Go to Mississippi and see how much they cost down there. $35-$45 a day for bait. Most shops sell them by the 50ct or 100ct and yes they count each minnow individually. Minnows are a break even investment at best for bait shops. I figure 95% or more of the bait shops around here pay for them buy the minnow so why wouldn't the fisherman. Some places I have been such as one shop on Grenada they sell them by the pound and price per pound depends on size of bait your buying. It is a more fair way of making sure everyone gets what they pay for. I just don't get when guys say they want 3 dozen minnow and complain when there is only 40 or so in their bucket. If you wanted 60 ask for 60. When I was working the shop the only guys that ever complained about minnow count were the same ones that never spent a dime on anything else in the store. Drop the minnow bucket off at front, then go tear up the bathroom and come back up and complain about a poor minnow count. Happened several times a week.