Better off going to bay tackle in Richmond / El Cerrito the selection not as good as it used to be back in the day bait: grass shrimp frozen poor condition thawed and refrozen : pile worms dinky little things and mostly dead squid one box ok the other fell apart anchovies fell apart herring was ok won't be going back to Berkeley marina bait and tackle shop read more

These guys are GOOD! Knowledgeable and generous with their time and the factors affecting fishing in real time. Fair prices, good folks, nice selection. A real asset to the community read more

I've fished out of Berkeley for years. This shop has been the best I've seen here in years. They have really good quality fishing gear in the shop. Prices are competitive. Service is good. If you are looking for quality fishing gear check this shop out. I've been fishing the Bay since the 60's...they have a quality shop that cares. read more

Junior was super helpful with me starting my fishing trip for the first time and I ended up catching some good fish. These guys know what's up and have the best deal in town!! Best vibes!! read more

Awesome Bait Shop!!! Great Service!!! Perfect view of the water all around!!! Abdul is very helpful!!! Come get your fishing gear at the Berkeley Marina Bait & Tackle!!!! read more

Worst bait shop I have been to, the prices for everything were way overpriced. Me and my buddies were near the crab net area looking at what we should get and I was looking at my phone for spots to fish within the area. The worker decides to try and "confront us" for stealing, when we did absolutely nothing. Was being rude and sounds like he was trying to start problems. Only wants to say something after we walk out. No one and tryna steal from this bum ahh store. You're better off going to Bay Tackle around Richmond. read more

Been coming here for years, although prices went up.. Prices for EVERYTHING in life went up.. The owners and staff are always super friendly and helpful every time we go in. They give great fishing advice and actually care about the customers needs if something we're looking for is not in stock. 5 stars.. This is the only tackle store I would spend my money at. read more

Prices were crap, and there wasn't a great selection. Unfortunately the guy working there didn't seem to have a clue where stuff was and it cost me time. Staff need to learn their selections better and what inventory they have. Wish I could rate higher but really didn't have a positive experience. Prices were honestly outrageous for the quality, there's other small tackle shops that have way better. Some of the live shrimp I bought were missing meat, just straight shell. Wasn't well frozen either. It was odd. I won't return. read more

The service there has been amazing, and I have been going there for almost ten years now, definitely my favorite bait shop around. They always have amazing tips on where to fish and what to use, and have everything you would need to catch any fish in the bay. Abdul and junior hold it down most of the time and know more about fish in the bay and how to catch them than anyone else I know. This spot is definitely worth a stop for bait, tackle, drinks, and snacks. If you ever want to talk fishing, this is the place, and if their not busy with another customer, they could talk for hours on everything fishing. The gear is on the higher end so it can be expensive, but you have to consider it's a small family run business and fishing isn't a cheap hobby. Also the gear here is all quality and right on the water, so it's worth every penny. Nevertheless, this spot is legit, and something you just can't get in other places. read more

Absolutely DISGUSTED in this place!! ... so I needed a new Bait Shop that was closer to me, and being that I've been a VERY LOYAL CUSTOMER to their other Bait Store in Castro Valley (3794 Castro Valley Blvd, Castro Valley, Ca.).... I decided to try it out... so I walk in the store to see a Younger Man (mid 30s, who I later find out is the Son of other Bait Store in Castro Valley) I don't know what his motive was but it was not funny at all not just because I'm African American but because of Racism/Hate... after I confront the young man, he tries to justify it by telling me it was a joke he was pulling on his buddy and he forgot to take it down... To make things WORSE when I complained to his Mother her words were "It's 2023 you shouldn't be so Sensitive" ... I will NEVER EVER BE SHOPPING AT EITHER OF THE TWO LOCATIONS AGAIN!! I am DISAPPOINTED/DISGUSTED with BOTH PLACES!! read more

Berkeley Marina Bait & Tackle Shop - Berkley Bait & HATE - Boat Charters Near Me - Berkeley, California

Abdul was professoinal and curteous. Got my reel with new line as I waited. I will buy there again.

This is the best bait shop there is, PERIOD. Everytime I come in, I am greeted like family. All questions I have are answered informatively and in a timely fashion. They have a wide variety of fishing gear as well as years of experience. read more

good service, they got everything you need and they are really helpful people, even got some cool kids working there to

I needed to buy a 1 day fishing license for a fishing charter that I had booked. They were not open @ 5am on 11/14 like their posted hours say they are. @ 5:30 some other customer waiting outside said he called the phone number on the window and said the guy was on his way. I ended up having to purchase one online. If you are counting on this place to get your last minute fishing license, snacks, bait, ice, etc., don't say I didn't warn you. I almost lost out on what I paid to go out on this charter, as well as taking time off from work. Not sure if this was a rare occasion for the bait shop to open late, but I won't take any chances in the future. I was even going to have them cook my crab after we got back, but after that $hit, I was not going to give them a penny. I will be sure to tell everyone I know to make sure they plan ahead, and not to count on the bait shop next to Hana Japan at the Berkeley Marina. You may not get a chance to go fishing. Maybe this guy should install a Ring camera so we can talk to his ass directly when his lazy ass decides to sleep in. read more

Long day of crabbing with the Pacific Dream, awesome experience with those guys on the boat!! I worked my ass off to ensure I'd get some bigger crab and the max 10 limit, when I say worked. I helped the deckhands with everything, baiting, throwing pots, stacking pots and anything else they asked. Once we got off the boat took my crab to be cooked and cleaned, paid my money got my tag. Now the tag is is red and actually had a big 50 on it in black and they give this to you so nobody else can get your bag of crab so they say and mind you, I was the first person in line. I tried asking the guy a question and he just walked away so FN disrespectfully not only once but twice!! Mumbling to his coworkers I'm bothering him. So yeah I'm the last one to get a big of crab, never had my number called only to be told the bag left was mine, hardly what I'd worked my ass off for so my family could have some decent amount of crab for the holidays!!! Thing is the bag they gave me was tagged 51, the red tag they gave me was 50 and apparently my number was 52. I only know this since I was the last one left, the disrespectful dude wanted to talk to me and ask questions. He then showed me and my buddy that in the very top left corner was a very small perforated number 52, which when given to me, the tag wasn't pointed out and you wouldn't see it unless it was. How they messed that up is beyond me!! So needless to say a great trip, a good day was ruined by these rude, disrespectful, greedy, poor attitude people. The guy actually said to me,"you should have tried talking to me bro" I tried twice, idiot!! But they got their money I guess they can be as rude and uncaring as they want. Here's the kicker is the big guy cooking even yelled out to me "Enjoy your crab!!", knowing they screws up and once I got home and counted the crab, there were 8, not the 10 I should've gotten. So just another disappointment from the Berkeley Marinade The only reason I gave them 1 star, is because I can't give them minus 5 stars!! Thank you to the charter company for acknowledging my anger and frustration. They apologized and are going to try and compensate me next trip to the bay. Berk Marinade owner/manger didn't want to talk to me, acknowledge me OR apologize when calling the day after. Please don't give them you business and if you do have them cook it in front of you while you watch. read more

Berkeley Marina Bait & Tackle Shop - Boat Charters Near Me - Berkeley, California

Every time I go fishing, I make sure I stopped at the Berkeley marina, they have all supplies necessary to catch the best fish in the sea. The staff here is very friendly and kind, they help and guide with any issues and are very knowledgeable in the industry. read more

I wanted to take my 4 year old nephew fishing for his first time and Berkeley Sportsman Center/Berkeley Marina Bait and Tackle Shop is close to where we live. Aboul was working and a nice guy. Anyway, I buy my nephew a rod based on Abdul's recommendation. Also, we bought a small crab catcher and rock fish hooks. As soon as I get the little crab catcher hooked up and go to toss it from the rocks in the marina, the reel arm falls off and into the rocks, unreachable. The very first time. I go back to Berkeley Sportsman's Center and another guy is there. I explain what happened and he immediately became defensive and rude. I asked if there is an arm I could buy and he said he could sell me another. The rod I just bought is only 2 days old. I asked why I would want to buy another? I explained what happened and he said there is a peice that holds the arm on and asked if I was sold one without the peice. Idk, but if it was loose, would that be a defect? It never moved in the 2 days i had it. The equipment is faultly and the guy was very, very rude, even so far as to calling me a bad parent because I told him I didn't want to buy a 2nd faulty rod. read more

See all

This bait shop is one of the best bait shops I have ever visited and I've purchased majority of my seeker rods avet and accurate reels from them. I have known the family for years and know them to be the nicest and most hard working families I've known next to my own. And that's saying something. Love this place! check them out and say hello read more

Berkeley Marina Bait & Tackle Shop - Us fishing! - Boat Charters Near Me - Berkeley, California

Went in there over the weekend. Usual guy that's at the counter wasn't there. Guy working the counter no mask, 2 customers in there, no mask. Grab a pack of worms take them to the counter. Guy tells me 4.50 so 5 dollars. I ask, "they've gone up?" Says taxes. Gives them to me for 4.50. Which is what I've paid in the past. I can't stand when stores don't have price tags on items. Leads to selective pricing. Like this particular experience. Not sure if I'll be coming back. I try to support small businesses but when they try an squeeze a little more outta me i figure may as well go to a big box store and get the same pack of worms for a 1.50 less. read more

First time coming to this shop, heard some of mixed opinions about this place. Went to buy some worms and had a great conversation with Jr. Definitely will be coming back. read more

Jr is awesome. Will go to him and this fine establishment for all of my fishing needs!

This is the best place to get bait and tackle. Junior is very welcoming. Best prices and customer service. 10/10 will be coming back forever

Used to go to this spot any time of the day and they always had fresh bait and anchovies. Kinda upset they don't anymore. Still an awesome place to get information and worms. read more

I bought two drinks. The total was $4.08 + tax. They charged me a $3.00 "fee" for using my credit card. I called my credit card company and they said the company should not do that because they agree to pay the fee themselves. The man, "Jr." was rude and told me I was wasting his time when I asked to see a sign about the fees (there was nobody in the store and he was playing on his phone when I came in) . See my photo. The fee is crossed off, so it's completely unethical at best. I asked to speak to the manager and he called the owner who was equally rude. I will never return to this store and have reported them to the CA Attorney General. read more

Berkeley Marina Bait & Tackle Shop - I was charged a $3.00 "Fee" for using my credit card on a $4.08 + tax purchase. The sign only mentions a fee for debit cards. Unethical! - Boat Charters Near Me - Berkeley, California

Anotha stop at the best bait tackle in the bay hands down !!!! Super friendly crew everytime I'm around and I always appreciate that. JR not only brings great vibes to the time you're here but also makes sure to look out on key things to help you enjoy your experience the most while your are at the marina! Stop by and say hello to JR he will take care of all your fishing needs :D read more

WoW! Talk about a random day! I woke up on a sunny Sunday in the Bay and it just seemed sacrilegious to stay inside and waste the sunshine. Long story short, we ended up at the Berkeley Marina and one of our friends was like "Hey I wanna go fishing". Next thing you know, here we are at the Berkeley Marina Bait and Tackle shop! The man was SUPER nice and explained everything to us newbies that have never gone fishing. (I actually went once and the fish straight came up, ate my worm, and bounced). Needless to say, I do not count that experience. Then the man gave us "bait". They were these LONG, SLIMY, red worms with fangs. He also showed us how to use the fishing pole, hooks, and sinker. Unfortunately, we didn't catch any fish but that was all on us. However, we did have red cups so that makes everything fun. They even have these little lemon drops and kamikazes to go! So convenient! I really enjoyed this random fishing trip. It's absolutely great when you don't take the sun for granted and force yourself to see the world. You may just end up fishing, or having a bonfire at the beach, or something else random! read more

Berkeley Marina Bait & Tackle Shop - Bait! Careful of the fangs! - Boat Charters Near Me - Berkeley, California

See all

I occasionally stop by this tackle shop as I live in Berkeley and many other regional stores are closed/shut down due to COVID-19. This place has a good amount of frozen bait available (herring/anchovy/shrimp/squid, etc.) and does have some live worms (i.e. pile and blood), although I've never bought the worms here. Prices overall are indeed slightly more expensive than other tackle shops, but I can't complain too much because this is the closest open option to me and it is a local place. That said, it does have nearly everything you need tackle-wise to catch fish in the Bay Area. There are also some regular convenience shop-style food items here. Small fee if you want to pay by credit card. read more

Great shop with everything you need. Guy is super nice and very helpful. definitely one of the best Baitshops I've ever been to. Everything is fair price and they have a great selection of bait read more

Help this place out! Evert since the pier closed half of their customers are gone. This little bait shop provides great customer service. Help keep this little gem afloat. Iwill def return. read more

They have live and frozen bait and walls of tackle. I think their worms are "lucky ". Go spend some money at this business or use other live bait that is not lucky at all. read more

Walked in there looking for some fishing supplies and to inquire about live bait, walked out with what I needed and lots of great advice and pointers on fishing the bay (I'm new!). Abdul was awesome.. I'm surprised about some of the other reviews. Gave me all kinds of advice and pointers. I'l be making sure to make the extra effort to come here for any of my needs even if it's a bit out of my way. Great gem! read more

Good selection of gear. You can count on them to be open during their posted business hours (unlike other shops in the neighborhood). They are always knowledgeable on what is being caught at that time and will explain how to set the pole or trap up for such fish. This is my preferred tackle shop in the area. I dont waist time anymore visiting the other shops. Thanks guys!! read more

Prices were a bit high. They don't take cards and the ATM fee is $3.50. Friendly. The crab cooking took FOREVER! Don't be the first one off the boat. Your crab will be the last one out. LITERALLY. read more

BEWARE: extremely over priced items. make sure this is your last choice to go to. live bait- they get it from the live bait receiver right behind the store on K dock. they pay 15 bucks for a couple hundred anchovies and sell it for 10$ a dozen, keep in mind that by the time you get to the car, they are half dead.. do yourself a favor and walk down to k dock, pay 5 dollars more for a couple hundred anchovies, vs 12. AGAIN: MAKE SURE THIS IS YOUR LAST PLACE YOU CHECK FOR BAIT AND FOOD. read more

Needing a quick snack at the end of the day, my kid and I wandered over to the Bait Shop. It's the one right across the street from Cal Adventures and the Cal Sailing Club. It was 6:00PM. My kid suggested the Club Sandwich. He eats lunch here almost everyday. Oh, it was a good call! The proprietor, Mr. Kim toasted three thick slices of wheat bread well done (grill marks and all), coated them with mayo (Mr. Kim says, "No cheap mayonnaise here, only Best Foods!") and Dijon mustard. Crisp iceberg lettuce, beefsteak tomatoes, honey roasted ham, turkey breast, real bacon, and Swiss cheese. It sandwich was five inches tall, I kid you not! Pierced with two giant toothpicks, Mr. Kim slid that "bad boy" over to me! His young teen aged daughter, who was franticly texting, even glanced in awe of the towering club special. I felt like Guy Fieri as I shoved a bite into my mouth. It was yummy! I washed it down with a $.99 Arizona Mango. My son ate two "loaded Crunch bars." The best part: The Club Sandwich was on the menu for $6.95, like all of the other sandwiches. But Mr. Kim charged me $7 total, sandwich, drink, and ice cream bars. Being an honest lad, I tried to correct him with the right addition. "No!" Mr. Kim shouted. "It was my pleasure to make it (the meal?) for you." Whoa, I was speechless, yet managed to acknowledge his kindness with a $3 tip. As we left, his daughter gave us a sly smile. My kid said, "What just happened?" I dunno, but we'll be back for the "Mr. Kim King Klub!" I noticed they do sell some bait in the freezer. read more

This place suffers from traffic flow issues. As a result, they sometimes seem to be understocked for anything not bait and tackle related (sodas, munchies, etc.). They also open at inconsistent times... Suppose to be 8 am, but then other times it is 9 am. Kind of a pain that way. read more

"Snacks", Beer and fishing stuff. This place has had a funny history. It's come and gone with different owners (Berkeley just isn't friendly to businesses), and the quality of the beer on offer has varied from poor in the past, to OK, to none at all, to actually quite-a-good-selection (last weekend when I wandered in). Its proximity to the club I frequent has really meant I go very often - less than 10 times ever - mostly because I tend to bring my own beer, and there's almost nothing on sale here I could justify calling food, let alone eat. Still, it's the only place to buy this kind of stuff at the marina, unless you go down to "Sneeze breezes" which has some overlap. I'm no fan of the finshing stuff of course, but if you come to the marina often, you'll eventually wander in here. The owner seems nice enough, if a bit standoffish. read more

Fairly inexpensive basic sandwiches (BLT, cheese, egg salad), and they sell pringles (mmm, chips in a can). The staff are courteous. This place is a short walk from the Doubletree where I was staying, and it allowed me to get by on something other than hotel food (and if you've stayed at the Doubletree, you'll know that sandwiches from a bait shop are a big step up). read more

Had no other choice but to come here and never again am I coming back ... bought a small 16oz box of squid for $9 & a pack of size 3 pyramid weights for $4 which only had 3 inside of it.... in my option that's too overpriced ... read more

This place has really shaped the hell up with the new owner. Everything you need. I've rigged out my boat and others' with crab pots and gear, bait whenever we go out. Recently we bought a couple of Ugly Sticks there and everything we needed for fishing on the bay. Great knowledgeable service. They care to see you again. read more

Berkeley Marina Bait & Tackle Shop - Boat Charters Near Me - Berkeley, California

See all