Needing advice/suggestions

Hey fellers........I could use a little input from some of you local bass fishermen around this area. I've been doing a little bit of lure making and custom painting for my own personal use for several years now. During that time I've also done a few lures for some of my fishing buddy's, and several of them have tried to get me to start a little business of it. Well, about this time last year I decided that I would give it a shot and at least test the water just to see if there was anything to it. I created a very basic website, and even ran a few lures on ebay and such just trying to get some exposure. I've also painted up a few samples and handed them out (with a business card) to some of the fishermen that I run into around the local lakes here (mainly Lay, Logan, and Neely).
Now I'll be completely honest, I don't do taxidermist type high tech painting like we see some of these custom painters do, but I don't charge ridiculous prices to do them either. I try to stay with basic bass fishing patterns and colors that have high catching potential, and put a quality protective clear coat on every lure that I do. I seldom charge over about $3 a lure to the local's around here, and on average can complete and return the lures within a week or so.
I'm really trying to keep most of my business with the more local folks around here, and trying my best not to do a whole bunch of internet stuff (like ebay) if I can stay away from it. So far, I'm finding my efforts here locally to be slow at best. I'm doing a few lures every now and then, but when I do it's been mostly for some of the guys that I've known for a while. I don't do any tournament fishing anymore, so I'm really not doing any politicking around the ramps when things are really shaking. Even the couple of local tourney fishermen that I occasionally do something for never tell anyone because they don't want their competition using the same lure that they're using most of the time. :)
I realize this slow economy has many of us watching what we spend these days on recreational stuff, and maybe that's part of the reason that I'm having a hard time getting off the ground with my little venture. That said, I'm wandering if there is really much of this type thing to do around here when/if the economy was better. I also realize that from where I'm located here near Logan Martin, that the BPS in Leeds is really only a few minutes drive away, and you can just about buy any color/pattern/size of anything down there and be fishing with it the same day.

I guess what I'm asking here before I invest anymore on tools or supplies, is there a local business to be done with this thing to start with ??? Do many of you guys have this type work done ???.....and is about $3 a lure being reasonable for this area ??? . Now, so far I haven't invested $$$ into this thing that has put me in an awkward situation because I enjoy messing around with it for my own personal use anyway. That said, I wouldn't mind getting into this a little deeper and make a little bit of mad money every once in a while if I can.

I realize that there are several bbc members here that do custom work and advertise on the boards here. I'm in no way trying to cut into what they're doing or attempting to get "free advertising". I'm really just trying to find out if there is a local market here to be worked, and if there is a buck or two to be made every once in a while doing it. If not, then I'm gonna just keep on keeping on like I've been doing for years....but if there is, I would like to pursue it a little further maybe.

Got any advice...ideas...suggestions ????? don't worry about hurting my feelings, or speaking the blunt honest truth. I would much rather your reply/opinion be honest rather than to blow smoke up my butt.

Thanks in advance,

Diddle

Hey Diddle Diddle, (sorry couldn't help myself), I'm assuming your talking about custome painting lures that people send or bring to you? My feeling is, if you only pursue a local market you will find that market gets saturated very quickly. I mean, the smaller the market area, the quicker the demand is met. In order to have steady demand I feel like you will probably need to at least advertise on some fishing websites. The catch is $3.00 is reasonable to paint the lures but the problem may be when adding shipping cost, it may not be as appealing. Good luck in your venture.

Thanks Dale. I suspect you're right about attempting to keep it mostly local....it may just not be there as a regular thing. As far as shipping, I usually can ship about 6 lures back for about the same price as I can ship one for. For the most part, I try to never charge anymore than my actual cost to ship. Postage has went up some, but I usually can still ship back for around $4 for a small package (first class).

I guess one reason I'm asking about the more "local" market, and trying to keep it mostly around here, is that I've found the the majority of these locals won't try to screw you out of something.....at least not so far. Well, I did have one local fishing criminal out of B'ham screw me pretty bad last year in a deal though. He was a regular craigslist jockey, so I probably should have known better to start with. He joined up here on bbc and screwed a couple folks.....AL kicked his butt off here as soon as he could. What's worse, that same dude has stared his own fishing forum now in the southeast....I suspect some hard working honest folks will get screwed by this same guy until somebody puts a stop to it. I've also done been screwed more than once in the last year doing internet stuff (USA only).....nothing that I couldn't afford to loose because I seldom let anybody get into my pockets that deep to start with.....none the less, it still curved my appetite from trying to pursue internet business much further in this particular venture.

This thing may just not be here for me to start with......no problem if it's not. I'll keep on customizing for myself, and testing them out every chance I get. Spots is getting hot on the Coosa, and I'd rather be chasing them through a pile of stumps than goofing around out there in the shop any way.

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One other thing, I know you said you don't fish tournaments any more but you might still print up some fliers and go to the local ramps on the weekend when they're having tournaments and put them on windshields or pass them out at weigh-ins to see if you can generate a little more local interest. Again, whatever you do, good luck with it.

I've thought about that, but a few/many of these places around LM frown on soliciting around their businesses. I think I could still do it, but would have to be kinda discrete in the way that I go about it around here......openly handing out fliers might be a little over the top. I was thinking more in the line of wearing a hat/shirt/jacket made up with my info on it, and kinda hanging around. Generally, if someone approaches a person and ask, then it's within the boundaries of taking the conversation further without breaking the "rules".
I guess the main reason I'm running this thread is really just to try to do a little informal investigative study on whether or not custom painting is needed, or even wanted around our area down here. We are fairly blessed in Alabama with lots of water, and plenty of places to buy wide variety of factory made tackle. I'm sure that most of these guys do just like I do and custom fit their spinnerbaits and such with different blades or skirts, I'm just not sure how many go to the extent of paying someone to custom pattern and paint a crankbait. As of now, most of what I've done for the guys around here is not that much "outside the box"......it's usually a color or pattern that some lure factory has discontinued producing. I guess my thinking is that I don't want or need to spend anymore time or money trying to chase something that may not be there to begin with. Just the lack of response to my thread here on what I consider a pretty active bass forum is somewhat discouraging, and is another reason that I question whether or not to pursue things much further.

I do appreciate the encouragement though. I really get a lot of enjoyment out of tricking an ole bass with something different, and one never really knows when a window of opportunity will present itself. Good luck to you too, and stay safe out there on these old rivers...


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Diddle