I'm a Sagittarius...If you don't want to hear the truth then don't ask my opinion!
Then again I'm a "Vacuous Asshat"  

Political Correctness:
A doctrine fostered by a delusional, illogical liberal minority, and rapidly promoted by an unscrupulous mainstream media, which holds forth the proposition that it is entirely possible to pick up a turd by the clean end. 

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                     Never Enough

Here's how it goes: There are only a handfull of wholesale live bait suppliers that service this area. Most of these are established businesses, and many have not advanced in their techniques for capture, transporting and delivery.

Of the main suppliers, most can barely support the demand. When the catch is good, it's good for everyone and the price goes down. Conversely, when the catch is bad, you ain't gettin none either, so you ain't gettin paid. So I can tell you, this is not a lucrative business.

Since there is a need and there are increasingly more stores with orders to fill, so, the suppliers sell to their best clients, specifically Gulf Breeze Bait and Tackle and Outcast. I'd say next is Reel Fun over on Pace Blvd. The others get what the big guys can't hold. I know the gal over in Lillian had a heck of a time even getting a supplier to work with her. It was beginning of summer and shrimp were low and they'd be sold out by the time it got to her order.

Most shrimp and bull minnows are collected with individual boat ownership, maybe a couple a boats. The local supplier for the aquarium trade that collects these tiny shrimp for fish food, gets them in local rivers and a couple in particular up in the Milton area by wading.

Once collected in trawls, nets, traps and such they're held in pens. They deliver in a truck with either a giant tub and container device. Heavy oxygenation is required and the lower the temp the better. The water is usually local water and of near temperature and salinity.

One supplier has his pre-bagged with 1000 per bag. I know another that dips a netful and estimates the count. Yep- estimates the count. I guess if you feel you're gettin screwed you stop doing business. Keep in mind most of these guys have been doing it long enough that they estimate very well. Another guy has a method of containers i.e. 1 gallon=250 medium size shrimp.

Shrimp are sold by the 1000 per, I don't know what the bull minnows were sold in. There is no guarantee on any live bait. If you lose 500 shrimp by next morning- tough luck pal! So, obviously you want to buy from a reputable supplier- if you can get on their list.

Also, one can only store a certain amount of shrimp and minnows effectively. Too many and they die due to toxins, cannabilism, jumping, aggression, disease, etc. So it's a matter of storage, space and demand that will dictate how many the store will want to buy, as well as when's the next shipment. Most of the guys around here rotate on weekly basis with twice weekly during peak season. Then again, if their catchin, someone will always be buying!

There is a definate loss on live bait. One can loss anywhere from 10-25% in one week alone. More if the system is inadequate or the animals were stressed. But even under the best circumstances, there will be some that die. These are sold as dead bait.

Combine what all it takes to get a damn bull minnow on a hook and you'd be surprised that it cost so little. You see, NONE of these stores are making any profit on the sale of live or dead bait. NONE. They do it so you'll get in the store and buy hooks, swivels, weights, and other high profit margin items. It works, too, otherwise they wouldn't do it. Take away live bait from Outcast or GBBT and see what happens. Certainly they won't go out of business, they're too strong for that, but they would see a marked decrease in their bottom line. It's a good business model, get them in the store for one thing at good price and they'll buy more that you can make money on. Worked for Sam Walton!

Bottom line is I don't know where the minnows came from. I will tell you that they are for sure local as it would not make business sense to pay freight on a minnow from anywhere but locally. All of the stores around here have pretty good storage capacity and systems(for what they're willing to put into it) and they take pretty dang good care of their product. Remember, the more that die, the less money they make.

As for supporting the local economy, I don't buy exclusively from anyone. I kinda spend it whenever I feel like it, even if I can get it cheaper somewhere else. I get a lot at Academy and Gulf Breeze Bait and Tackle. I live near Academy and GBBT is convenient when I'm in that area. Occasionally I go to Outcast, only because I'm not in that area often.

I'm really enjoying the bait boat that's been out there. I hope he can make a profit or better yet a decent living at it. Seems kinda tough- limited season, limited good weather days, no stability. I fully believe the prices to go up increasingly with him. Not to take advantage, but a mere necessity to turn a profit as fuel, expenses, labor, insurance, licenses and others all continue to rise. I wish him the best luck and I'll be out there to give him $40 every now and then.

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"It's easy to grin, when your ship comes in, And you've got the stock market beat.

But the man worthwhile, is the man who can smile, When his shorts are too tight in the seat!"

Judge Smails- Caddyshack

Scott

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