We Have A Winner: Virgil's Bait Shop

The votes and reviews are in, and Suisun City Patch readers chose as their favorite place to buy bait in the Readers Choice contest.

Of course, as most fisherman know, Virgil's Bait Shop sells more than just bait. Here's an excerpt from a Patch profile in 2011:

 has been a family-run business that has provided fishing enthusiasts with a local and familiar setting to buy fishing supplies. It is what made owner Bill Mitchell want to stick around for 30 years, and what makes local fishing entusiasts keep coming back.

“It’s a family business and we get a lot of steady customers,” said Mitchell. “It’s a small business and people like those kind of things. We have a lot of city customers.”

Mitchell is originally from Pennsylvania but came to California to visit his wife’s family; his wife’s father was stationed at Travis Air Force Base. The couple loved the area so much they decided to stay. Shortly after moving, he began working at the store. He bought the business only six years ago.

“I worked here for a long time for the previous owner, so when he retired I bought it from him,” he said.

 Mitchell has seen the changes in Suisun City, as well as fluctuations in the market for bait and tackle stores throughout the years. He said years ago, when Suisun City was smaller and the economy was much better, a lot more people used to fish. The shop, too, carried hunting supplies. However, the dwindling number of customers, along with local competition caused the focus of the store to shift mostly to just bait and tackle.

 “In the old days we used to sell a lot more, but now there’s too many of the big box stores,” said bill. “They sell stuff below my costs.”

Congratualtions Virgil's Bait Shop!