Bait Shops in Ely, MN

11 licensed bait & tackle shops (11 with live bait) — and what to buy for walleye, northern pike, bluegill & sunfish this month.

📍 North Shore & ArrowheadSt. Louis County🪱 August: Waxworms · Leeches · Sucker minnows

Anglers based in Ely split their time between Little Long and Lake Vermilion, and Little Long at 2.7 miles is the quick after-work option. Expect walleye, northern pike and sunfish on those lakes, with walleye the bread-and-butter target for most boats. For summer, leeches and nightcrawlers are the standard order, and a quick question at the register gets you the current depth and presentation. Plan the morning around Pioneer Mine Pit Public Water Access Site (Shagawa) — it is the public access closest to the bait counters in Ely, around 0.5 miles out. Use the list of 11 shops below to pick a stop on the way to the lake (all 11 with live bait), and check the nearby-water notes on each one.

Lakes near Ely and what's biting

Main targets: Walleye, Northern Pike, Bluegill & Sunfish, Crappie · All lakes within an hour of Ely →

This month at Ely-area lakes: bait by species

August in Minnesota. Seasons and bag limits change — the regulations page has the current rules.

SpeciesLive bait to buy in AugustWhere to buy it
WalleyeLeeches, Nightcrawlers, Redtail chubsCrawler harnesses and leeches on deep structure; big chubs for trophy fish.
Northern PikeSucker minnows, Large shinersSummer pike hit spoons and spinnerbaits, but a live sucker still wins on slow days.
CrappieCrappie minnows, WaxwormsSuspend a minnow over deep weed edges; waxies for finicky fish.
Bluegill & SunfishAngleworms, Waxworms, Nightcrawler pieces, Small leechesSpawning beds in June; a half a crawler on a small hook is hard to beat.

Bait & tackle shops in Ely

Just need minnows, leeches or crawlers? Live bait in Ely →

Gear to grab before you go

Based on what's biting around Ely — grab it on the way so you're not improvising at the landing:

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Public landings near Ely

DNR public water access sites closest to the shops above.

  • Pioneer Mine Pit Public Water Access Site — Shagawa
    Directions ↗

    ~0.5 mi from the nearest listed shop · Trailer Launch · Concrete Slab · 4 trailer spaces

  • Shagawa Lake (S) Public Water Access Site — Shagawa
    Directions ↗

    ~0.6 mi from the nearest listed shop · Trailer Launch · Natural

  • Miners Lake Public Water Access Site — Miner's Pit
    Directions ↗

    ~0.7 mi from the nearest listed shop · Carry-In · Gravel · 1 dock

  • Moose Lake Public Water Access Site — Moose
    Directions ↗

    ~0.7 mi from the nearest listed shop · Trailer Launch · Concrete Slab · 1 dock · 35 trailer spaces

  • Eniss Lake Public Water Access Site — Unnamed
    Directions ↗

    ~0.7 mi from the nearest listed shop · Carry-In · Unknown

Ely bait shop FAQ

Where can I buy live bait in Ely?

Ely has 11 bait and tackle stops in our directory — Arrowhead Outdoors, Ely Outdoors Company and Ely Surplus & Outdoor and more. All of them carry live bait (minnows, leeches, nightcrawlers) in season. Hours shift early and late in the season, so a quick call before a dawn launch is worth it.

What bait works for walleye near Ely right now?

For walleye on the lakes around Ely, local shops usually recommend a jig tipped with a fathead or shiner minnow in spring, leeches and nightcrawlers on a live-bait rig through summer, and bigger redtail or sucker minnows once the water cools in fall. Ask at the counter what the fish have been taking that week — the answer changes with water temperature.

Do Ely bait shops sell fishing licenses?

Yes. Five of the 11 shops listed here (Latourell's Resort & Outfitters, North Country Canoe Outfitters and Snowbank Lodge and Outfitters and others) are Minnesota DNR electronic license agents, so you can buy a fishing license at the counter. You can also buy online from the DNR before you leave home.

Which lakes are closest to Ely?

The closest lakes on our site are Little Long (2.7 mi) and Lake Vermilion (19.4 mi). Each has its own page with depth, species surveys and public access details, and every shop below lists the two nearest DNR public accesses.

More bait shops in the North Shore & Arrowhead

All Minnesota bait shops →