Jeremy Sellman takes equal parts chemistry and artistry, and mixes in his knowledge of how fish behave to his new business venture, Swing ’Em In Bait Co.
Sellman and wife Amber acquired Swing ’Em In from company founder Jeremy Conway of Lawrence in May.
Since then, the Sellmans have set up shop in a small shed outside their rural Iola home, where they’ve spent the past few months perfecting the art of creating rubberized plastic lures, geared primarily for crappie, but with other baits for walleye and such.
“It’s really just been a matter of restocking and building up inventory, getting everything put together.”
The store’s website, swingeminbaitco.com, went back online earlier this month, a vital step in the process. Because his workshop isn’t large enough to double as a retail sales outlet, Sellman ships 100% of his products. (Shipping is free for Iola customers).
Perhaps most encouraging was the flood of orders that started arriving as soon as Swing ’Em In was back online.
“We’ve shipped to Alabama, North Carolina, Texas, Oklahoma, Nebraska, Missouri, Arizona, Nevada,” he said. “We’re filling a couple of orders for Mississippie. I’m shipping more out of state than in Kansas.
“That tells me we bought a pretty secure business,” he continued.
Much of Bring ’Em In’s success lies with fishing guides, experts who accompany groups or individuals on fishing trips across the country.
If a guide is promoting a specific bait, the clients often will follow, Sellman explained.
“If that’s the bait they’re using when they catch these fish, that’s the bait they’re gonna continue buying.”
Bring ’Em In has as many as four guides using its products, “so that’s good for business,” Sellman said.
CONWAY started Swing ’Em In Bait Co. several years ago after other friends became enamored with his homemade baits.
He likely would have been content simply making his own, Sellman noted, but demand was such that he soon began making bait for friends. And then friends of friends.
“It really was word of mouth,” Sellman said.
