NJ Bait & Tackle Shops

Live bait isn't shippable, and tackle picks at NJ inlets aren't the same as what works on the West Coast or in the Gulf. Local shops carry exactly what's hitting that week — and the staff usually fishes the same water you're heading to. The morning bait-shop visit is part of the trip.

For NJ saltwater, you need a free Saltwater Registry rather than a paid license — register at saltwaterregistry.nj.gov in five minutes. Many bait shops will help walk you through the registration. For freshwater, paid licenses are sold by authorized agents (some bait shops, some sporting-goods stores, and online at nj.gov/dep/fgw).

Live bait is alive when sold (eels, killies, spot, snapper bluefish, peanut bunker). Fresh bait is recently dead but never frozen (clam strips, fresh bunker, squid, mackerel). Both work better than frozen bait for most NJ species. The bait you want depends on the target — stripers love live eels and bunker, fluke want killies and squid strips.