HB2

Amazon is killing all these brick and mortar stores . Most everything is 1/3 less and delivered to your door soon . I feel for the tackle shops . You can shop during lunch and the stuff is on your doorstep a few days later or the next day . Not worth the drive to the store . Many times I gone to the store and they didn't have what I needed . I went to West Marine occasionally . I don't think their prices were unreasonable . Costs money to run a business .

Best thing you can do is team up with someone out of the port you are at and phone share / text each other to eliminate bad water .

I use to listen and read all the stuff I could . This guy's hot lure I would run out and buy In different colors . This hot spot , that technique. I have boxes full of lures to prove that . I finally said to hell with all that and started running my program . And I started having way more success. I don't miss the chatter . Not saying that info is bad but it changes by the HR in some cases .

Fishing won't be good till lake stratifies

I saw a bunch of boats out of Sandy yesterday. I find when the fishing sucks Most guys don't report

Oh , you left out a bunch of stuff You will have to grease the local politicians . And the kick back to the carpenters . And if you plan on using any cement they will want to talk to you . And what about waste disposal? I don't know if you are aware of who runs that but I assure you , it's not the Boy Scouts ....

Bruce is ancient history .

So I have asked myself for a few years , " why isn't this guy putting some boats in there ? Generate some income . Then I thought , maybe he dosnt want to yet , till it's not gross , till it nice , so he can get slip renters , get his money and they stay . Maybe I'm wrong , I don't know . It is my understanding he has a campground in Port Bay , so it's not like he is new to this type of thing . A few weeks with a good crew and that place could be nice . A good day or maybe 2 on his work barge and a pole saw to clean out the tree limbs ,(not all that bad , I fished the channel tonight and looked ) a few truckloads of stone for the driveway , plant some flowers and shrubs , some paint . Haul some of that stuff out . Move the gas . Add a picnic area . Those docks he built are first class . A lot of work , but not overwhelming. Could be real nice over there . The last thing you would want to do , and I know this from experience in my carpentry and landlord business is come in to low just to get business. Then when it's not profitable and you have to raise rates significantly , people get mad . At that point all you are doing is turning over dollars . Maybe the charter captains , to fill dates , should cut their rates by half . Sell those Gambler rigs for half price . Think of all the business you would get . Might not make any money but you would be busy . That's a recipe for disaster right there .

Bring a pair of boots

All this remains to be seen . I feel this could really be a hidden gem if done right . And the right customer core gets in there . Could be like a community type thing . Kind of like you guys have at Tommy's. Comparing shelling out 400 k plus to a side hustle fishing tackle business really doesn't hold a lot of water .

When I drive in to my cottage and look at the Marina as a whole , I see massive potential there . It could be really nice with not a ton more outlay of cash . Trim trees , weed wack , a picnic pavilion and tables. Good parking , easy access to your boat , gas , bathrooms , maybe a shower. Maybe get a mechanic in there . People of means would have no problem paying extra for that if there is value there . You dump 100 k + on the boat and cry about an extra 500$ . As a fisherman , I don't need that stuff , just a place to dock my boat . But as a pleasure boater , especially if women are involved ..... Well , you know the rest . Make the endeavor , shell out the capital , do all the sweat equity , risk loosing it all . and then give away the product ? When you do all that , come talk to me . Like I say you guys should be kissing Tommy's ass .

I just remembered . Back in 1990 I paid Oshman at Bald Eagle 800$ for my 21 ft . And that was the going rate and at the Oak it was more . So what's that in today dollars . You guys should be kissing Tommy's ass . Why would a pleasure boater want to dock next to some of you guys ? I mean , I've met some of you . A nice family with a hot mom in a bikini with some of you hounds around ? Come on .

As a life long carpenter , I can tell you that more than once , mostly early in my career , I underbid jobs and after , payroll , materials , and other overhead , it actually cost me money to go to work on that project . So just because those slips are full , doesn't mean you are profitable The profit is in the numbers . It takes X amount of money to pay the mortgage,taxes , insurance ,etc etc Once that threshold is met , then profit happens .

I talked with Vince a few weeks ago. He said he blew out his back and was layed up for quite a while so things haven't progressed the way he would have liked . That being said , and this is strictly my observation running 2 businesses in my lifetime ,he has a huge outlay of capital out over there with a lot more to be done . So he has to price it so it's profitable to even do it . I ran numbers and Bruce made squat over there . Those are some very nice docks he has made . Probably very costly . Also he has done a fair amount of work over there . So has has to charge accordingly . If he gets slips filled , well , let's see how that goes . And let the market decide if he is successful . But I can see that place being very nice , pleasure boat friendly . Picnic tables , parking right by your slip , GAS , etc .