Advice for my bait distribution business?

[thebaitbar]

Hey Catfreaks! I have recently opened a small bait distribution business. I plan to cater to guys just like you all. I have went through all the proper channels such as the division of wildlife and the state of Ohio to get all the proper permits and licensing. My 500 gallon tank will hopefully be finished up tomorrow morning and then I will be on he hunt for bait. My main problem is knowing how to price my baits. I will be offering creek chubs, suckers, carp, shiners, frozen shad, and whatever else I can legally obtain and distribute. I don't plan to get rich from this business venture. But I do understand some of the struggles I myself have had obtaining reasonable sized baits from the waterway and from the distributor. I would like any and all opinions you guys are willing to give. I would like to be the cheapest bait in a 50 mile radius and plan to guarantee it. Where would everyone like to see prices of their local distributors? I apologize if this seems like an advertisement as it is not and if this is in this the wrong thread please feel free to move it to the appropriate location. I would like to provide bait delivery as well. I have also already cleared it through DNR to sell to fisherman on the waterway itself as well. I plan to try and get some accounts through bait shops but I would like to do the majority of my business directly with the fisherman. If I cut out the middle man its the fisherman who saves I know this is all over the place but I plan to open for business early next week and need help knowing what prices most fisherman would like to see. THANKS AGAIN! 

[ducky]

sounds great, hope your in my area. goldfish are 13 bucks a pound. if you could make it 10 bucks a pound it would be well worth goin to you.

[thebaitbar]

See that's what I'm thinking ducky. I'd like to make it cheaper yet to be honest. Once the bait switches hands multiple times the prices keeps getting jacked up. If I sold directly to the fisherman I'd imagine I could EASILY sell at 75% bait shop prices if not cheaper. I am located in southern ashland county. I plan to deliver the bait as well and the bigger the order obviously the further I'd be willing to travel. Any ideas on where I should price large chubs and carp? If I can turn a reasonable profit this year and show the demand is available I actually have a commercial property to rent so I can set up an actual window front shop. And at that point I'd obviously offer more than bait. But I have to keep reminding myself to take baby steps. Thanks for your response!

[thebaitbar]

On another note I got my tank 100% finished up today. So if all continues to go well with my plumbing I'll be on the water stocking the tank tomorrow.

[mexicanthreat]

Welcome bait man. Where ya plan on settin up shop? A pic of the bait tank would be cool. I have never bought my bait. I spend enough on gear. lol. So i myself wouldn't really wouldn't know where to start on prices. Plenty of great guys on here though, that should be able to help you out.

[thebaitbar]

Thanks for your reply Mexican threat! I live in southern ashland county. I will be doing mostly deliveries this year or if someone preferred pick out their own bait they can come down to my tanks. But as far as normal business hours to come down to a window front shop? Not quite yet. I do have the building for next year lined up though if I can prove there is plenty of demand to justify the expense. Long story short the tank is in loudonville on my parents property but the window front shop will be in perrysville next year if all goes well. I've never really purchased my own baits either except on last minute trips or if bait was hard to come by for whatever reason before a trip. To the extent of my knowledge no one sells reasonable sized flathead baits in my area. I'm not quite sure how to post a picture on here as the avatar was a chore to figure out. I didn't have much start up money to go buy new tanks and what not so...drum roll please....the hillbilly in me spoke up and I repurposed an old hot tub I bought. Which was a shame cuz it was nice enough to still be a hot tub. We estimate it to be around 500 gallons. It has a built in ozonator and I plumbed in a 85lb sand filter and small pool pump. I didn't want the Jets to beat my bait to death. The plumbing was a nightmare but I do believe it's gonna work out sweet. I plumbed jets together and ran it above the water through pvc and ran vertical to the water line with holes drilled in it. The pressurized water should do well aerating it but only time will tell for the amount of baits I plan to hold. I'd love to post pics and show it off! Hopefully I get it figured out tonight but after I get kids off to school I'm going out to start stocking the tank so I don't have time at the moment not to jump too far ahead but in the long term I plan to obtain my aquaculture license through the state to legally raise and sell gamefish for bait...I know there has to be a market there. I know I'd buy a few crappies and smallmouth before every trip if someone offered them legally. Thanks again for your reply Mexican threat! Hopefully some more guys chime in to help me out

[ducky]

Not near as many flathead guys up your way, like there is in my area. the bait tank sounds awesome! my bait tank is a deep freezer and it works great. i may be willing to buy a large quainty if price is right.

[thebaitbar]

Tell me a species size and quantity ducky and I'll tell ya a price. Then u can decide if the price is right lol thanks!

[Skyline1506]

I hope this works out for you I would buy from you in a pinch. I am not super far. Be worth the trip just to see your setup. I wish I could help you on price. But never buy bait other than goldfish. There is a guy up in massillon that sells creek clubs. I will make a few calls and see if I can't find out how he prices them

[Skyline1506]

And where is your bait coming from. I don't want specific location. Just a General answer. Are you getting them from hatchery. Farm pond. Creek. River. That kind of thing. Seems like it could get really tough if you are catchin it all yourself

[thebaitbar]

Hey skyline I PMed ya. I am collecting most of it myself but the bass and crappie minis I am buying from a hatchery. Bait was never a problem for me for my own use. I live in a darn good area for collecting. I am gathering bait from a collection of rivers streams lakes and ponds. Long term if I get this thing off the ground I am going to get my aquaculture license so I can sell gamefish for bait only catch is the gamefish can't come from a public waterway so I have to buy or raise them. So that project is a long ways off but I'd imagine there is quite the market for gamefish. I myself try to never go flatheading without a couple crappies and smallmouth. I also just got the word my local bait shop got a bad shipment of bait and they all died within hours...and the problem was for sure on the distributors fault I guess. Which means I finally have the in with them I am looking for. I am stopping to discuss prices with them on monday. Cross your fingers for me lol at the moment I won't be offering goldfish as I don't have a steady way to obtain them yet. I will be offering carp which in my opinion is better but not necessarily in the eyes of my customers. So I will be figuring a way to get them I just haven't solved that puzzle yet. Thank you very much for your reply!

[thebaitbar]

And that would be wonderful if you could find prices on the chubs. I am told I'm pricing stuff way cheap now that I have my pricing figured. But I would rather out price everyone else and just give myself a reason to fish more often because I have so many customers. I imagine building that massive customer base is gonna get me even closer to opening my actual shop next year. That is the ultimate goal!

[mexicanthreat]

If you need some help i'm always available man. I'm always in the ville. I've been a permanent at pleasant hill for a long time now. Spent 9 years at that hell hole step 2. I just live in mansfield.

[thebaitbar]

Hey Mexican threat I'm gonna PM you thanks man!

[ducky]

what's your goin rate right now for carp? I would be intrested in carp, everything else I catch myself. wish I could find a good carp hole with 10 inch carp!