GB GONE

BTW... If you are looking for a FREE...yes FREE website, FREE hosting and FREE domain registration, check out Microsoft Office Live. Link below: http://office.microsoft.com/en-us/officelive/default.aspx It is a little limited in the templates you can use but if you are looking for a web presence for FREE, you might want to consider it! As a note, I did set up a simple web for my daughter's cheerleading squad and it was easy. Also, I don't own stock or anything in Microsoft Jim

I do my site myself via MS Frontpage. Just keep your site simple, make good baits and you will be all set. Paypal is easy and affordable. If I have a customer not wanting to use paypal, they just do the good old fashion check and snail mail routine. Works great!!! Your site can be a big asset but also a time consumer. Be sure to freshen it up every so often or few will come back to check it out. Jim

I haven't made the first tube but I can tell you right now...You are getting your info from a master!!! I ended up with some tubes that Mike made from a friend in Canada (Laurie....in case you were wondering Mike). All I can say is WOW!!!! And WOW!!!!! And WOW!!!! The fish eat them up like candy!! Follow Mike's lead and you can't go wrong!! Jim

Well, actually, the store would have to decide if the public is willing to pay. I would not consign my baits either. I only pour when I have been paid in full!! I was burned once and that was my fault. Never again!!! You will eventually get burned if you consign. Ask around! Don't forget, you have something that Zoom and all these other companies can't provide! You will have to remind the store of that over and over again!! They will see it when your baits fly off the shelves. When I started with my stores, I stocked just the good selling colors (ie green pumpkin, junebug, watermelon red, etc) and just in limited amounts (3 bags of each) but I added one color that I knew other companies did not have. I went with green pumpkin pepper/junebug tails to start. All 3 bags of those were gone the same day we put them out at all the stores in town. Plus, other bags of baits went also. Made believers out of the stores quick! They trusted my judgement after that and now know that I have their interest at heart also. Marketing is REAL important in the whole deal and letting customers know that your baits are at the stores is important also. It gives the store owners a kick to have somebody come in and say Jim at Ghost Baits sent me here.. That is value Zoom/Berkley can't give them!!! All of that extra "stuff" is value to the shop owner and will allow them to get enough out of your baits to have them in the shop. Best thing is just work out something that is comfortable for both parties and it will work!!! Jim

Saint.... Just thought I would chime in quick. I DO NOT discount or wholesale my baits to the 12 stores I am in right now. They pay the same price and can mark them up as they see fit. The big thing for them is that they have the convenience of the customer just walking in and picking up the bags of baits. I can tell you that it works just fine as I have several stores in my home town and they sell out in a week of my baits everytime we put them out. The stores direct the customers to my website for when they are out and customers wait until the stores are re-supplied. The customers do not care they are paying more. Many are my fishing friends and club members so they know my website well. Just like everything else in our lives, customers will pay for convenience! I went this way so that I had no confusion with pricing or had to have a dealers area or price listing. I have inquiries from stores all the time and I have never had anyone balk at my way of doing things. I figured just because Zoom and the others do it that way doesn't make it set in stone with the stores. Also, a lot of guys will not order or get on the net so they have no idea the baits may be a little cheaper on-line.. Just my take on things man!!!! Jim PS They see stocking my baits as a draw to get the customers in with something a little different. I have exclusive colors in each of the stores (in my town only) so guys will head that way and pick up other things while in shopping.

Get rid of the black all together or just ad one drop. Add a drop or 2 of pumpkinseed to get that brownish color you are looking for. Jim

LMAO Chris!!!!!!! You must be all of 40!!! But you should have some from not letting go of all that cash! I read the whole post on this and would have one concern. When you are dumping your warm baits, you may have some that are not completely cooled and will get those "flat spots" or worse, not cool straight. I have messed around with a water cooling system for around my 2 piece molds and have found this old AS SEEN ON TV thing my mother-in law gave us to lay frozen meat on is great for sucking the heat away from warm molds quick. Either way it seems, you still have to stop to lay out the baits properly or you will have a reject baits anyway. I know time is money but so is quality. More molds was the answer for me as my water cooling system works great but I still was de-molding to quick and getting sub-par baits for my taste. JMHO!!! Jim

They like yellow because of its resemblence to a perch!!!! One of the biggest sellers for me is a color called Steve's Mustad. A mustard yellow color with black and silver flake. It slays the smallies!!!! Jim

I know my sticks have more wiggle than the GY senkos. Not sure why else but I have had many of tournament anglers tell me they either outfished or were outfished 15:1, in the same boat, by hand poured stick vs injected sticks. "Because the people that hand pour sticks don't fish with the real thing :)" I see I need to take Sterling out and school him on some hand poured sticks! No matter how much you beg and CRY, no sticks for you when I am lipping out my 15th bass to your 1!!!! Jim

Nice baits One Sock.... How many times have you picked up a bait and said "If I was a fish, I'd eat that"!!! So you buy a couple and NEVER get bit!!!! My favorite colors (and best producers) swirled are yellow and bubblegum... :-)

I have Bob's swimbait mold and you are correct on the belly to top pour. The mold splits side to side instead of top to bottom. The bait is a good one with a lot of action rigged on a 1/4oz or 3/8oz head. You can crank it as fast as you want and it will not roll over. I have caught plenty of fish on that bait but nothing big (yet)!!!

Just a note to watch poly flake coming up. The standards that have been in place for production of poly flake expire or have expired. The quality of poly flake will probably drop quickly with bleeding and curling noted more frequently. Many suppliers (LC, Ozark Tackle) have/are switching to metallic flake. Metallic flake is OK in the microwave. As mentioned, the Stampendous brand of flake at Micheal's is nice and handles the heat very well. They have numerous colors that you can not find anywhere else. It is pricey though.

SS 14k gold is good. Not sure if he carries the .015. Ozark Tackle's is very good and I am extremely satisfied with their flake in all colors!!!! For reference... http://www.ozarktackle.com/glitter.html Jim

Just had to chime in as Randy's bait and Ted's baits are once again taking it to a different level and bringing anglers a unique looking, hand poured bait. One difference in the baits is that Randy hand pours his skirts as well as the bug portion. He has worked real hard to make a great bait and has a passion for hand pouring. He thinks I helped him but he has reminded me of why I hand pour baits and love it so much. For that I owe him my thanks!!!! Jim

Pro staff is a "I'm in, I'm not" thing for me Joe... I had some guys/gals on last year but saw only sales results from a couple. One young man of 14 yrs old really did it up though. He won a Walmart Nationwide contest for all the "work" he does to improve the fishing environment and his work in the community. Nick was featured in many newspapers and on the front of BASSzone. He mentioned his sponsors all the way and got us some serious exposure. Worth the 5 bags a month I gave him for free. I guess my point is, give the little guy a shot. You can tell from the email or call if they are going to do you right. I will be sponsoring a lady up in Canada this year, Nick Barr and a team in IL. Funny thing is, none of them are pros, none of them really win on any level of fishing BUT, they send me customers and that is really the only reason to have a pro staff. The "pros" will not help you much by way of sales as they are glued to their sponsors $$$$. I have had many pros fish and look my baits over. Most have been honest in saying that they use the non-sponsored stuff they get but just can't holler out "Go Ghost or Go Home!!" up on the stage.... Ike might though!!! :-) Jim PS I encourage you to start with just 1 or 2 guys IF you decide to do it. Also ask about their fishing styles. I had guys wanting to "pimp" my baits that fished only spinnerbaits and crankbaits as their "go-to" baits. They were looking for freebies...

??? Not sure what you mean??? It is brown out of the bottle but I add it in my bags as it has a much better smell than worm oil and it gives the colors a kick. I just would rather have all "natural" oils on my baits if I have to put something on them in the bag. The baits have to absorb some of whatever you put in the bag so I choose scent as it has to be more attractive to the fish than worm oil. My .. Jim

Another reason NOT to use it on your baits in the bags, IMHO!!! Jim