Vending machines get creative

Believe it or not, vending machines that sell live bait are a hot commodity.

Gary Harsel should know. The former truck driver and fisherman first came up with the idea for a live bait kiosk in 2005.

"One of the problems for fishermen is that they want to be on the water when the sun first comes up because that's when the fish bite," said Harsel. "But bait shops don't open that early."

So Harsel, who owned his own bait shop in Elverson, Penn., launched PA Live Bait Vending. The company developed a refrigerated vending machine that functioned as a 24-hour live bait shop.

The machines stock live worms, crawfish, leeches and minnows, which have life expectancies of seven days to a month, he said. The machines also stock tackle, bug repellent and sun glasses.

In 2010, he had already distributed 300 machines when he sold his company to Big Rock Sports, a large wholesaler of outdoor recreational goods, and joined the company as a consultant.

Today, there are more than 500 Live Bait machines across the U.S. and about 50 that stock frozen bait, which Harsel said works better in salt water fishing.