Purcell is the worm capital
Next time you buy some worms from an Academy store, check the bottom of the container and it should say from C&J Bait Co.
C&J Bait has been in business for 30 years in Purcell. It was started by John Buterbaugh, who one day went to see a man about buying dirt for his roses and ended up in the worm business.
The way his daughter, Kelly Evans, tells it, her father struck up a conversation with the man, who also sold worms, but who confided to Buterbaugh that he wasn’t very good at it.
Buterbaugh, a fisherman, told him that he could sell worms.
“Dad could sell the bark off a tree,” Kelly said. “He was a born salesman.”
Buterbaugh started selling the worms to bait shops around the state and the C&J Bait Co., was born. C stood for his wife, Clarisa, and J, of course, was John.
Daughter Kelly also helped in the family worm business.
“I would get up in the morning and go feed the worms,” she said.
The business has changed over the years. Now, the worms C&J sells are Canadian night crawlers. When it rains in Canada, the worms come out of the ground in the millions, Kelly said.
The worms are trucked to Purcell where C&J employees cull them and package them for sale to wholesalers in Texas and Louisiana. During the busy fishing months – which will soon be upon us – C&J will sell a million worms a week.
“A truck came in today with 800,000 worms,” Kelly said.
Many mom and pop bait shops around Oklahoma lakes who were C&J customers have closed their doors over the years.
“You don’t hardly see bait stores anymore,” Kelly said.
So John Buterbaugh changed strategies and persuaded Academy to sell his worms. All worms bought at any Academy store are C&J’s, Kelly said.
C&J also makes sinkers and sells stink bait, including stink bait made by another Oklahoma company, Magic Baits of Guthrie.
I share this information about C&J because it’s just one example of how important the outdoors industry is in Oklahoma. There are numerous small businesses in Oklahoma that depend on anglers, hunters, campers.
I also share it because John Buterbaugh died recently at age 69. He suffered a heart attack on a vacation in Cancun.
But the business he and his wife successfully built will go on. Kelly is going to start running C&J Bait Co.
Now, feeding the worms are only part of her duties.
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Comments
Thank you for taking the time to write your article about my father. I know he would have enjoyed it! Kelly
I fish at least three times a week at hugo lake below the dam. I have to drive to daves tackle or academy to get your bait witch is 84 miles round trip.I go by Railhead bait shop on the way to fish. I spoke with Jimmie Cockron the oner. He said he wood stock your bait for us fishermen.I would like for you to please give him a call.So we dont have to drive so far to buy your bait. His phone number is 580-527-2586 Sawer Oklahoma. Thanks Dickie Cates Bennington ok 580-845-2523
I am interested in buying a quantity of worms from C & I. I was buying them at Academy here in Houston. TX but the school district where I work at the Science Center will not accept them as a vendor. I would love to be able to deal with C & I since they have what they call Dillie worms and the kids love working with them!
Is there any way you can tell me how to get in touch with C&I?
Thanks,
Dee Goldberg
SBISD Science Center
8856 Westview
Houston, TX 77055
713-365-4175
I own a hardware store and sporting good store in Velma Ok. And I am looking for a place to buy night crawlers and other fishing products.Please contact me at 580-444-3540
Thanks you
Steve Harrison 03-05-2013
Enjoyed your story Ed. I knew there was a worm farm in Purcell, Knew a couple of people that worked there many moons ago, but didn’t know that they supplied all the Academy stores. Thanks for the enlightenment!