T-R PHOTO BY SARA JORDAN-HEINTZ Bob Nay of Marshalltown recently opened Bob’s Bait & Tackle, located at 1106 N. 3rd Ave. For live bait, he carries nightcrawlers, worms, crawdads, chubs and minnows. He also has a variety of top water lures, bobbers and sinkers.

Bob Nay is an outdoor enthusiast.

“I’ve fished since I was eight years old,” he said.

Nay recently opened Bob’s Bait & Tackle, located at 1106 N. 3rd Ave. For live bait, he carries nightcrawlers, worms, crawdads, chubs and minnows. He also has a variety of top water lures, bobbers and sinkers.

He also stocks some fishing gear and supplies aimed at youngsters.

“I want to help encourage young people to take an interest in fishing,” Nay said.

In the winter months, he will carry wax worms and spikes for ice fishing, as well as special rods and gear.

“The plan is to stay open year-round,” he noted.

Nay, who has a background in construction, worked for Cessford Construction Co. for 19 years in Le Grand, then at JBS for 14 years.

“I retired a couple of years ago and got bored at home, so it was about a year ago that I made a decision to set this up, because we don’t have any bait shops open in the town anymore.”

A native of the East Coast, Nay has extensive experience fishing the northern half of the Eastern seaboard, and the fishing holes of Central Iowa. Living in Marshalltown for over 20 years, he said he knows the area’s waterways pretty well.

“I have people call and ask me questions about the Iowa River,” he said. “I’ve also [advised] people on what type of bait and size of hooks to use to catch trout in a local pond.”

Bob’s Bait & Tackle is open daily from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. and may be reached at: 641-751-4388.

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Contact Sara Jordan-Heintz at 641-753-6611 or sjordan@timesrepublican.com