Family-run tackle shop brings surf, freshwater, and offshore gear back to one of North County’s busiest fishing communities.
For anglers in North County San Diego, finding tackle has often meant planning the fishing trip around the tackle stop.
Depending on where you launched, surf fished, or chased bass, many anglers found themselves driving north to Oceanside or south toward Mission Bay before ever making their first cast.
Now, a new shop in Encinitas is aiming to change that.
North County Bait and Tackle recently opened its doors, bringing a dedicated fishing outfitter back to one of Southern California’s most active coastal communities and filling what many local anglers have long viewed as a missing piece in the region’s fishing infrastructure.
Located just west of Interstate 5 near the Encinitas Boulevard exit inside the Lazy Acres shopping center and only minutes from Moonlight Beach, the new shop arrives with a focus on convenience, regional fishing knowledge, and gear selected specifically for Southern California anglers.
The business is family-owned by Marc Meyers and Morgana Taylor, while day-to-day operations and inventory decisions are led by Merrick Meyers, whose local fishing background helped shape the vision for the store.
For Encinitas anglers, the opening marks something larger than a new retail space. It represents the return of a dedicated tackle presence to the city for the first time in decades.
North County Bait and Tackle appears positioned to serve a broad range of fishing styles that reflect the diversity of San Diego’s local fishery. Rather than focusing exclusively on offshore or freshwater markets, the shop has built inventory around both, creating what the team describes as a nearly even split between freshwater and saltwater offerings.
That means surf anglers, sportboat passengers, bay fishermen, bass anglers, and coastal explorers can all find equipment geared toward their style of fishing.
Inventory includes a mix of established West Coast brands and locally recognized names across rods, lures, terminal tackle, and accessories. Early product offerings include gear from manufacturers familiar to Southern California anglers, including Calstar, Tady, JRI, Yo-Zuri, Owner, Izorline, Nomad, Deps, MegaBass, and Optimum.
The goal appears less focused on maximizing shelf count and more centered on carrying products anglers actually use.
The shop is also stocked with bait options tailored to local conditions, including live, frozen, and dehydrated offerings designed to support surf fishing, lagoon fishing, and grab-and-go coastal trips.
That local emphasis reflects Merrick Meyers’ own connection to Encinitas and the surrounding fishery.
Having grown up fishing the area, his experience spans shoreline fishing, local sportboat trips, and freshwater bass fishing, helping shape a shop designed around the way North County anglers actually fish rather than a one-size-fits-all retail model.
Looking ahead, the team also plans to expand into educational opportunities with fully outfitted surf fishing workshops that would include gear, tackle, bait, and licensing, creating a lower barrier of entry for newcomers interested in trying the sport.
That educational component mirrors a broader trend appearing throughout Southern California’s fishing industry as businesses increasingly look for ways to introduce new participants to fishing while making the experience more approachable.
For San Diego’s fishing community, local tackle shops continue serving a role that extends beyond selling gear.
They remain gathering places where anglers exchange reports, compare techniques, hear about changing conditions, and stay connected to the local fishery.
And in a coastal city where fishing culture remains deeply rooted in everyday life, North County Bait and Tackle’s arrival gives anglers another place to stop before heading to the surf, launching offshore, or simply talking fishing over the counter.
For more information, visit North County Bait and Tackle or follow North County Bait and Tackle on Instagram.
