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Bay View Bait & Tackle at home in current location

Jordan Beck | Daily Press Bay View Bait & Tackle co-owner Chris Wahl prepares a flat of nightcrawlers for sale at the store.

Editor’s note: The Daily Press features a profile of an area business each week. This week’s featured business is Bay View Bait & Tackle.

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By Jordan Beck

jbeck@dailypress.net

GLADSTONE — Though it has changed names and locations over the years, Bay View Bait & Tackle has long provided anglers in the area with the supplies and information they need before heading out on the water.

Chris Wahl, who co-owns the store along with Diane Carlson, said it opened decades ago. At first, it was located across from Escanaba City Hall.

“It used to be Ludington Bait Shop … and that had originally opened in the (1950s),” Wahl said.

In 1989, the store was purchased by Carlson and her then-husband. Wahl became involved with the business in 1992.

The store moved to its current location in the Bay View Motel in the mid-2000s, Wahl said. Bay View Bait & Tackle occupies a space that was once two rooms of the motel.

Wahl said the store’s current location has been ideal.

“We’re very happy here — it’s pretty conveniently located between Escanaba and Gladstone and the boat launches in both cities,” he said.

He also noted the store and the motel are separate businesses.

Typically, winter marks Bay View’s busiest season thanks to the popularity of ice fishing in the area.

“This last winter was a glaring exception to that statement,” Wahl said.

However, he noted business at the store has been slightly higher than normal this spring. Wahl said this was likely due to good perch fishing in the area and the fact that people who had trouble ice fishing this winter were looking forward to getting out on the water.

According to Wahl, Bay View Bait & Tackle has the goal of serving as a one-stop shop for fishing necessities.

“Anything you need to fish on Little and Big Bay de Noc, we’ve probably got it,” he said.

Products available at the store include fishing tackle, live bait, fishing and hunting licenses and more.

In addition to this, Wahl said Bay View Bait & Tackle is a good spot to get advice on local fishing conditions.

“We’re pretty well in touch with how the fishing is,” he said.

Wahl said he has no large-scale plans for the future of the store beyond continuing to do what he has been doing.

“It’s just one day at a time right now,” he said.

To learn more about Bay View Bait & Tackle, find “Bay View Bait & Tackle” on Facebook.

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