Couple lures local anglers to new bait-and-tackle shop
NEW MILFORD — When they’re not handling trees for their business Tree Monsters Land Clearing LLC, Keith and Theresa Krepil of New Milford are out fishing on Candlewood Lake, Lake Lillinonah and Mount Tom.
Now, the couple is opening a new shop for fishermen like themselves. The Bait Box opens Aug. 12 at 501 Danbury Road and will offer bait, tackle and other fishing equipment. The store will also have a 24-hour vending machine where fishermen can stock their tackle boxes with live bait.
“We’re going to carry a full line of live bait — pike bait, minnows, saw bellies and worms,” said Keith Krepil, a New Milford resident and co-owner of The Bait Box. “We have a 24-hour vending machine that will carry all your basic fishing accessories and takes cash and credit cards.”
Keith Krepil said having live bait and easy access off Route 7, where fishermen can bring their trailers and boats, will be a big draw for The Bait Box.
The property at Danbury Road also houses Tree Monsters Land Clearing LLC. The Krepils purchased the property at 501 Danbury Road in 2014 and moved Tree Monsters to the property. Tree Monsters, which opened for business in 1998, was previously located in Danbury before moving to Pickett District Road in 2001.
The couple’s love of fishing motivated them to turn the vacant house on 501 Danbury Road into the bait and tackle shop.
Keith Krepil said the family goes on fishing charters in Provincetown, Mass on Cape Cod, every Fourth of July weekend. They’ve bought their own tackle from Candlewood Bait & Tackle in Danbury and a former bait and tackle shop, Dean & Daughter, on Route 202.
Theresa Krepil, who does the paperwork for Tree Monsters, said they’ve taken their sons Dylan and Daniel fishing and ice fishing over the years as well as to ice fishing derbies.
“We had a lot of fun with the kids going to the tournaments,” she said. “We’d bring the stove to cook breakfast, the heater, and the kids had a blast. We’d spend the whole day there.”
The Bait Box can be accessed by going on Cross Road or Route 7. The shop’s hours of operation will be posted on the shop’s website. Theresa Krepil said they bought a lot of the shop’s fishing equipment through a fishing tackle retailer, Hal Brown Co. in Branford.
Keith Krepil said he’d love to expand the bait and tackle business by installing a barn on the property to carry more fishing supplies. He said they plan to supply saltwater and freshwater equipment and hope to schedule fishing derbies this winter at local lakes.
In addition to the fishing equipment, The Bait Box sells tag sale items like toys, children’s books, office and kitchen supplies and other items at the back of the shop.