Serigny’s new shop was built around his old concrete bait tanks that were basically the only thing that survived the storm. Was it that people couldn’t count, or did they just throw in a little extra to help out? I know the answer and am sincerely grateful.” “When reconciling bait to money collected, I always had more money than the amount of bait sold. “Folks would count out their own bait and leave the money in the secure box,” he said.

Live bait was placed in boxes in the canal next to the old shop.

With the help of some dear friends, he started a unique live bait honor system in his absence. Progress was slow, but Serigny knew he had to get back to selling bait. Serigny recovered and word quickly spread that he was coming back. “I can’t imagine Leeville without Terry” was a recurring sentiment. Social media kept track of Leeville’s progress and questions popped up regularly on the “Leeville Fishing at Terry’s” group page. Having had five prior attacks, no doubt the stress of the hurricane damage took its toll. What would Serigny do? He also sustained massive damage to both home and business.Īs if the hurricane damage wasn’t hard enough, he suffered literal and figurative heart ache as he sustained two massive heart attacks following the storm. She made the painstaking decision not to rebuild. Gail’s shop was gone and her house heavily damaged. In late August 2021, powerful Hurricane Ida destroyed Leeville and left much of the town unrecognizable. A fixture in Leeville for many decades, you’ll always get a generous bait count at Terry’s. Terry Serigny counts out live shrimp at Terry’s Live Bait in Leeville. Terry’s and Gail’s operated nearly side-by-side for decades to come. In 1974, sister Gail Serigny Hayes started Gail’s Bait Shop. In 1967, his first real 12×12 bait shop paved the way for a live bait enterprise that became a family affair and an icon of Leeville.

Advertising was a simple “Minnows For Sale” sign.

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