CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas — People who take part in the Coastal Bend's favorite pastime are feeling the effects of the economy right now.
“I eat fish three times a week," said Caleb West. "It is a source of food for me.”
The local fisherman loves to fish, though lately, he said making the trip out on his boat has cost more than he bargained for.
“Definitely operating this boat — its maintenance, fuel, all that good stuff — I’ve seen an increase in the past year,” West said.
West calculates that he’s spent twice as much on fuel as he did last year. He's also paying more for bait and tackle.
“Things that used to cost $0.50 now cost $1, so of course, that has to be reflected in our retail price,” said Cos Way Bait and Tackle store manager Paul Sosa.
Sosa said price increases have varied, and that includes the price of their bait.
“From 10 percent to 15 percent — even a 100 percent increase in price," Sosa said. "Some of our bait buckets have also doubled in price.”
A year ago, five pounds of bait would cost you $30 to $35. Now it’ll run you anywhere from $35 to $40. That's a $5 increase.
Sosa said bait is his big seller, but expects sales to suffer this summer.
“We’re not getting as many people from San Antonio or surrounding cities because they want to save on gas," he said. "We expect it will impact tourism a little bit.”
Cos Way Bait and Tackle tells KRIS 6 News, this summer, it’ll rely on its regular customers like Caleb West to make their usual stop to pick up bait.
“Just, whatever season the fish are running, that’s what I’m looking for bait-wise,” West said.
