Business Profile: Bayshore Bait and Hideaway has received a major overhaul

R. R. Branstrom | Daily Press
Keith and Connor Soderman take inventory at Bayshore Resort Bait and Hideaway, which since January has been under the new ownership of Chad Meier and Jeff Diebold.

EDITOR NOTE: The Daily Press will be featuring a series of articles on local businesses, highlighting their history and what makes them unique. The series will run on a regular basis in the Daily Press.

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KIPLING — The business at 1323 N. Lake Shore Dr., which has been providing supplies and lodging to anglers right on Little Bay de Noc since 1959, is under new ownership as of January 2024. In the hands of Chad (C.J.) Meier and Jeff Diebold — who also own Iverson’s Home Center — Bayshore Bait and Hideaway this winter received a major overhaul of the store and a just-barely-changed name. Since the owners work other jobs, daily operations at the shop are handled by manager Keith Soderman and his wife, Connor.

The property has changed hands about eight times since buildings went up 65 years ago. According to next-door property owner John Lindberg, it was built by a man with the surname Burr — who also built Lindberg’s Resort — then sold to a Don Ron, then to Elmer White, under whom the business was called White’s.

John Creten, who owned the place for the last seven years until selling it to Meier and Diebold, said that it evolved slowly over the years, as cabins were constructed by successive owners.

“As the years went on, people started adding more, and they were all original, like old wood camps,” said Creten. “They put big logs down and built ’em right on top.”

For some time, Rick and Debbie Fiorini owned the business. Richard (“Tiny”) and Diane Carlson, who owned other bait shops in the area, ran the bait shop portion for them for a spell, before the Fiorinis sold the whole resort and shop. Many people remember Bayshore Resort Bait and Tackle (as it was called until just recently) being run by Connie and Naomi; it was Naomi Johnson from whom Creten purchased about eight years ago.

Now, seven rental cabins are available, and there are two docks off the back of the 1.32-acre property.

“Our cabins range from one-bedroom to — That one’s technically three, (with) two bathrooms in it and … huge living area. So when a big group of guys come in here — which they do — they have all that space,” said Connor.

Keith said they’ll probably add another dock or two eventually. For the time being, with a boat launch right next door, the bait shop provides an easy supply point not only for people staying in the cabins but also anglers launching from Kipling.

Little Bay de Noc has long been known as a fishing destination, and Kipling, nestled just north of the narrows in Gladstone, is a major component. But its harbor used to look different — there have been multiple dredgings, a breakwall was constructed, and water levels have fluctuated throughout the years.

Due to dredging projects, certain leases and permits were obtained, which reportedly means that — in an unusual case — the Bayshore owns part of the bottomlands beneath the harbor and could have it dredged again, whereas most underwater ground is owned by the state.

As the most recent owner, Creten was able to report on changes to the business for the majority of the last decade.

“We redid a lot of the cabins, some plumbing and that, but when they took over, they really got into it and revamped everything,” he said.

The interior of the store has a different look in 2024. It was closed for a few weeks this winter so the shop could be gutted and renovated — Connor said that it was probably a good year to do it, since the ice was so poor.

Ice fishing season is usually a big one, but right now, Bayshore Bait and Hideaway is gearing up for one of the most important dates on any angler’s calendar. Come May 15, it’ll be walleye season, and the Sodermans have no doubt business will boom.

Both tackle and bait sell well in the store. As far as lures go, Connor and Keith were proud to point out a brand called Mr. Chrome, from Germfask. A custom color pattern exclusive to Bayshore is one of many in the lineup.

Customers hear bubbling water as they approach the counter, behind which are tanks of live bait.

“Right now, we have fathead minnows, one- or two-inch,” said Connor, “and we have a bunch of crawlers and stuff because those are kind of going quick based on the fish people are going after.”

The Sodermans, especially Keith, are experienced anglers. Creten is still nearby and able to offer some insight, but the new management is pretty confident they’ll be able to gauge and prepare for the trends as the seasons rotate. Walleye is coming up, and then in the summer, people will be fishing for salmon — king farther out in big water in June, but more popular locally will be coho fishing in the rivers beginning in late August until mid-October, said Keith.

The shop itself may have gotten its facelift, but the whole operation is a work in progress.

“We’re going to update the cabins a little bit, and they are working on the docks that we have down there,” said Connor.

Bayshore is reportedly working on getting a license so they can sell some food, like pasties, and plans to build a pavilion and update the fish cleaning station have been discussed as well.