Landrey will tell you the idea of actually running his own bait shop never entered his mind as late as last fall. But then he heard the shop was on the market and as fate would have it, he was available, ready and willing.
“I had been working at the Honda plant for about three and one-half years,” he explained, “but they decided to downsize and I lost my job. So I was without a job and looking for something to do.”
Although January is not the best time of year to start a bait business in Ohio, Landrey decided to use the time to organize the shop that sits across the road from the 1,655-acre lake and get ready for spring fishing.
“It wasn’t a good time, because January is too late to stock up for ice fishing and too early for spring, but it gave me some time to get ready,” he said.
Landrey, 37, was born in Troy, later moved to Lewisburg, graduated from Tri-County North High School and now lives in Sidney. He is married with three children. His wife still works at Honda.
“She has been my biggest supporter,” he said. “Without her, I wouldn’t be doing this.”
In his words:
“The previous owner really helped me a lot. He put me in touch with all of the suppliers and gave me a good idea of what I should be doing.
“I have a great view of the lake from right here in my shop. I sit in my ‘office,’ paint a few jigs and watch the lake. There is nothing quite like it.
“I have a lot of plans for the shop. I want to expand my tackle inventory and maybe put in some camping supplies (the shop is close to Lake Loramie State Park campground). And eventually, I would like to put in a little bit of a grocery line. But this place will always be heavily geared toward fishing.
“This is an outstanding crappie fishing lake and it’s going to get even better. Once the new crappie regulations (9-inch minimum size and 30 bag limit) have been in effect for a few years, you are going to see some great crappies come out of this lake. It will be second to none for crappie lakes in Ohio.
“The walleye run (in the creek below the spillway) has been tremendous this spring. It’s like a smaller version of the Maumee River during the spring walleye run.
“I want to find time to fish. I am such a die-hard fisherman. I know that will be hard while trying to establish a new business. And I have other things I want to do, like my kids’ activities. But my dad helps me out and I would like to get out on this lake at least once or twice a week. I’d have to be dead not to fish.”
Outdoors columnist Jim Morris can be reached through his Website at www.tinyurl.com/ylh2rol or by email at
sports@DaytonDailyNews.com.
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