Shore Catch Post 3 - Product Development Feedback Requested
I think it is fair to say that if we didn’t have support from a lot of FW Members we wouldn’t be posting a story like this. We can’t thank everyone enough for your advice, and encouragement along the way.
We are still slowly developing our full range of products and continuing to refine the strategy for Shore Catch. From the start we have never intended to be a standard tackle shop, rather provide some specialist products and services that people want using the Fisheries permits and town planning approvals that we have. The investment in equipment has allowed us to manufacture and pack a number of different fish based products and we are now looking closely at what products we are going to produce. We will closely examine wholesale distribution of a number of our fish based products throughout tackle shops in the Perth Metropolitan Area in the very near future.
One side of the business that has been popular is the bulk packaged bait to order service for trips away (as mentioned in a previous post, and just contact us if you would like to use this service). This week I had the opportunity to come up with a mixed bait package for a Member’s trip North (thanks Nathan for the kind gesture on pick up, it was really appreciated). The idea was to produce a 2kg “real mixed bag”. In the end we vacuum sealed in a bone bag, Shark Bay squid, mullet fillet, bonito fillet, scalies and mulies - as shown below.
I have had other people ask about this type of bait product so it was good to test it, and deliver what a customer requested in a bulk order. I like the idea of the mixed baits but I would really value Members opinion about what baits in what ratios they would like to see us make for retail sale in local shops. The above pack is a start but I am sure there are plenty of good ideas out there. I believe a 1kg inshore pack (squid tentacles, squid tube, prawns, blue bait and small mulies/scalies) also has some merit. Your opinions would be appreciated.
One product that has proven its popularity is the shredded mulies. We have provided it wholesale to a couple of tackle shops and had multiple orders in a relatively short time. I have tested its raw properties on a number of occasions and it is one of the most effective fish attractors I have come across (a few recent stories by Mick C about the inshore pinkies demonstrate its worth – and the ones I haven’t written about the action in casting unweighted baits to schools of feeding fish in the burly trail). It is probably time to expand distribution, and I have been making and testing what may be a desired product as shown below.
This is 5kg of “pure” mulie shred in a slurry so it will freeze down. We have varied mulie content and determined the best ratio, but the last test will be to change the freezing point to make it melt slower (currently about 75 minutes and target is 90-120 minutes). We will make those up this weekend, trial them next week and then start to commercially manufacture the week after if there is a positive reaction.
The questions we really have for Members are:
- Do you think you would buy products like these, and what variations would appeal?
- If so, what you would consider to be a fair price point for the “2kg Mixed Offshore Bait Pack” and the “5kg Mulie Shred Burley Block”?
We are starting to accumulate quite a few more products that people have been requesting and will publish about these as our showroom display gets closer to finalisation. We are not finished yet, but it has been good to have the doors open and to meet many Members. All of the feedback has been invaluable through the continuing set-up phase, and we have commenced work on our catalogue and final showroom design.
Still no word from Fisheries about “shredder for hire charge” so if you have some frames that you would like to shred, and retain the shred, for free please bring them down tomorrow morning. We will open the shop from 8am on Saturday 25 June, and it won’t be long until we review our hours and open every Saturday morning.
Thanks again for your support and I look forward to any comments. Mick
High Quality Bait; Fish Based Burley; Specialist Fishing Products and Services; Showroom Unit - 65 Buckingham Drive, Wangara. 9409 5500.
Swompa
Posts: 3910
Date Joined: 14/10/12
Not quite answering your
Mick C
Posts: 608
Date Joined: 26/12/13
Shred SOR
Swompa, Sorry mate, not yet. Have looked at the geographic distribution of shops and will enter discussions SOR soon. Mick
Ability is what you are capable of doing. Motivation determines what you do. Attitude determines how well you do it - LH.
hilly9
Posts: 282
Date Joined: 13/10/12
I would buy the shred if I
I would buy the shred if I could get it in Mandurah. Offshore mixed bag I'd like something like 50% squid/occy and 50% fish fillets like mullet with no mulies
kirky79
Posts: 1356
Date Joined: 13/01/12
Me too
We need your products down this way.
Dale
Posts: 7930
Date Joined: 13/09/05
I'm coming up for a look in the morning, interested in your pollard based burley.
"Just because you are a Character, Doesn't mean you have Character."
Mr Wolf
sunshine
Posts: 2627
Date Joined: 03/03/09
If you add salt to the slurry
Won't it melt slower.....I have no idea of the raw material cost of making these blocks, I have always kept all my old mulies and made my own in flower pots of a similar size to my berley bucket....how are the blocks held ? A net ......? Passage of water across block would surely effect speed of melt.
i would love to be able to purchase SOR ......and bluntly when you look at the other costs of getting on the water prime berley no matter what the price is a bloody good investment !
Mick C
Posts: 608
Date Joined: 26/12/13
Salt
Sunshine,
Thanks for the comments. Yes, salt lowers the freezing point of a liquid. The general rule for salt and water is about 30g/L for -2 degrees difference, up to a saturated salt solution which freezes at about -22 degrees. Seawater has a salinity of about 35g/L. It should melt slower if the core temperature of the block is colder I would think.
I have got the 100% mulie shred test products, to a slurry that can be poured into moulds of different sizes (I would be really interested in Members views on ideal sizes). Passage of water will certainly effect the rate that the small pieces of mulie will disperse. In my trials I have basically let the block float to get a "maximum". There will be many options of applications.
We do look forward to getting the product on the general market. As a lifetime fisherman, I am very happy with its performance as a new product.
Cheers.
Mick
Ability is what you are capable of doing. Motivation determines what you do. Attitude determines how well you do it - LH.
z00m
Posts: 1086
Date Joined: 10/05/14
Mixed bait
I find I have less opportunities to get on the water and have a crack these days so having prepacked, mixed bait means that for the few hours I can get out there I would have options and hopefully can find a bait that works. Nothing worse than being out there and wishing you had brought another type of bait or two but for a couple of hours I don't want to defrost 5 or 6 kilos of different baits I can't get through. 2 Kilos of mixed baits would be ideal for my scenario.
bradz
Posts: 693
Date Joined: 29/10/07
Feedback
Mick
I used the shredded mulie mix to great effect last night. Had masses of good Skippy in the trail as well as yellowtail. Resulted in a 70cm dhuie coming from directly under the burley trail after a fluffed up cast.
This was from the vacuum sealed mule mix, 1kg size I think.
I did then the best that I knew how. When I knew better, I did better.
Tommo16
Posts: 16
Date Joined: 21/03/16
I have used the shredded
I have used the shredded mulie mix 2Kg, purchased from Compleat Angler in Nedlands. Fantastic product and was the undoing of a couple of nice pinkies in close the other week. In addition we had fish everywhere around the boat particularly skippy and sambos. Will certainly be buying again. Keep up the good work, it's great to see a local business providing a great product.
Dale
Posts: 7930
Date Joined: 13/09/05
I went up and seen Mick this morning, he showed me all his shredders etc, I left very impressed and Micks a top bloke also. Got some of the shredded mulie mix, I'm going to mix in in a pollard mix with mulie oil, press into a blob and try for herring. Can't wait, I reckon it will be killer.
"Just because you are a Character, Doesn't mean you have Character."
Mr Wolf
sunshine
Posts: 2627
Date Joined: 03/03/09
Would prefer berley pot size
When fishing the Sound I personally prefer to put out more scent than actual feed as too much feed attracts swarms of rays .....mind you I struggle to find many snapper but do well on gummies and mullas......Mick any chance of moulding the shred into that shape so they simply drop in
The other advantage is that several of these berley pots can be adjusted to maximise or minimise flow of berley.
Mick C
Posts: 608
Date Joined: 26/12/13
Shred Moulding
The shred is the raw material and you can make a lot of different products from it. The fact that shred is small pieces of bait fish is an advantage.
We are currently evaluating appropriate moulds for the frozen slurry blocks - any advice appreciated. Cheers for the comment. Mick
Ability is what you are capable of doing. Motivation determines what you do. Attitude determines how well you do it - LH.
sea-kem
Posts: 15041
Date Joined: 30/11/09
We are heading up the coast
We are heading up the coast on Saturday Mick and hopefully fishing on Sunday. Will definitely let you know how the bait goes. Everyone I've shown has been duly impressed.
Love the West!