Marathon Bait & Tackle

Marathon Bait & Tackle sits at 3740 Overseas Highway, mile marker 49 bayside in Marathon, and bills itself as a complete fishing center. The doors open at 6 in the morning and stay open until 6 in the evening, seven days a week, which covers both ends of a fishing day.

Live bait is the draw, shrimp and crabs fresh in the tanks, alongside the tackle, rods and reels you would expect and staff who will rig a rod for you rather than hand you a package and point at the door. Rod rentals are $25 for the week, which is the number worth knowing if you flew into Marathon without gear and only plan to fish a couple of mornings.

Whether the day is a run offshore, a morning on the bayside flats or a cast off a bridge, this is the stop before it, and the people behind the counter will tell you what is biting and where. Call (305) 289-2248.