T.C. Bait

[kwcharne]

Where can you buy shiners/bait in the Traverse City area, besides Gander Mt. that is open early (6am or before)?

[erny]

There's a gas station on US 31 a couple miles west of Interlochen I think it's a BP on the north side of road. They have the best bait selection I have ever seen. They have like five different kinds/sizes of minnows. Open early and late.

[tdf]

I always hit Long Lake Grocery, across from the Public Beach Park, on N. Long Lake Rd. Good Pizza Too.

D

[Fishn Michn]

Roy's has bait on 3 mile and Hammond, the BP. MC Sports also sells bait, open at 7:00. My favorite spot though is Buc's out here in Interlochen. Leave your money in the container, take your bait from the fridge! Open 24/7! He is your Northern Michigan bait dealer so thank him for the runs he makes to the East side of the state to get those beautiful blues.

Speaking of bait, I had fantastic luck first ice with Fat Heads. They were the only thing available as the certified bait thing was in quarantine. I did have some blues from a dealer in Glen Arbor though, and when fished next to a fat head, they got outfished 5 - 1! Picked up probably 40 fish that day and I bet 3 came on the blues. Anyone else ever experience fat head success next to a blue?

[Boardman Brookies]

I always hit Long Lake Grocery, across from the Public Beach Park, on N. Long Lake Rd. Good Pizza Too.

D

this is where I always go too. ditto on the pizza, very tasty!

[kwcharne]

Thanks, I appreciate the help

[Dave Lyons]

Cherry Land

This is the BP station just before Reynolds Rd. on 31 going west.

6:30am

Dave

[melnik]

This is a good topic. I grew up in Traverse, but moved away in my twenties to find work (that was a long time ago). I still have family in the area and go back to fish every once in a while and I'm shocked that bait is so hard to find in Traverse. When I was a kid there was a bait shop on every corner. Now there are none. Well at least I thought there were none until reading this post. It's like the town was taken over by yuppies! Do you know there is no bait shop in Suttons Bay! I found this out by trying to by bait for ice fishing on Lake Leelanue while in Traverse, not finding anywhere to by bait in Traverse we just figured we'd pick it up in Suttons Bay. Man was I shocked when we got to Suttons Bay and found there was no bait shop! I even went into a few Old Timey looking bars to ask the Old Timers where the bait shops are, only to find the bars full of yuppies that had no idea where to buy bait. The area is changing up there. Too bad. But I guess that means more fishing for those of us that still do.

Thanks again for the info in this thread. This info is really needed now that Benny's and all the rest are gone.

[kwcharne]

What time does the North Long Lake party store open?