Being profitable, means staying in business, which can be tough for small bait shops.
I would rather spend more money and travel further to get minnows that stay alive longer then save $2 bucks on a dozen minnows.
What do you guys pay for a dozen minnows?
If you haven't worked/owned a retail outlet. You can't compare a wholesaler with a retailer. That's comparing apples and oranges in my humble opinion.steve-hamilton wrote:my of my closest friends is a bait wholesaler.
let's just say, with the competition on tackle, rods, and reels, (with walmart, crappy tire, the internet, etc) the minnows is an area where high markup can be achieved.
so in reality, although the reasons are "similar" to what has been suggested above, the cost of wholesale minnows is not high....
however, the cost of a store vs the small markup on tackle means minnows is one of the area's where a store can actually turn a decent profit.
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steve-hamilton
- Gold Participant
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- Joined: Sat Apr 10, 2004 8:32 am
i'm not comparing a wholesaler with a retailer.
my point is by knowing a minnow wholesaler very closely, i know what wholesale minnows sell to the retailer for.
a wholesale minnow guy does not "buy" them, rather catch them, and sell them.
again, the stores don't have lots of area's for markups, so minnows is one area that they can achieve it.
my point is by knowing a minnow wholesaler very closely, i know what wholesale minnows sell to the retailer for.
a wholesale minnow guy does not "buy" them, rather catch them, and sell them.
again, the stores don't have lots of area's for markups, so minnows is one area that they can achieve it.
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Oziles
- Bronze Participant
- Posts: 258
- Joined: Fri Apr 07, 2006 8:47 am
- Location: Petrie Island - Ottawa River
- Contact:
For 2010 our minnows prices are as follows per doz:
- $6.75 for small 2"-3"
- $7.50 for regular 3"-4.5"
- large as per market prices when available
These prices include taxes. Oxygen is available for $.50
In regards to wholesale vs retail, I have a harvesting license, and the amount of work which goes into harvesting minnows is quite extensive. Here are some examples:
- setting of the nets/cage, in the winter this can entail cutting in the ice a large enough hole for them
- waiting a day or two, going back, re-opening the ice to retrieve the net/cage
- sorting through the minnows individually. We can be fined for having fish species in our boxes or tanks, minnow species only.
- sorting the minnows by size (most place won't take big or really small ones)
- any weeds, branches have to be removed
- storing the minnows in an aerated tank on the truck (think oxygen tank)
- transporting the minnows to a holding tank or box
- during transportation and storage some die so this loss has to be factored in or like last year one of my holding cages broke open and I lost about 6000 minnows into open water
- when a retailer wants some, getting the minnows out of the tank and transporting them to the store
- keep fuel costs in the back of your minds here, fuel has risen on average 10-12% since last year
- some retailers bring their minnows in from Quebec because they're cheaper (illegal to do so plus the water they come in can contaminate our waters)
- because of the VHS disease (Viral Hemorrhagic Septicemia) there are very good harvesting zones in Ontario where we no longer can source our minnows. Unfortunately, some dealers still do because the price and availability, they purposely omit to indicate this in their bait logs or list them as coming from non infected areas, and think this is ok, not thinking/caring that sick minnows can contaminate clean areas and affect future harvesting
- the other challenge I have as a dealer and harvester is the paperwork, tracking, logs, inspections by the Ministry, annual licenses, equipment costs, etc
- and lastly, there are unlicensed harvesters out there from whom I could buy minnows, I don't want to enourage them because it's wrong. Other harvesters often can't supply me year round. Finding a year round supplier which can provide a quality product, in large volume, at a fair price is not easily done.
- one other note, I agree with the comment that minnows is certainly an area where we make a fair markup and is something we offer that the big stores don't. I stand to be corrected by I can almost guarantee that none of your bait and tackle stores would survive on minnows alone. Many of you, and I feel for you, run small bait shops out of your homes, because of your particular circumstances, and it works, but we all know none of us print money doing this. Others such as myself run a larger business with employees, salaries (nope John and Nodie don't get paid in lures and bait) and all the related costs, government fees, etc and winter is barely a break even period. Remember this when you buy an item at Sail or LB because their price is a couple of bucks cheaper, many of us offer much more than just equipment........and still need to pay our bills.
Now, back to clearing snow and getting ready to take huts out (next weekend actually we start hauling)
Cheers!
Yves
- $6.75 for small 2"-3"
- $7.50 for regular 3"-4.5"
- large as per market prices when available
These prices include taxes. Oxygen is available for $.50
In regards to wholesale vs retail, I have a harvesting license, and the amount of work which goes into harvesting minnows is quite extensive. Here are some examples:
- setting of the nets/cage, in the winter this can entail cutting in the ice a large enough hole for them
- waiting a day or two, going back, re-opening the ice to retrieve the net/cage
- sorting through the minnows individually. We can be fined for having fish species in our boxes or tanks, minnow species only.
- sorting the minnows by size (most place won't take big or really small ones)
- any weeds, branches have to be removed
- storing the minnows in an aerated tank on the truck (think oxygen tank)
- transporting the minnows to a holding tank or box
- during transportation and storage some die so this loss has to be factored in or like last year one of my holding cages broke open and I lost about 6000 minnows into open water
- when a retailer wants some, getting the minnows out of the tank and transporting them to the store
- keep fuel costs in the back of your minds here, fuel has risen on average 10-12% since last year
- some retailers bring their minnows in from Quebec because they're cheaper (illegal to do so plus the water they come in can contaminate our waters)
- because of the VHS disease (Viral Hemorrhagic Septicemia) there are very good harvesting zones in Ontario where we no longer can source our minnows. Unfortunately, some dealers still do because the price and availability, they purposely omit to indicate this in their bait logs or list them as coming from non infected areas, and think this is ok, not thinking/caring that sick minnows can contaminate clean areas and affect future harvesting
- the other challenge I have as a dealer and harvester is the paperwork, tracking, logs, inspections by the Ministry, annual licenses, equipment costs, etc
- and lastly, there are unlicensed harvesters out there from whom I could buy minnows, I don't want to enourage them because it's wrong. Other harvesters often can't supply me year round. Finding a year round supplier which can provide a quality product, in large volume, at a fair price is not easily done.
- one other note, I agree with the comment that minnows is certainly an area where we make a fair markup and is something we offer that the big stores don't. I stand to be corrected by I can almost guarantee that none of your bait and tackle stores would survive on minnows alone. Many of you, and I feel for you, run small bait shops out of your homes, because of your particular circumstances, and it works, but we all know none of us print money doing this. Others such as myself run a larger business with employees, salaries (nope John and Nodie don't get paid in lures and bait) and all the related costs, government fees, etc and winter is barely a break even period. Remember this when you buy an item at Sail or LB because their price is a couple of bucks cheaper, many of us offer much more than just equipment........and still need to pay our bills.
Now, back to clearing snow and getting ready to take huts out (next weekend actually we start hauling)
Cheers!
Yves
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troutnmuskiehunter
- Diamond Participant
- Posts: 3131
- Joined: Wed Feb 28, 2007 11:30 am
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The Captain
- Participant
- Posts: 51
- Joined: Tue Mar 24, 2009 6:05 pm
just keep them cold . . .
I have some small minnows I bought from Gord over a week ago, they've traveled to and from two lakes in the past week, (sadly most have been coming home, but that's another story, next time Gord I'll ask for the lucky ones)
haven't had a single minnow die at home yet, dace and shiners both
I have an old cooler (poor man's livewell) and a basic aerator in the basement, the trick is keeping them cold or they'll die fast, I have a couple 2L pop bottles frozen, and toss one in every 24 hrs or so . . .
garage works too, but then you have to worry about them freezing up
I have some small minnows I bought from Gord over a week ago, they've traveled to and from two lakes in the past week, (sadly most have been coming home, but that's another story, next time Gord I'll ask for the lucky ones)
haven't had a single minnow die at home yet, dace and shiners both
I have an old cooler (poor man's livewell) and a basic aerator in the basement, the trick is keeping them cold or they'll die fast, I have a couple 2L pop bottles frozen, and toss one in every 24 hrs or so . . .
garage works too, but then you have to worry about them freezing up
Keep them cold with an aerator running and they'll last at least a week. Bought some shiners off Oziles' for late fall fishing in the boat, and they were still alive 3 weeks later for first ice. Had 4 die out of 3 dozen minnows. The right temperature is key and change the water often.Maple wrote:If you buy dace minnows they'll keep in a pail of water for 3 weeks. Shiners won't last 3 days.
Kingston area - these could be slightly off but are pretty close they are from memory but are all recent
Napanee - bakers baits and dew drop inn
5ish for a dozen 3-4" mud minnows
the place that has 6" shiners sells them @ a buck a piece
Batersea -
3-4 for a dozen 3-4" mud minnows
6 for a dozen 6" shiners
750 for 8" shiners
9 for 8" + suckers
Kingston(crappy tire) -
i think its between 6 and 8 for anything between 2-3" and 4-6" bags
9 for 6-7" suckers
ps if you want free maggots just open last weeks garbage bag
trick to keeping them alive that i finally had to figure out on my own-
Do water changes at the least every other day
Add water conditioner to tap water - i have fish tanks already for pets
Most importantly - keep your minnows in the fridge (suckers would die on me after 24 hours in room temp, they last a week or so in the fridge w fresh water, mud minnows and shiners -well 1 or 2 out of 24 died since new years day and the others got fished with yesterday jan 15ths lol so at least 2 weeks)
didnt have to feed them to keep them alive dont know if it would help as the water quailty would get worse from it
hope this helps
Napanee - bakers baits and dew drop inn
5ish for a dozen 3-4" mud minnows
the place that has 6" shiners sells them @ a buck a piece
Batersea -
3-4 for a dozen 3-4" mud minnows
6 for a dozen 6" shiners
750 for 8" shiners
9 for 8" + suckers
Kingston(crappy tire) -
i think its between 6 and 8 for anything between 2-3" and 4-6" bags
9 for 6-7" suckers
ps if you want free maggots just open last weeks garbage bag
trick to keeping them alive that i finally had to figure out on my own-
Do water changes at the least every other day
Add water conditioner to tap water - i have fish tanks already for pets
Most importantly - keep your minnows in the fridge (suckers would die on me after 24 hours in room temp, they last a week or so in the fridge w fresh water, mud minnows and shiners -well 1 or 2 out of 24 died since new years day and the others got fished with yesterday jan 15ths lol so at least 2 weeks)
didnt have to feed them to keep them alive dont know if it would help as the water quailty would get worse from it
hope this helps