's a lotta, lotta, lotta work. If someone is nailing it, do them right!

[mono_mono]

Great stories guys - I am drinking a beer, reading these, looking at some of the towns on Google Maps/Earth, and trying to picture them all. Come to think of it, we also had one that had an honor system at one Johnson City NY, when you needed bait at 3am