I have ALWAYS wanted to have a bait shop.

I have decided to begin a bait shop that would cater to the local Flathead crowd. So.......basically I just want to be able to say that I have a bait shop called "Minnows for Midnight", because I have always thought that would be a cool name for a baitshop.

I am not sure how long this will take to be actually "OPEN", but what I am going to do is have Black Bullheads for those of you who use them..........I am assuming this will probably be something that could take me a few years to get things really going where I KNOW what I am doing and can with certainty have what you guys want.

SO.........as a favor to me. Please tell me where you get your bullheads, whether you catch them yourself or buy them. You don't have to give any secrets away. Also how they are sold if you buy them and how much they cost.

I have loved Bullheads since I was a kid so this is a really cool way to have LOTS of them around.

My husband is planning the wet/dry filtration system so that is good for me! :) That will make things a lot less work.

SO that being said. :) BRING ON THE FLATHEADS!

I have found that they aren't interested in dead minnows......at all. They LOVE nightcrawlers and they all puke up the Crayfish claws when I first catch them so they eat them too. Tomorrow I am taking some kids out to catch crayfish! LOL.

I know.........I am weird. I guess that is what happens when you are a stay at home mom who loves Catfish and Bullheads who has a husband cool enough to be a good sport when he gets up for work and finds fish in the bathtub. Ah........I am lucky. This is the life.

SO.......how often do you get bullheads?????????

Paula,
We all already liked ya...now we're just gonna have to luv you!

Generally most bait shops get their live bait from rearing farms/ponds. Just a thought.

Minnows for Midnight, awesome name! Might as well carry White Suckers, Crappie Minnows and Fatheads as well. I watched one guy catch 5 flatheads in one week at a totally park, get out and fish, public landing using these bait fish. All flatties were at least 10lbs. I know, I helped him land his two biggest ones that week.

In my limited experience I have see flatheads exclusively select live bullheads over live sucker minnows for an entire night - but fishing the same spot later I've had equal luck between both bait species. I don't know why that is except different seasons/conditions.

I still think a silver or creek chub or shiner are outstanding bait options as well - no one sells those.

In my mind the ultimate bait fish remains shad. You figure how to keep 6-12 inch live bait shad and I'll drive 50 miles on $4 gas to patronize your shop!

I think another thing to consider is a great weight selection - my favorite bait shop in terms of weights is the bait shop at Evertt's landing (Hagar City WI - across from Red Wing) - they have lots of catfish guys come though (though it's mainly a walleye/bass spot) - and they have the weight selection to fish the big river.

just my take. I like the solid, large sucker minnows always available at "Gone Fishin'" Bait store in Rochester, MN as well. It's not always easy to get/keep that bait in stock.

Almost all lakes and ponds have bullheads, and this means cheap bait for the flathead fisher. I used to have this lake that you could catch a dozen or so in less than 1/2 hour, any time of the day. It winterkilled this last winter, and there arn't many left now. But there are pleanty of ponds in my neighnorhood that produce right at dark pretty good.

What I've been doing over the years is catching a ton of them, then saving the leftovers, and keeping them in a sinking baitbag in this pond in my backyard. It works out well, they stay alive for weeks back there.

Every bait has its best time of year. For instance, I like suckers and chubs in the springtime for flats. For one, you cant get too many bullheads in late April, cause the waters too cold, and secondly, they actually stay alive in the cooler tempratures. Nothing more frustrating than arriving at the river after spending 20 or 30 dollars on bait, only to discover they died on the way there...Same with the falltime, nothing beats big decoy suckers. Bullheads are just great summertime bait!

I have caught some Honkin' huge walleyes on bullheads too. Paula Don't forget a good Hook selection. Most times I end up having to order flat head hooks because no one up here carries much over 5/0.
You are likly not going to get rich but you'll love your job.

If you ever want quite the experience when it comes to bait/tackle shops... swing through Cannon Falls sometime. There is a shop across from a gas station in town. It's in a guys garage. Ring the little doorbell on the side garage door. A minute or so later an older guy in overalls comes out of the house and meets you at the garage. (chuckle) You have to be there to get the full effect.

We have a shop like that near me.
He lives in a riverhouse and has his bait tanks with a plank on top of it for his dining room table!
I Like going there but I rarely do. Once you are in he will not let you leave. lol
Last summer I stopped in for hooks and talked to him for an hour and a half.

Well he Talked to me for an hour and a half.

Old guy probably in his 80s. Overalls suspenders barefoot and to top it off he has a big old blind dog.

I have never seen his wife but I sure have heard her.
She is always yelling, one time she was screaming about where he put her teeth. I couldnt hold it together I swear I walked into a movie set.

Good post regarding hooks. That is always a challenge - I'm always looking for extreemly small hooks or really sharp, larger hooks in specific styles/types.

Honestly..........if I break even it would be considered a success.

I have bullheads up the wazoo and a fleet of little kids that want me to take them to fish for them every day so..........

SHARP, SHARP, SHARP hooks.

I am so LOW on good hooks...........

I need to get some.