Love of fishing lures two to tackle new bait shop

Early last year, an out-of-work morning DJ and a contractor from Bay Village learned about the possibility of re-opening the Brad Street’s Landing Fishing Pier bait shop through the city of Rocky River. Brian Fowler – formerly of the famous longtime broadcast duo of “Brian & Joe” – and Scott Adams, owner of J.Q. Adams Construction in Bay Village, were once regular customers of the bait shop before it closed down for a few fishing seasons.

Both avid fisherman their entire lives, each had boats docked in the Rocky River for years.

“We missed the convenience of driving into the Brad Street Landing parking lot, picking up our minnows, worms, ice and chips” said Brian Fowler. The two friends had decided to re-open the bait shop, when Fowler landed the job as host of the morning show on Cleveland country-music station WGAR FM/99.5.

“Just when you think you’re out, they pull you back in,” Fowler jokes. “But country music and fishing go hand in hand, so this is a win-win situation for me.” Fowler is also in the process of shooting a TV pilot for a fishing show that would take country music artists fishing while they are in town for performances.

Adams and Fowler both have sons attending Bay High School, and the boys will work at the bait shop during the summer. "We told them to have fun, " Scott said, "but more importantly, always save us at least a dozen minnows each.”

In addition to selling bait, the shop also offers light fishing tackle, Ohio fishing licenses, fishing apparel and a menu of human food. There are a number of picnic tables scattered throughout the Brad Street Landing park area, and on a spacious deck next to the bait shop overlooking Lake Erie.

After some deliberation, Fowler and Adams settled on the name B.S. Bait Shop Café. Adams explains, “The B.S. is short for Brad Street. And short for Brian and Scott. And short for Bait Shop actually, too. Not to mention Bait and Switch, Bobbers and Sinkers, Brats and Sandwiches. Or maybe it’s B.S. Bait Shop just for the simple reason that every fisherman already knows – fishing stories are usually just a bunch of B.S. anyway."

Or are they? See for yourself this summer. Brad Street Landing is located just across the Bay Village line in Rocky River. Menu specials are available online at www.BSbaitshop.com.

Read More on Recreation
Volume 4, Issue 14, Posted 12:47 PM, 07.10.2012