Monticello Bait Shop Closed!?!?!?!

[dfv87]

I called the bait shop in Monticello last Friday to see if they had panfish leeches and they said they were closing effective Saturday. I was stunned, I grew up in Monticello and have used that bait shop since I was a kid. This is a huge loss for the sportsmen in the area if they stay closed. IMO.

[fishinmajishin]

Was in there 2 weeks ago. The kid working working told me the owner was moving the business to his residence near the north access of Sugar Lake on Co. Rd. 7. Hardware Hank in Big Lake has bait.

[Mark Christianson]

Was this Schumans?

[dfv87]

Rivers edge outfitters, yes used to be schumans but not sure if they still own/ran it. Hardware Hank in Big Lake does have bait but that is/was such an institution in Monticello, sad to see.

[fishgutz77]

Well that's the end of an era folks, I first walked in that shop in the spring of 1969, I was 10 and Lee Hatfield owned it at the time. Then old Ernie ran it for many years and after Ernie it went sharpely down hill from there.

How sad is it that a town of this size can't keep a bait shop alive. This is more proof that bait and a small amount of tackle is not enough to survive on. This day and age you need gun sales, service, and bow hunting and much more to make a go of it.

You should have seen the look on old Lee Hatfields face when I made him throw a 22 lb carp up on the scale just to see how much it really weighed. I was 12.

Maple lake will be my closest shop now.

[jigginjim]

You could still try Buffalo, the Old conoco station has bait.

[Grant]

I noticed it cleared out yesterday afternoon on my way home....

left me more than a bit bummed.

the Hank in BL has bait(usually a decent amount) , Also Ebners in Elk River (make sure you've got cash or check, no plastic), and I think Action's is still open in Anoka.

[dfv87]

I guess for me it is the sadness of not having a bait shop there anymore. I know it is tough today to keep them open with the Walmarts and Cabelas around but they do serve a purpose. I will miss going in there to get my bait/etc and the talking about fishing from the behind the counter that could/would turn into a debate on tactics or politics or whatever... sad day indeed.

[fishinmajishin]

Ya I was bummed when DJ's in Big Lake closed a few years ago too.

[dakotakid31]

DJ's was a great place. Forced her out for that stupid frontage road to no where. She was very nice and gave me new items to "try out" and see how i liked them. Sad a bait store cant make it in Monti but a mexican grocery store can.

[fishinmajishin]

Ya go figger. I wonder what kinda deal the Chinese place got to move to a new bldg? Don't think they were offering much to Darlene other than da boot. Sorry off the topic...can anyone confirm Rivers Edge move out by Sugar? I was just going by the kid's info when I stopped by that night.

BTW I at least have one last good memory of the place...Got me a huge scoop of their river-mix chubs that night...proceeded out to Clearwater the next morning for my best day of walleye fishing all year...completely ran out of minnows. Bittersweet.

[Shack]

You guys have no idea how close 'Shackbash Tackle and Sports' was to becoming a reality. After they closed D.J.’s, I was going to take some savings I had built up and open a bait store in the now tattoo shop behind the women’s hair place. Great hwy signage and view from 10 and what better than pulling into find out your old bait shop closed up and a new one opened right across the street . I even had the land lord ready to gut the offices and do a short term lease (half of what he wanted).

But, after a bleak financial prospectus, my mother, my wife, talking with other bait store owners, the end of free time, the dream faded very quick. I always thought “sure I would be in the hole”, but at least I would have tried. I just started to get to know FM and I am sure I would have sponsored this forum.

Someday!

[davesfriend]

I would have been at your store at least once a week. And not to mention the laundrymat we lost. I feel bad for those who need. At least we have a long john silvers now. We need a bait store ..bad!

[fishinmajishin]

Yep. I'm gonna run up to H Hank tonight to check out their minnow situation. If they don't have what I'm looking for I'll have to detour thru ER tomorrow to Ebners on my way home. I'm on the water before sunrise so got to get minnows the night before. Already a pain. Never been to Ebners...any references on their bait?

[mike morris]

There seriously isn't another bait shop in the Monticello/Big Lake area? That's a pretty wide area.

[Shack]

Nope!

Ebner's is great. I can not say enough about her. But, bring check or cash. No cedit cards.

Eb's has been around for 30-40 years (I think). She has very low over head, because she owns the land, lives right at the spot and keeps credit cards out of the picture

Used to be open 24/7, but has changed that. Nice thing though, she is open late and if it is before 10:00pm, ring the door bell.

[fishinmajishin]

Did you mean after 10?

[hanso612]

Stillwater and Northfield lost their baitstores this summer as well. We need to provide small baitstores some peotection either through waiving city business tax or some kind of state support or we will all be driving many miles to the big box stores and back again before hitting our local spots.

These small bait stores deserve the same kind of protection as shooting ranges.

I've been fighting for our right to continue to use livebait and have made arguments coming close to conspiracy theory that border on paranoia, but this kind of slow and steady undermining is exactly what I'm talking about.

I hate to see another small store go down. Hans

[dakotakid31]

I would have been at your store at least once a week. And not to mention the laundrymat we lost. I feel bad for those who need. At least we have a long john silvers now. We need a bait store ..bad!

Long John Silver's???? Where is that at-man i must be in a daze if i missed that. Same happened up north also-we had some great bait stores by the cabin-Toms Bait in Emily, another one in Fifty Lakes and one a while ago on Fox all gone

[jigginjim]

Small bait shops are going to be a thing of the past. Unless more angler's are willing to pay a little more for lures. A shop can't make it on minnow's alone. I worked for a shop in south MPLS. until it couldn't afford to be open. The big stores can afford to buy in bulk, a $1,000,000 check for lures each year per store is easy. Small shops don't get the same breaks as the big stores.

[davesfriend]

You haven't been to the new Long John's? Do you know where to "On The Run" gas station is? Well, that is also where Long John Silvers and A&W is. The drive thru is open now aswell. Best thing that has happened to BL. That place has been swamped since the opened the door. 24$ and Me, My Wife and both kids are FULL! Awsome food!

[mrklean]

What other sporting goods types stores are there in Monticello??? Im new to the area.

[glenn57]

toms bait in emily. where is that? we go thru emily i dont recall where that was.

[fishgutz77]

No where else sells livebait in monti except crawlers at wally world. go to big lake or maple lake. BJ's on clearwater.

[taw]

I guess learning to fish with artificials will be our best option in the Monticello/Big lake area!!!

[dakotakid31]

toms bait in emily. where is that? we go thru emily i dont recall where that was.

Its now Toms Resort-he and his wife got out of the bait store buis and just rents out some cabins-just past the public landing on Emily across from the RV park.