What makes Always 80 and Sunny baits different?

Every bait is hand-painted and airbrushed in our shop — no two are identical. We work in custom species patterns (bluegill, rainbow trout, brown trout, gar, perch, shad), splatter and craw colorways, and one-of-a-kind designs across squarebill crankbaits, multi-jointed swimbaits, glide baits, jerkbaits, lipless crankbaits, deep crankbaits, stickbaits, and topwater poppers, walkers, and frogs.

Where are the fishing charters located?

Our charters operate out of Columbia, Illinois in Southern Illinois. We offer inshore, offshore, and sunset trips — every charter includes tackle, bait, and a Coast Guard certified captain.

What's included with an Angler Pro membership?

Angler Pro is $19.99/month and includes secret fishing spot access, monthly tackle breakdowns, priority charter booking, and everything in the free Explorer tier.

Do you ship custom baits nationally?

Yes — we ship custom baits, tackle, and apparel anywhere in the United States. Free shipping on orders over $100.

How are the custom baits priced?

Pricing reflects build complexity and size. Squarebill and lipless crankbaits start around $24-30, jerkbaits and topwaters $28-42, mid-size multi-jointed swimbaits $65-95, and large hand-painted glide baits $120-220+ for trophy-class builds.

New Custom Bait Colors: The Summer-to-Fall Transition Shades That Changed Our Catch Rate

Over the past six weeks, we've been testing new soft plastic colors that perform exceptionally well as we transition from summer to fall. Based on real-world testing and customer feedback from our charter program, we're excited to release six new colors this month. Each one addresses specific conditions or species preferences we identified.

Color Innovations: Watermelon Red Flake combines red tones with subtle sparkle, mimicking crawdad coloration and blood-tinged baitfish. Summer Shad is a pearl-based color with realistic shading that matches juvenile shad exactly. Autumn Brown Craw is our darkest offering, perfect for stained water and pike fishing. Glow Green performs exceptionally in low-light conditions. Chartreuse White contrast color excels in murky water. Finally, our Smoke Haze color provides a natural, translucent appearance that appeals to pressured fish.

Development Process: We don't release colors randomly. Each color was tested extensively in real-world conditions against competitor offerings. Our custom baits outperformed other brands in every testing scenario. The chemistry behind these plastics involves specific pigment formulations, flexibility profiles, and scent infusion. This isn't cheap plastic-it's engineered performance.

Availability and Pricing: All six colors are available in multiple bait styles-2-inch, 3-inch, and 4-inch sizes, plus crawdads and specialized profiles. Launch pricing is $4.99 per pack. Early orders through always80andsunny.store get 15% discount. Stock is limited initially but we're committed to maintaining inventory throughout fall and winter based on demand.