SAN FRANCISCO, CA
Gus' Discount Fishing Tackle
Tackle Shops in San Francisco
2 shops — hours, live bait, and directions.
Updated
San Francisco's old tackle trade has thinned to two shops, and each fills a distinct niche. Gus' Discount Fishing Tackle, on Balboa Street in the Outer Richmond, is described by local press (SF Senior Beat, February 2026) as the city's last general tackle shop — a family-run store that has stayed in the same family for more than 60 years, stocking rods, reels, bait, and the crab traps and nets that San Francisco anglers lean on through the winter Dungeness season. It is open Monday through Saturday, 8 AM to 5 PM, and closed Sundays. Down at Fisherman's Wharf, Frank's Fisherman has run as a chandlery and maritime store since 1946, carrying recreational fishing tackle, lures, terminal gear, and frozen bait alongside its marine supplies and nautical goods; per its Google listing, it is open daily from 9 AM to 8 PM.
The fishing splits between the bay and the ocean outside the Golden Gate. Inside San Francisco Bay, anglers work striped bass, California halibut, white sturgeon, and leopard shark, with halibut and stripers best from spring through fall and sturgeon a winter-into-spring target. Outside the Gate and out toward the Farallon Islands, the boats chase Chinook salmon when the season is open, plus rockfish and lingcod under California's groundfish rules, and Dungeness crab through the winter. San Francisco's party and charter boats run from the Fisherman's Wharf landings.
Select a shop or scroll the map to find the one closest to where you'll fish.
Shops in San Francisco
SAN FRANCISCO, CA
Frank's Fisherman
San Francisco on the map
Species to target here
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Frequently asked questions
Where can you buy fishing tackle in San Francisco?
Two shops cover the city. Gus' Discount Fishing Tackle on Balboa Street in the Outer Richmond is a family-run general tackle shop (rods, reels, bait, crab gear). Frank's Fisherman at Fisherman's Wharf is a chandlery carrying recreational tackle and frozen bait.
Where do you get bait in San Francisco?
Frank's Fisherman at the Wharf carries frozen bait, and Gus' Discount Fishing Tackle stocks bait and crabbing gear. Neither shop in this directory confirms live bait, so call ahead the morning of your trip if you need it.
How long has Gus' Discount Fishing Tackle been open?
Gus' has been in the same family for more than 60 years and is described by local press (SF Senior Beat, February 2026) as the last general tackle shop in San Francisco. It sits on Balboa Street in the Outer Richmond and is open Monday through Saturday, 8 AM to 5 PM, closed Sundays.
What fish can you catch in San Francisco?
Inside San Francisco Bay, anglers target striped bass, California halibut, white sturgeon, and leopard shark — halibut and stripers from spring through fall, sturgeon in winter and early spring. Outside the Golden Gate and toward the Farallon Islands, boats chase Chinook salmon when the season is open, plus rockfish, lingcod, and winter Dungeness crab.
Where do San Francisco sportfishing boats leave from?
San Francisco's party and charter boats run from the Fisherman's Wharf landings. The tackle shops on this page sell gear and bait; the wharf landings book the boats out to the bay, the Golden Gate, and the Farallon Islands.