I’m planning on opening a bait/tackle shop

I understand all the risks of failure.I understand expense involved. i understand all the long hours. i,ve researched the competition. Basically i,ve done my homework. Im not asking for business advise. Im asking all the real fisherman out there. What do you like to see in a bait shop. Tell me your favorite baits. Tell me snacks and drinks you would like to see offered. The fishing equipment you expect to see , what are your favorite brands of them. Any impute would be greatly appreciated. I want to do this right and make sure i have the things people will be looking for. Thanks Again It will be in Northern IL. Lee county

By mid summer or even spring, I think most people have eaten their stockpile of wild game sticks. Get a local meat shop and sell some of their meatsticks and jerky in a place in your shop, jerky is almost always a must for me on a fishing trip. Even if you don’t make a cent off it, because it is usually pretty pricey to start with without a markup, it will be an attractor for business. If I can get shiners and jalapeno cheddar meatsticks, I will be going there!! Good luck.

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By mid summer or even spring, I think most people have eaten their stockpile of wild game sticks. Get a local meat shop and sell some of their meatsticks and jerky in a place in your shop, jerky is almost always a must for me on a fishing trip. Even if you don’t make a cent off it, because it is usually pretty pricey to start with without a markup, it will be an attractor for business. If I can get shiners and jalapeno cheddar meatsticks, I will be going there!! Good luck.

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A meat locker cannot sell wild game, it is against FDA regulations since it was not inspected. They can only process it. However, if they buy the meat from a farm (like elk farms, bison farms, etc) they can sell the processed meat. Nobody would want to pay that price though. I’d say way out of the price range for a bait shop to stock.

But for snacks. Beef jerky, cheese/crackers, peanut butter/crackers, maybe some little doughnut packs, and some pop/gatorade/water is about all I ever buy from a bait shop/gas station on the way to the water.

Will you be a “on the way to the water” bait shop or on the water bait shop?

FDR

The biggest pet peeves I have with bait shops are:
Counting out minnows(fatheads/shiners/crappie) or selling by the “scoop” then taking a scoop shaking some out and then dumping it in the bag/bucket.

Selling “nigthcrawlers” that are glorified angle worms.

Not sorting leeches very well, if a guy buys a dozen large leeches that’s what he should get not 8 large and 4 panfish size.

I try not to go back to places like that if I can at all avoid it.

Beyond that having the basics and the things that people are likely to forget on hand are good.

Sunglasses, suntan lotion, SPF chapstick, cheap rain gear, cheap minnow buckets, good selection of pop and snacks. Fishing stuff for kids rods, reels tackle. The couple rods I’ve bought so far for my almost 4 year old have been at bait shops when we are getting bait for fishin off the dock.

Finally and most importantly….FRIENDLY service and willingness to provide quality info when someone asks for a push in the right direction. Most people are just out to catch some fish…if you help them with that they will definitely be back in the future.

X2 on counting every minnow that [censored] pisses me off!

What body of water are you going to be by a lake or a river ?

Im guessing lake shabbona

OK, I will say it…. BOOZE and BEER

Learn the names of your customers; they are your bread and butter. Whenever I go to a sport shop 5-6 times in a course of a couple weeks and the guy behind the counter acts like he has never seen me before, it ticks me off.

Even more frustrating is having to push your way through five guys that are standing around waiting for free coffee. Get the hell out of the way!

WS

Big g is that ur garage if so that’s nice

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Learn the names of your customers; they are your bread and butter. Whenever I go to a sport shop 5-6 times in a course of a couple weeks and the guy behind the counter acts like he has never seen me before, it ticks me off.

Even more frustrating is having to push your way through five guys that are standing around waiting for free coffee. Get the hell out of the way!

WS

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I agree,, and KNOW the local reports. I alwasy ask even if I have a set plan for the day. Advice is always good even if it’s a….. Heard some guys are getting this there or that here.. most guys wont tell you everything anyways but it’s nice to hear at least some type of tip.. Color, depth,etc.

From a bass guy’s perspective, I’d like to see things in a tackle shop that aren’t the standard issue items.. I’d love to walk into a tackle shop and see higher end rods from different manufacturers other than St. Croix, Loomis, etc. There are a lot of manufacturers out there producing quality stuff that just don’t make it into the shops anywhere I’ve been. Of course a guy can order the rods online, but I’d rather not drop a couple hundo on something that I can’t physically pick up before I buy it. Same goes with baits. There’s a ton of good stuff out there that isn’t made by Rapala or Berkely. Of course you have to stock their product lines, but a guy can walk into any bait shop and pick up a bag of purple power worms or a fire tiger minnow. Of course the things I’d be interested in is a niche market, but I don’t know who spends more money on tackle than bass tourney guys.. As far as snacks go, as long as you had Little Debbies and Red Bull, I’d be content.

Apparently, one of the more popular bait shops on the river often has cookies. You just have to get there before a certain cat and sturgeon adventure guide finds out about them.

My favorite bait shops always have lively bait, a good selection of food, some of the basics you may have forgot (chapstick, sunscreen, batteries, etc) a friendly and knowledgeable staff, and muskie baits. Lots and lots of muskie baits. If you’re near Shabbona, you’re going to need to have a lot of those.

It would be nice to stop into a bait shop that has a coffee pot where you can fill your thermos and a selection of prepared sammiches, too.

eI don’t want to get to far off topic but live bait isn’t sorted by bait retailers. the bait wholesalers are mostly responsible for that and the shops are mostly at their mercy. All we can do is try to keep the bait as healthy and lively as possible. As far counting bait, how would you prefer it was done so that each customer gets the same amount?when a shop buys a gallon of minnows the vendor doesn’t give a gallon and a half.since most fishermen buy their gear at the big box stores minnow margins become more and more importent in keeping the small shops open.

I have no problem paying a little more for bait or tackle if the people selling it are nice and great me when I come in. Throw in a cute looking gal serving up bait every once and a while to is nice.

Make sure and stock what your local fisher people want to fish with. You should be able to figure this out by talking to them a lot.

Stingy on bait is a big turn away in my book. Often thought many bait shops could price minnows better. Not talking giving them away but make it more appealing. Here again adjusting the count to what local fisher people want and then setting a price on it. Smaller minnows maybe by the scoop not the dozen. Maybe a half scoop those few people that just need a few minnows but for most who gets by on a dozen crappie minnows.

Train employees to your bait selling standards and follow up with them. Another turn away is getting a different scoop of bait every time at the bait shop depending who is scooping it up. My guess would be employees are shown once how to serve bait and that is it.

I can appreciate the guy that wants the baker’s dozen in the minnow department, but I also don’t want the guy giving me so many minnows that they die off before I get to the lake because there were so many, there is not enough oxygen in the bucket to keep them alive. I like when I ask for a dozen and get that, because I know that I can care for them, not lose them and get all the bang for my buck or is it $6 now???

I am also willing to pay more to that guy cause I want him to stay in business so I can get some important info if I need it!!!

Mark

Have a small section for basic boat/engine/tire repair. Boat plugs, batteries, oil, spark plugs, fix a flat, starting fluid, trailer light bulbs, stuff like that.

-J.

, but I don’t know who spends more money on tackle than bass tourney guys.. As far as snacks go, as long as you had Little Debbies and Red Bull, I’d be content.

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I can say from long experience that tourny guys, expecially bass guys, spend very little at the local shop. They get their gear in bulk, online and from their sponsers etc. If you cater to them you will quickly go broke. Stick with the average Joe and make sure he has a positive experience at your store and you’ll be successful.

I don’t care what you have inside or what the price is…………….if you don’t have a drive thru parking lot I’m not stopping. 2 driveways and plenty of room for trucks and boats is a must.

Good luck on your venture!!

I always thought a drive through window would be nice. Just a thought for you not sure if its feasible. I know when I have my kids with it would make things much quicker.

I like for the bait shop to be open when I’m headed for the water.
Don’t matter what you have inside, or for a parking lot, or even a drive-through window … if you’re not open why I swing by.

In first with bikinis

One of the most important things is to have set hours and keep them. A guy tried a baitshop down here and the hours just said “close at 5:00pm”. He opened the shop whenever he got out of bed, usually around 9-10 am. I’d stop in there at 8, closed. Stop back at noon, out to lunch. Next day I’d get my bait elsewhere and when I drive by at 7am he’s open. Next day he opens at 10am.

Needless to say he didnt last but about 3 weeks. I also heard he counted out minnows which is a big no-no around here. $2.75 gets you about 40 crappie minnows or around 25-30 walleye minnows at the good shops here. Others will give you 12 and go out of business in weeks.

I went to a shop once where it was $3.50 a scoop for minnows. I thought that price was pretty high but he had a pretty big net laying there so I figured what the heck. He took the big net and netted up a bunch of minnows (probably 40-50) then reached under the table and pulled out a little tiny ice scooper and scooped out of the big net. About 8 fatheads made it into the bucket. Never went back to that shop again.

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Finally and most importantly….FRIENDLY service and willingness to provide quality info when someone asks for a push in the right direction. Most people are just out to catch some fish…if you help them with that they will definitely be back in the future.

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I cant agree more on this statement.. Keep in touch withyour customers.. on whats going on maybe give some free crwlers or something to the guys that will share good information.. most people will come in and havent been out and want some good advice on where to go.. If you can provide that they will be back everytime.. and go out ofthere way to come see you..

A littel example of that is everets resort.. it has always been pretty good but before dean ran it it was not nearly as popular.. that man would go as far as put the bait you needed and tell you the spot depth and presentation.. If fishing was slow he would let ya know that too.. after he left simply by making a bad choice in managment with a guy that had the wrong attitude things got a little quiet around there.. now again they have some good people willing to help ya out and give good info and just plain nice.. they have bounced right back on track..

so Have a good selection of the latest and most popular baits that are geared for the fishing in your area..

Be nice and dont make people feel like idiots for asking about things.. give good info and youll have a good customer base in short order!!

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In first with bikinis

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I don’t want to see the guy behind the counter in a bikini.

Whatever floats yer boat, though.

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I don’t want to see the guy behind the counter in a bikini.

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How come when I read the above quote; the chance that

“this could happen occasionally at Everts” immediately came to mind ?

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I don’t care what you have inside or what the price is…………….if you don’t have a drive thru parking lot I’m not stopping. 2 driveways and plenty of room for trucks and boats is a must.

Good luck on your venture!!

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What he said!

FDR

Most of the advice here is good. My family and I have run a shop for 35 years. Its a lot of work for the return. Sounds like you are aware. Advice for bait. Get a good supplier. Consistency is the key. Keep your tanks clean and run fresh water on them 24 hours a day. Makes a huge difference on the bait vs a recirculated system. Don’t give your bait away. You will never win the price war and in turn you won’t make any money. If you have the best bait your customers will want it. As far as tackle goes, it is getting harder and harder to make money on it. Expect about a 10-25% margin on everything. Our philosophy the last few years has been carry more options of the most popular product lines for our market. Example would be instead of having 6 each of 6 colors carry 3 each of 12 colors and just reorder more often. Plus the best place to make your money on tackle is the small impulse items such as bobbers, minnow dippers, terminal tackle, etc. My biggest advice is to keep your store clean and well lit. It has become a family sport and you need to appeal to the wife and kids too. If you have space add an aquarium with some fish, the kids love it. Good luck with everything!

Jason Erlandson

Twinkies!