Bait Vending Machines

What was initially looked upon as a mere novelty is now becoming a viable business, as live bait vending machines are becoming more and more common. Offering fishermen the convenience of round-the-clock access to fresh night crawlers and other creepy-crawlies, bait vending machines can both draw a high volume of business and charge a premium, above and beyond the bait shop price for fishing worms.

As vending machine technology improved, refrigerated systems that permitted proper storage of live bait became viable for the first time. Bait is generally sold in Styrofoam containers, which can be stored in the same individual chambers designed to hold chilled drinks in regular soda vending machines. Vending machine manufacturers now also offer specially designed models with cooling and storage systems created specifically for delivering live bait.

Bait vending machines are attractive to fishing shop owners who want to offer their customers access to bait outside of normal shop hours. It simply takes a relatively meager initial investment to add this significant revenue stream. A fully functioning unit typically costs several thousand dollars, with costs varying depending on the availability of units in specific areas. However, as a case study of one Georgia bait shop shows, it’s fairly typical to expect business to pick up steadily once the machine is operational.

In Georgia, a bait vending machine unit cost about $4,000 when the client purchased it and set it up outside his shop late one spring. He’s in the business of selling and renting fishing equipment, and his store offers live bait for sale during regular business hours. By the end of the summer, he was selling more than 800 units of bait per month–at a rate of $2.25 for a dozen minnows and $3.75 for night crawlers. His machine more than paid for itself within 12 weeks of operation, and the client says he expect his current sales rates to double within the next 12 months.

One Pennsylvania entrepreneur took the concept one step further. After acquiring his first bait vending machine in 1993, the man then reinvested his earnings to finance the purchase of further machines, building an arsenal totaling over 30. He’s now moving more than 10,000 bait units a month, generating an average of about $5,500 in income. With relatively few costs and a modest investment of his time, he manages his network of machines, which have been earning him a living for almost 15 years.

Ideal Locations for Bait Vending Machines

Store owners who normally sell their own bait aren’t the only ones profiting, either. Bait vending machines are making profits in parking lots near popular fishing areas, on docks, piers and boardwalks, and particularly in waterfront boat and fishing equipment rental businesses. They provide early-morning anglers with a convenient solution to a common problem, and customers are generally more than willing to pay higher rates for bait if it means they don’t have to bother digging up their own.

If you’re considering investing in a bait vending machine, expect to part with a few thousand dollars, or to finance one through a manufacturer’s financing or layaway plan. Shop for a unit that can keep the internal temperature at 40 degrees Fahrenheit and operates on 110 volts of electricity.