smallmouthaholic

Call Dave from Bears baits and start off on the right foot by injecting . He'll spend the time to get you started w/everything you need including the CNC injection molds but it's doubtful you'll stay within your $1000.00 budget.. For most baits today,injection is the way to go if you're in business and want production w/various baits w/small appendages,feet and tails. bear@bearsbaits.com 985-969-1390

Good advice for sure. Don't forget, as a fishing tackle manufacturer,you are required to file quarterly excise tax forms w/the I.R.S. and pay a 10 % tax on gross sales each and every quarter. I.R.S. Form #720 Many skirt this and think they got away w/it UNTIL-the tax man cometh w/interest / penalties and reality sends a bolt of lightning through your checkbook. It sounds like you need to learn you plastics and hardness/softness texture desired for each type of soft-bait. before you start selling baits Then approach a local tackle shop and see what they're willing to pay. For starters they want everything 40% off of your retail prices and don't get hooked into a consignment deal. You deliver product-you get paid in full on the spot. Pardon the reality harshness but the business world doesn't care - it's all about profit and how fast your product moves in a store.

The easy solution is NOT to add salt to your plastisol. My 6 1/2 " spade tail worms float "Tail-high" on a 5/0 weighted shaky headed jig. Floating bubbles are not necessary , a P.I.A. to use and- "rub salt into the wound" by costing extra $.

You're putting Phthalates back into your "green soft-baits" when you add softener and/or hardener.

Thanks for the info. I have some custom molds are a difficult to remove the finished product. I just ordered a can. It will be a God sent if it's the Cat's Meow"

Consider bending you wire like these and eliminate the skirt. Your cast farther and reduce backlashes w/a grub trailer and catch more fish w/ a slower retrieve.

Use very little of L.C. motor oil and add signal green and chartreuse.

Flux your lead and use softer lead.

You can get good clean and fluxed soft-lead -DELIVERED to your door Approximately $60.00 for 50+pds. E-bay preferred seller-Junkateer Jerry

Any wording of sweet an/or beaver associated w/ any other crayfish type of commercial soft-bait would probably receive a cease and desist letter I.M.O. I am not a specialized lawyer but do have a personal experience w/ my own trademark dispute 21 years ago.My lawyer said we could win but wanted 20k to defend it in Washington. But what if i loose? The trademark office searched the name and drawings when we applied, said it was clean , not used and an exclusive trade mark would be issued if no one objected. The company that objected was a subsidiary of Johnson Wax. and filed the objection on the last day possible before the trademark was issued.My name and drawing logos were entirely different but the name began w/the same last letter of the alphabet. It cost me an additional $3500.00 w/the lawyers and I left disgusted and changed the name. i can only imagine what a patent infringement suit can cost in legal fees. The entire education & deal cost me $7500.00 plus shirts,hats ,jackets and pre-printed lure cards. that's exactly why I use my own name for the company now. All this legal stuff comes down to who has the fatter wallet and is willing to take a big financial chance and liability in court w/ a patent/trademark dispute. That is many.many free baits Edited for additional,factual content

Then you hire a trademark/patent attorney and spend $20,000.00 for starters in D.C. to argue that in court. then if you loose ,you won't believe your financial liabilities Since R.I. has boat-loads of $,you better be able to play 'blind-man's bluff' financially. The word sweet beaver is exclusive to R.I.baits. I wouldn't touch either one w/ a ten foot stick. It's so easy to get another catchy name for your baits. Be innovative-why copy their name? (because you want the consumer to think yours are the same- . )That doesn't butter the bread in a registered trademark fight

Gentlemen- A person/company that spends the time and MONEY to: 1- develop a new soft-bait-unique in design 2-come up w/ a catchy name 3-spends the $$$ to distribute all the freebies to "get the bait out there" 4- takes the proper steps and spends the $$$ for a design patent and trademark w/ a legal firm and gets that approved and issued through the United states patent and trademark office- Has the legal right to have that product/name protected. Come'n fellas - anyone who uses the name sweet or beaver,whether apart or together deserves a cease and desists notice. Ever here of Coca-cola -- Pepsi---Dr. Pepper -- Tylenol --B.A.S.S. ???? !!!!!

I believe the name sweet beaver is a registered trademark and therein lies your problem w/using any parts of the name.

Worth mfg. has the best shaped,tight to the shaft rotation , 24K willow blades I've even used in the past 20 years. Their B.B. swivels are 1st class also. great folks for Mfg.'s to deal with. http://www.thomasnet.com/profile/10042469/worth-manufacturing-co.html

patent number D515,176S issued Aug 2000. Product logos are trademarks of Reaction Innovation. Here's the patent info- http://www.google.com/patents?id=Lnh4AAAAEBAJ&printsec=abstract&zoom=4&source=gbs_overview_r&cad=0#v=onepage&q=&f=false The patent is good for 14 years from date of issue

If it becomes a hobby and you declare no income,you can't deduct your expenses and components from your income taxes.

Bears injected tube mold will make you happy.No cutting of the tails either. You'll need 5 molds for any type of production work as each is a single cavity. The finished product is" Par excellance" !

Good Luck.The grass isn't always greener on the other side of the hill! But remember,you'll reach a point where you'll have to invest considerable $ to stay alive. You can show a loss for 3 out of 5 years. They you have to show a profit 2 years in succession or the I.R.S. declares it a hobby.You'll need to invest major $ if you want to make real money at it- and that's no guarantee. Look into total injection cost Including 40 CNC molds) before you start slinging money in the air. It's fun when it's a hobby and you sell a few to support your habit but a serious deal when fixed cost take a minimum 15 -20% off of the top. and your working 7 days a week for a small return.Setting up a shop w/safe and proper ventilation is no cheap deal either.

The simple fact of the matter is the overhead is too high for the small amount of profit involved for the small MFG. The 10% Excise tax(which many don't pay) is the killer.You have to be selling other items w/a considerable mark-up - $20-$30 per item to support yourself entirely from a small tackle MFG business.

Better add this in the garage unless you want a divorce http://www.pro-cure.com/sauce.html

I been selling and using his Mend-it for 2 years now. Great guy and good stuff for sure. I believe the solvent involved is Methyl Ethyl Ketone--M.E.K. That's what they tell you to add to the bottle if it gets thick over time.

Lock-tite gel.

RTV Silicone-providing the wood was smooth,shiny and sealed.

I started w/B&T shops. I always got paid on delivery since I refused to do consignment deals. That said,they want everything @ 40% off of retail.Then you the MFG has to pay the 10% excise tax on the gross sale. Then you have the additional expense of driving out to the local shops. I could be busy for the rest of time turning dollars but @ 50% off,you can't make a dime as a small MFG.unless your doing a tremendous volume- then quality of the product suffers.It's a long,tough road for the little guy for sure. JSC- web design cost will kill you fast if you go to outside sources. I'm fortunate in that my son does all my web work. An active website w/new product introductions yearly requires an un-believable amount of time and $.Good luck!