So You Want To Start A Bait Company?? My Thoughts On The Fishing Industry & Lures 

*Found this through a RU-vid video **enjoyable.fishing** recommend does exactly what its meant to do. Very durable and no hang-ups at all surprisingly*

your the OG Chris thousands of bait makers because of your little desire to be one thanks for all the lessons 👍😎👍

I haven’t tried and probably never will try to sell baits. I have run a micro business in woodworking, so I know you speak the truth. For me, the fun is in catching a fish on my own bait as you said. I’m also happy to give a few to friends and have them catch fish, but that’s as far as I will likely ever go. Thanks for the lessons through your channel.

“If you want to start a bait company, I say do it” 💯💯

I’m starting a bait business and this was interesting to hear you discuss. I realized early on that I did NOT want to spend time to mold anything, and China offered solutions. I understand why you want to pour the molds yourself, it’s your passion, but that’s unimaginable to me. I’ll box some stuff, put some labels on, ship things, brand things, but making it yourself seems un-scalable. It’s wild that people are vitriolic about soft plastics, that’s hilarious to me honestly.

Chris, did we just have a personal conversation? Wow! So admire what you do and what you’re doing! There was 28 minutes of a lot of advice! I have always wanted to make Baits and now that I have the opportunity I just wanted to go balls to the walls. Maybe I will pump the breaks a little bite and live in the now! Thanks for all you have shared for us on the other end!

This is awesome information for new entrepreneurs trying to get into this industry

I enjoy this as a hobby. I’m already self employed and have to put in very long hours that limits my time to fish. So the next best thing is to build baits for myself and that lets me decompress from the all competitive auto parts business. That’s for a truly honest video.

Thanks for keeping it real brother!

As someone who is getting ready to make the purchase to start making my own baits this video has been really interesting. It has been in the back of my head if this could turn into a side hustle even as I just enter this as a hobby. Very well done, thank you for the video.

Thanks again Chris! Admittedly I have to give you partial credit, (good or bad!! LOL), for me starting South Coast Tackle. Just like you said, I jumped in feet first and there is no looking back. I am now several thousand dollars in with molds, materials, and our shooting star system. I do primarily saltwater but we are not expanding into freshwater to help increase sales. We appreciate the videos and excellent content you put out. You have brought MANY new people into the bait injection family and that's a good thing!

Chris i got my start kit soft plastic bait i small one first your the man kevin Clements i am going to follow you more you got a new friend

You are one solid dude, Chris. This vid was extremely insightful. Rock on my man.

Shelf space in a store will get you a distributor! Get your lures in as many mom and pop shops as possible! Make only colors that work! Preach quality on your lures! Remember if you only copy you can only be as good, never better then! Once you start eating up shelf space distributors will beat on your store!

Great video! Thx honest and informative. Just started for fun making baits for myself. Love your videos great source of inspiration! Keep it up!

Really appreciate your honesty and insight Chris. Great video.

Dude you got to make an updated version of this

Great video Chris!! I still don't make baits but the fundamental point you make applies to all small businesses. I was particularly interested in the section regarding sponsorship as I have wondered about that from a business standpoint. As a side note...Rick Clunn said "The key to happiness is find something you like to do and find somebody to pay you to do it".

Thank you. That was very insightful. I have learned so much from you videos. Please keep up the great work.

Great message, i love fishing! I make some soft lures and i store them for when its time to go fishing, thanks for all the ideas, I have one in mind but im going to wait a lit longer to put it in accion, thnks!👍👍👍

Chris great advice. I agree with everything you said in this video. Keep up the great work and I can't wait till the next video.

Thinking of starting my company, thank you for this video !

Hey i am wanting to start my own bait company but a small one. Keep up the great work bud. Thanks for the tips

Great vid..... hopefully soon to make my own baits and sell just enough locally to fund my fishing habit lol

Chris good video I went big back 2006 learn everything from guys on tackle underground and trial and error. Making a Good durable quality bait is #1 it not as easy slapping in microwave .

One thing a bait company must have to excel is to have their own molds. I do not know of any substantial company that uses molds you can buy at any store online. The molds are what makes the difference. That is what makes a lure special. Literally the only difference between Zoom and Strike King is the molds other than slight variations such as color and and formula. Both of these lure companies use the same factory. This factory is Southern Plastics Inc. They basically have the soft plastic lure market cornered. They make up 80% of the domestic soft plastic market. The other 20% are mom and pop businesses. The only feasible way to chip away at the market is to have your own molds.

Where did you get your bags customized at??

Great information! Keep up the great videos and making super plastics!

Legit! Forgot to mention Excise Taxes...

A lot of people watch a skilled craftsman do something and assume it is as easy as the craftsman makes it look. It is not. Bob Ross taught millions of people how to paint but there is still only one Bob Ross.

are you still making baits for land is the limit?

I started a bait company with your videos

Great video Chris

How do I purchase your product?

Where is a good place to start looking for packaging for the lures?

Quick question, if I purchase a senko mold online and try to sell baits made from this mold, is that not copyright? If I listed the bait online and called it a "stick bait" rather than a senko bait, would that be the work around?

How do you make the molds

Well said in all aspects 👍🏻🍺

How do I cure a bait?

Start young and get it done

We're can I get some bag lit that with my logo on it

Your right, but you should have mention the tax side of the bait business and be prepared for that as well. I wasn't.

Your message in this video is spot on Chris, the start up cost, material research, packaging, sponsorships... you hit it all on the head. I probably speak for a lot of us novice bait makers when I say your channel content has helped us learn so much and there really isn't another like it. There is a lot who try, but your passion, experience and dedication definitely comes out in your work! Since I started making baits I've said, I really don't care if I turn a profit as long as I can make some of my money back and buy another jug of plastic so I can continue to experiment and create. Catching a huge bucketmouth on something you have created is a feeling I don't think can be matched by much else. Keep doing what your doing brother!

Would you ever want to work in the Fishing Industry???

I have been self employed since 12 yrs old. With exception of two yrs after college. Mybcurrent company is in its 30 th yr. With business you have to be either really small or really big. If you decide to go big. Buy all your equipment you need tobstart. Then put in storage. Then go out and work two or three jobs. Amass. 18 months of cash needed to pay your bills to live. When you have that then go for it full time. Give it your all. If you cant make a living at it after 18 months. Quit. Keep it as a hobby..sell at flea markets and fishing shows or out of your trunk at fishing hot spots. A great resource if you ve never been in business is federal Small Business Administrations retired executives program. Its free. They will set you up with retired business owners who will help you build your business and avoid mistakes.

I have had an idea for a unique take on the wacky worm for several years now. Earlier this year I even deconstructed some of my plastics and merged them together by melting the plastic with a lighter and letting the plastic mold into another. The lure itself is a little big and ugly, but once I finished I was so proud of myself for actually accomplishing something and could call it my own. I just have to learn how to make it on a smaller scale and much cleaner. I know I am onto something special and unique that no one on the market has. Thank you for your inspiring words, I am going to make my dream become a reality one of these days.

Can you sell baits made from angling AI molds, and call them and sell them by your/ my company’s name?

Really well said. Watched entire video while packing up baits :) But... you forgot to mention one thing, those 16h days in the workshop. There is always someone ordering last minute for some important trip or competition :/ When you start your own business you are at work 24h a day! No longer work 9-17 and peace of mind when you are done!

I listened carefully all the way through your video and I did not hear anything mentioned about the 10% Federal Excise Tax on manufacturing fishing tackle. Not paying the tax at all, risks far more than the 10% of gross sales. The tax doesn't apply to manufacturing for personal use, but the IRS has no compunction against pursuing small manufacturers as well as large ones. Just a thought... an audit goes back 7 years.

Where did you get the packaging

I had a fishing lure manufacturing company in the 70's . I eventually employed 38 people. I literally worked 20 hours a day 7 days a week for several years. I eventually sold the company and was able to pay my tuition to college and medical school. I have never thought about trying to start another company. It's an incredible amount of commitment and work to be successful.

I would rather test baits than to sell baits.

First question: How do you customly make your plastic recloseable bag? Like what website or company did you use to make your custom bags?? Q2 what website do you use to sell and advertise your products?

Federal Small Business Administration has the retired executives program. Huge help for free in setting up businesses. If you want to start any business. Buy all your equipment. Stick it in storage. Work 3 jobs until you have 15 months or so of income put away. Then bust out and start cranking. At the end of those 15 months if its not paying your bills 100 percent then you have a hobby not a business. I have been self employed simce 12 yrs old. Omly now semi retired working to build my social security up. Im stock piling mold and equipment. If you arent the self starter and disciplined type dont start a business. Its the hardest work and sacrafice you will ever do

First of all thank you for your knowledge. Question. What do you think of Googan baits?? Please feel free to find me on Instagram at wickedfishinggethooked. Or email me at wickedfishinggethooked@gmail.com. I would seriously like to know what you think.

Hi There, would selling a worm from Angling Ai's "SENKO" mold be an infringement on Yamamotos patents?

I don't recommend anyone use the excuse to start a new hobby, as "changing careers". Either, you want to be a "bait craftsman" OR you want to be a businessman. Pick one, or you'll only ever be a "job owner" rather than a business owner.

Awesome advice! I have ideas for lures that would certainly catch fish and nobody makes them. I'm just starting to learn how to make them.

Some thing s you said about " pro staff " they want stuff for free way back when i started my bus. it was not a lure buiz by the way . An old family friend told me who had worked for his self all his life told me " son you cant trade nickles for nickles you need to get a quater for evey nickle you trade " or you will go out of bus. and i still today belive that and it is the reason i wll be retiring in the next 4 years

What is the name of the specific type of plastic bags companies use for packaging baits? I’ve been searching and searching and cannot quit get the right ones or the right size?

Not all heroes wear capes. From a person to another, thanks for showing us the ropes. Much love and respect.

I’m 14 and have a lot of time on my hands during the summer and during the school year and wanted some cash and to hopefully start a successful buissness

You sir, make the best videos on bait making that I've found. You are my number 1 source of information and inspiration on the subject. If not for you I wouldn't be doing this. Thanks!

That is why you are the best at what you do. Been making alot of those mistakes you mentioned. Good to hear a honest man. Thank you for all you do. Keep it up

Chris I have been watching your videos as much as I can for a few months now. Thanks for making a helping video that’s easy to understand. I have made Football head jigs for a few years now. I’m 58 and lost a good paying job to disability because of eye issues. I have already spent over $500 getting started making plastics. I truly enjoyed this video about start a business. The main reason I guess I’m doing this and wanting to venture out is for my grandson. He is about to be 13 years old. He had wanted to be a professional fisherman since he was in kindergarten. He joined a school fishing team in 2020 fishing the Jr division. He and his partner finished 2nd in the anglers of the year in TBF in the state of AL. They went to the Jr World Championship in Quad City Illinois in 2021 and finished 8th overall and got a $1000 Scholarship at age 12. Yes very proud bawbaw lol. This year they have already locked in AOY and are eligible to fish the Jr World Championship again. Blessed is all I can say. Max (grandson) is wanting to make lures so that if and when he gets through college and does get the opportunity to fish professionally he can supplement his income. He has a few years to advance his lure making skills. Your video help is very much appreciated. We would love to meet you sometime. Sorry for such a long post. So much to say and ask. Thanks again. Wayne Plemmons

Hey where and how did u customs your bags? Because im interested in buying these type of bags? Thank you

Im trying to sell hand painted crankbaits and hand poured and painted swim jigs. I have no idea how to sell and how to make money doing it. Where do i even start

what website did u get ur bags from im interested in making and selling baits and i am looking for bags for packaging stick worms 5" 8 per bag

kevin Clements I am going to start my bait company i named it Cast for Bass i making soft plastics thank you Chris Jones

Just now watching this video, and I’ve been doing it as a side business for several years. Gone through a lot of trial and error, put it on the back burner several times, started getting back into it recently. I like to keep it simple, charge 5 bucks for any type of lure I do, and adjust quantity for how I see the opportunity cost to fit. You don’t need printed bags or a fancy website to get your name out there, not at first. I’d like to get to the level where I’ve got a smaller injection machine, lots of molds, and can pump out 100-200 baits an hour. It also helps to know people, and one thing I’d love to do is design a bait, that is unique to my brand, and just flat out works in the lakes local to me. I think having your own bait vs molds that anyone can buy will really set you above the rest. Thanks for the great video, you have some great advice. I’d like to follow up with you through email or private message at some point, though I know you’re a super busy guy.

In other words branding is everything don't have an eye catching logo bag etc then no go

will u please do a hammer swim rainbow trout and will u core shot a ned rig

This is some rock solid advice. I'm trying to have my own outdoor company with everything from fishing and hunting to camping and hiking. I found you because I'm wanting to add my own brand of lures to the arsenal. You're right, it's hard as hell. I have made any profit in over a year except for some shirts my buddies bought. It's really hard being in a part of the world that isn't into the type of fishing you're into. My main go is to be in a spot by the time I get out of the military that I can have a somewhat consistent customer base.

Man that’s a lotta good info I’m new to the business thanks for making these videos

I thought I was the worlds worst fisherman. But I'm in it for the fun.

Chris Im a disabled Veteran with a with alot of time on my hands and spend alot of time assisting other veterans who are also disabled.I stumbled across your channel on youtube and found it not only fascinating but discovered that what you do would help other disabled veterans in in their journey in healing. Im currently putting together a program o get other disabled veterans involved in learning to make their own plastic baits, I believe it would provide the opportunity for the guys to get together, be productve, generate conversation , camaraderie, encourage them to open up and to give them purpose. I thank you for your channel. currently 22 veterans take their life each day and I believe your channel has more than the impact than learning to make more baits but rather result in saving these veterans lives, please keep coming out with these videos .

Play this video at 1.25x ... Life is short people

love your videos sen two so far and ened up watching em the whole thing

I've learned a lot from your videos. You have made me want to start making my own baits. I'm from Saskatchewan only one lake with bass. Walleye pike lake trout are the big species here. Thanks for the inspiration

Love it brother !!

Make videos because you're passionate about your hobby. Not because you're passionate about a paycheck

Hey! How do you get started marketing and getting your name out there?

You are a good man with great info! Cheers brother!!!

In the 80's we started a bait company.We got to big to fast.One week before a show I worked 142 hours to get orders out.I could fish or own a bait company,I chose to go fishing.You have to make your life to grow business,but you can lose your soul.

Thanks man !!! I'm a new subscriber to your channel. I'm thinking about doing it part time. You've really been a blessing. Thanks for the incite !!!

I love making bait but I don't want to be on the clock to do it. Sometimes I do not touch it for a week just for no reason at all. I have an engineering degree and I do not need to work for money. I work because I want to remain healthy. Going fishing tomorrow.

Have you quit? Your website is all out of stock?

I'm working on starting my own soft plastic company. I have designed my own shaky head worm, on a 3d printing program! The prototypes work great, and am getting ready to find an aluminum casting shop to make my molds. It will be a challenge, but I believe in my baits, believe in myself, and have the drive to succeed! Great video thank you for the tips!

Thank you Chris for this video. I am planning on ordering all my molds, trademark, and business license in order in the next few weeks. I am a part time college student as well as unemployed. I am planning on taking my tuition refund to invest in some of the materials. A couple questions though, would you recommend someone starting out to worry about buying a trademark, and license, or would you recommend buying the supplies first before paying for the legal things? I am definitely excited to start my journey in the fishing industry. The labor seems hard but very rewarding. And thank you for your feedback

" I Dont Like You" Doesnt matter what sort of business your starting your message is great. Simply a Great Video.

Man you are inspirational! I don’t say that to anybody! You make me want to go out to the garage and work on my hard top water bait every time I watch one of your videos. Unfortunately it is a very tricky design. It’s been in my head for about two years now. I even contacted a major company to see if they would hire me but they said no. So now I know if I ever get it done I can make it and not worry. I have the email from them saying they aren’t interested in my design.

very educational video keep it up!

5:55

Amazing Video. Proud of how much you've progressed and where your heart is with this subject. You've really shed some light on this topic for me. I have a vision, and its an amazing idea. I work full time and have a family and just dont have the money to fund a startup or buy a patent. Thanks for your info 🔥🔥

This is exactly the video I needed to see. Thank you so much.

Looking to turn soft plastics into a Friday night family affair. Fish the local tournaments with our own baits. Your channel is a huge inspiration. Thank you.

I want to set up my 16 year old son in making baits. Something he can sell at the outdoor market here locally. I am enjoying watching your videos. Thank You again!

Amazing video. Just bought all the supplies I need and the website domain. Not doing this to live off of. I’m a part time student with a part time job. Thought it would be a fun idea to start making my own baits and maybe making a local company. My whole town loves to support local businesses. Plus I have parents that are willing to help me out as much as they can. Can’t wait to start. Doing it for fun right now. But you never know. It might blow up.

Where to start. Don't buy bags?

A great video with great words of wisdom, i make lures for 1 hour a day and sell to my friends etc and yes it is a great feeling watching them catch bass on the lures that you have made, especially the kids.