LFS selling bait..?

tropicalfishland

Was just curious how people would feel if a lfs was to sell bait for fishing. Would it discourage you from that shop or you dont really care?

Ostara

What kind of bait?

I probably wouldn't mind. My LFS is ignorant enough to keep bags of a dozen Goldfish each in a refrigerator as pre-bagged feeders for the "customer's convenience," which shocked the heck out of me the first time I opened it to get some live blackworms. After that I can't imagine that I'd be bothered by fishing bait.

tropicalfishland

was just curious, i'm thinking about going crazy and open up a tropical fish store, and selling bait as an added income to keep the store running. Since the shopping center I want to open it at is near the freeway next to a gas station.

tanker

I'm pretty sensitive (I couldn't kill one of my compost worms to feed to my fish, for example) but it really wouldn't bother me. Feeder fish are sold and live food. I still eat fish and the reality is that those fish are caught and die to end up on my plate. Some people have fish as pets, and some people like to go fishing. Some people like both. It wouldn't put me off a LFS.

tropicalfishland

Kool, i'm still fairly new to the aquarium scene, but I've recently got a epiphany on my future and that is a tropical fish store. I've been constantly reading on tropical fish, mostly freshwater, and I believe I can do it. There's only 2 lfs in my town and they dont have much variety. I want more variety in the shop, but always the same.

I know its gonna be rough, so I thought of possibly selling bait. As mentioned earlier, the location i want to open it at is near a shopping center next to the freeway. I see people going fishing all the time when i stop for gas at the gas station.

tanker

Well, what you can sell would be regulated by whatever planning authority controls such things. Your shop could be "all things fish" and have 2 sections, one for aquarium fish and one for fishing tackle and stuff.

I'd research very carefully before starting such an enterprise - if you started, say, a dress shop, it's very easy to pick up your stock and leave after your lease runs out. It is not easy to move a shop full of tanks and living fish. Not to mention the cost of setting up the tanks/system of maintenance, etc. Just having your stock sitting for sale will cost you money over and above your rent (food, water conditioner, fish that die). There's a lot to look into.

tropicalfishland

I know, i've considered all those aspects of owning such a shop. this is all i do most of my days, messing with the fish tanks and starring at them. might as well make it a career

redchigh

Interesting concept...

Instead buying "bait" minnows, it might possibly be cheaper to sell feeder guppies AS bait. :)

tropicalfishland

Guppies wouldn't be possible as bait, they don't grow large enough to fish with. And I live in California, the states fish and game regulations wouldnt allow it. Don't know how other states work but California have certain rules as to what baits we can use

redchigh

Hmm, didn't think of regulations..

As for size though, how big a fish are you trying to catch?
I've had females hit 3 inches...

Perhaps some other fish- mosquito fish perhaps... They're native to the USA.