nope did not know that. how much they get for shiners these days?
Well one guy did say someone bought the last of them for his pet alligator. And to be sure I'm not blaming the bait and tackle stores. But I'm still tempted to raise my own as I have the ponds I can rear them in and easily seine them out (I have the seines.) I do know shiners are tough to handle without them getting bacterial issues this time of year. How many of you knew most of our bait minnows are trucked up to the wholesalers from Arkansas? Same goes for the bluegill and bass that are used to stock ponds.
I knew it!
The job is challenging, but it's progressing well.Pond boss, well, it's curious. Lots of new members, including Dr. Jim Wetzel. The man appears to be a walking encyclopedia of all things fish. And my take is that he delights in making sure everyone knows it. Watching he and Ewest spar over info leads me to believe that trouble lies ahead. We'll see.How's business?
Went to my local bait and tackle to get bass size minnows to troll behind a dodger for trout. I've caught trout on this rig when artificials produce nil to none. "Nope sorry only crappie size minnows." Drove down the road to the next one not far away and another, "Sorry." 10 miles to the next one. "Sorry only Crappie size Minnows." Next Bait store went out of business. (The one at the tracks in Syracuse that was also a wholesaler.) Doesn't say much for Indiana's largest natural lake when a bait store can't stay in business. (Not an angler friendly lake in the summer especially on weekends.) Finally on the fifth try in North Webster at Ye Ol' Tackle Box, "How many do you want?" I have four small ponds on the property. I've raised thousands of fatheads (crappie size minnows) in a 1/10th acre pond, and didn't even have to feed them. Just dumped in several dozen and the following year there are thousands of them of all sizes. Better quality then what I buy! Haven't tried shiners yet but will be tempted to next year. Don't want to be a bait and tackle store. Just want bait minnows when I need them!
This reply is to correct one part of your post. The Syracuse Bait Shop by the RR Tracks is still in business. I can see how you would think it was Out Of Business as it moved to the south side of the industrial building from the original north side. It sold out to some local folks. The original owner messed with too many local fishermen to ever be successful around here. However the new owner has staffed his shop with some well known locals who fish, are friendly and know the business. I hope the business and the other area bait shops all survive. There are many days during the year when all the bait shops are starving for business. It ain't an easy business.
No kidding.... As far as I know, Indy has only two decent bait and tackle shops. West Side Bait and Tackle, by the river on the near west side and The Bait Barn on the east side are the only two that I know of. Both have large and small minnows as well as all of the usual baits except leeches which are a rare find anywhere in central Indiana. Only problem is neither one of these places is even remotely on the way to the places I fish. Going to either one doubles my drive time to Eagle Creek. It's just not Indy. Driving from town to, say, Oakdale on the Tippe, there is no place to consistently get minnows. Smitty's by the dam used to have them, but if he's closed I have to drive an additional 20 miles, up and back, to Norway just to get minnows.fish on,rivereddy