1.Joe's Sporting Goods
DNR license agent33 County Rd B E, St Paul, MN 55117
4.4 (2059 reviews · ratings via Google)
- Live bait
- Tackle
- Fishing licenses
Bait Shops in St. Paul, MN
2 licensed bait & tackle shops (2 with live bait) — and what to buy for walleye, northern pike, largemouth bass this month.
📍 Twin Cities MetroRamsey County🪱 August: Leeches · Nightcrawlers · Sucker minnows
White Bear Lake, Prior Lake and Riley are the lakes St. Paul locals talk about first, and White Bear Lake is close enough (about 9.8 miles) for a short evening trip. Walleye, northern pike and largemouth bass all show up in the local survey data, and walleye gets the most attention from St. Paul anglers. Right now, in summer, leeches and nightcrawlers move fastest off the shelves, so grab them early on a Saturday. If you want the shortest run from bait to boat, Joe's Sporting Goods sits roughly 0.8 miles from the McCarrons Lake Public Water Access Site access on McCarron. We list two bait and tackle shops around St. Paul (all two with live bait), each with hours, phone, and the closest ramps and lakes.
Lakes near St. Paul and what's biting
- White Bear Lake · ~10 mi from St. PaulLake guide →
- Prior Lake · ~22 mi from St. PaulLake guide →
- Riley · ~23 mi from St. PaulLake guide →
- Forest Lake · ~23 mi from St. PaulLake guide →
Main targets: Walleye, Northern Pike, Largemouth Bass, Crappie · All lakes within an hour of St. Paul →
This month at St. Paul-area lakes: bait by species
August in Minnesota. Seasons and bag limits change — the regulations page has the current rules.
| Species | Live bait to buy in August | Where to buy it |
|---|---|---|
| Walleye | Leeches, Nightcrawlers, Redtail chubsCrawler harnesses and leeches on deep structure; big chubs for trophy fish. | |
| Northern Pike | Sucker minnows, Large shinersSummer pike hit spoons and spinnerbaits, but a live sucker still wins on slow days. | |
| Crappie | Crappie minnows, WaxwormsSuspend a minnow over deep weed edges; waxies for finicky fish. | |
| Largemouth Bass | Nightcrawlers, Leeches, ShinersWacky-rigged crawlers and leeches under a bobber on weed edges; soft plastics do the rest. |
Bait & tackle shops in St. Paul
2.Kathy's Live Bait
DNR license agent1239 Rice St, St Paul, MN 55117
4.4 (195 reviews · ratings via Google)
- Live bait
- Tackle
- Fishing licenses
Just need minnows, leeches or crawlers? Live bait in St. Paul →
Gear to grab before you go
Based on what's biting around St. Paul — grab it on the way so you're not improvising at the landing:
Heads up: the links below are affiliate links — if you buy something we may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you. It doesn't change what we recommend. How we make money.
- Jig heads, 1/8–3/8 ozThe Minnesota walleye staple — tip with a minnow or leech.Shop at Amazon →
- Slip bobber kitLeech under a slip float on a reef — summer walleye 101.Shop at Amazon →
- Crawler harnesses / spinner rigsTroll a nightcrawler on deep structure in July and August.Shop at Amazon →
- 8 lb monofilament lineFresh line before the season — old mono loses jig-bite fish.Shop at Amazon →
- Wire or fluorocarbon leadersPike bite through mono. Every rig needs a leader.Shop at Amazon →
- Casting spoons (red/white, five of diamonds)Classic Minnesota pike hardware for weedlines.Shop at Amazon →
Public landings near St. Paul
DNR public water access sites closest to the shops above.
- McCarrons Lake Public Water Access Site — McCarronDirections ↗
~0.8 mi from the nearest listed shop · Trailer Launch · Concrete Slab · 6 trailer spaces
- Keller Lake Public Water Access Site — KellerDirections ↗
~1.7 mi from the nearest listed shop · Trailer Launch · Concrete Slab · 7 trailer spaces
- Phalen Lake Public Water Access Site — RoundDirections ↗
~2.5 mi from the nearest listed shop · Trailer Launch · Concrete Slab · 9 trailer spaces
St. Paul bait shop FAQ
Where can I buy live bait in St. Paul?
St. Paul has two bait and tackle stops in our directory — Joe's Sporting Goods and Kathy's Live Bait. 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 St. Paul right now?
For walleye on the lakes around St. Paul, 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 St. Paul bait shops sell fishing licenses?
Yes. All two shops listed here (Joe's Sporting Goods and Kathy's Live Bait) 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 St. Paul?
The closest lakes on our site are White Bear Lake (9.8 mi), Prior Lake (21.9 mi) and Riley (22.7 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.