Online live bait shipping is a thing now. So why does every serious Wichita angler still drive to a bait shop? Five reasons, all of them practical.
1. Fresher Bait Catches More Fish
Live bait shipped overnight from another state arrives stressed. Minnows that survived 24 hours in a shipping bag are sluggish — they don’t kick when hooked. Sluggish bait doesn’t trigger predator instincts.
Mr. Mc’s keeps minnows in an aerated tank. The scoop comes out the day you pick it up. Fresh, lively bait outfishes shipped bait 4-to-1.
2. Cheaper Per Pound
Online live bait suppliers charge $4-8/lb for minnows PLUS $25-50 overnight shipping. A 1-lb order ends up at $30-60 delivered.
Local: live minnows by the pound at Mr. Mc’s. You drive a few miles, you walk out with bait that costs a fraction of online.
3. Ready When You Are
Online ordering means planning 2-3 days ahead. Decide Saturday morning to go fishing? Online isn’t an option.
Mr. Mc’s is open 9 AM to 9 PM, 7 days. Decide an hour before your trip — you have bait. Decide at 8 PM Friday for an early Saturday — you have bait.
4. No Dead-on-Arrival Risk
Even reputable online bait shippers lose ~5-15% of stock in transit. Shipping companies don’t refrigerate. Heat waves kill entire orders.
What happens when your online order arrives with dead minnows? Email customer service. Wait for a credit. Make a frantic Saturday morning bait shop run anyway.
Save the headache. Drive 15 minutes. Done.
5. Real Advice + Local Lake Info
Online bait shops don’t know which lake near you the white bass are running on. They don’t know that the south end of Cheney has been hot this week. They don’t know that the brush pile you’ve been hitting got bulldozed by spring runoff.
Local bait shop staff fish the same water you do. We hear daily reports from customers coming in. Drop into the shop and ask: “where’s the bite right now?” — you’ll leave with bait AND useful info.
🐟 When Online Bait MIGHT Make Sense
Very specific scenarios: (1) You’re in a remote area with no local bait shop, (2) You’re targeting a fish that requires exotic bait not sold locally, (3) You’re a tournament angler ordering custom specialty bait. For 95% of Wichita anglers, local bait is the right answer.
What We Stock
- Live minnows by the pound — aerated tank, fresh stock
- Mr. Mc’s Magical Catfish Stink Bait — made in-house, no shipping required
- Crappie Terminator lures — local-specific colors
- Live worms — nightcrawlers, redworms
- Cut bait — shad, when in season
See our full bait & tackle inventory.
Also: We’re Wichita’s Wholesale Bait Source
Run a bait shop yourself? We wholesale to Wichita-area bait shops, marinas, and resellers. See our live bait supplier page.
Related
Visit Mr. Mc’s Market
📍 1901 E 21st St N
Wichita, KS 67214
🕐 Open 9 AM – 9 PM, 7 days a week