This is hands-down the best live bait and lure dealer in Illinois. Their bait is cared for like no other. They stock a full line of live baits including hard-to-get live baits. They also offer specialty bass-fishing baits from around the world including limited edition Japanese bass baits for the pro bass angler! Their minnows and nightcrawlers are coveted because the owners work so hard every week, feeding them and raising the incoming bait to be fat, strong and lively by adding their own special mix before the bait is sold. They can pack you flats of crawlers that will catch more fish and have bags of minnows packed for your trip that will out-catch other bait. Make the trip for your big bait orders and save money vs. resort bait which is more expensive and lesser quality. Crappie, Walleye, Perch and bass anglers will tell you - bring the best bait. Their two stores also carry spikes and specialty baits all season long when available that other stores do not carry. The owner is nice, but when people are rude to her- she doesn't take it! Other reviewers say they are rude, but honestly these people got what they gave! They also have the cleanest store anywhere - there is no bait smell because their minnows are the best kept, filtered and cleaned like no other. This will keep them healthy. The owners work 14-hour days and work hard to make the best bait store, don't let some dope prevent you from picking the absolute, hands-down, best fishing bait. Worth the trip and they destroy other bait stores with quality and price! read more

I drove over here to get a new fishing license. I've been getting my license here for years. The lady in the store told me they quit doing them. "Too much trouble." WTF! This is a bait + tackle store, and it's too much trouble for them. That is part of the business. I've been to this store many times, and I have never seen it busy. Last time here for me. read more

Great place very clean and friendly never gone there and not gotten the bait I needed

Lady who works there is consistently rude. Not helpful either. They do not provide fishing licenses they rudely tell you to do it online. If there were another bait shop nearby I would go there instead but since they're literally 5 minutes away I will go there for live bait only. read more

Very nice store that carries everything you could need for every kind of fishing. They have some pretty pricey lures, but also some reasonable ones. The owner is nice, if a bit short. Not much for small talk like you'd expect at a fishing store, but still very nice, knowledgeable, and accommodating. read more

Always a classic place to go. Love the vibes there. Great service as well. Highly recommended!

Rude!!!! I'll drive the 30 minutes to bass pro. From the way the lady acted they don't need business.

Great place, friendly staff, good prices and overall cool store!! Very much recommend!!!!

I've been going to lee's bait shop since they first opened up next to the bowl alley and I've always been greeted and they been very helpful, the amount of different baits and the knowledge is outstanding. read more

Just went in there today, and tried to get a hunting license and tags. The lady asked what I needed and I told her she then said it's cash only and walked away. Did not say how much or anything. When simply there was a credit card machine right in front of me on the counter. I try and support local but places like this will not be getting my buisness. read more

Like to says customer service has dropped in the past year on a scale of 1 to 10 I rate it as a#1 people that work there are very rude to the customer I been going there for years and like I said customer service needs to be shaken up a lot I dont come there to spend my money on rundess read more

Lee's Bait & Tackle - Hunting & Fishing Supplies Near Me - Carol Stream, Illinois

Only bait and tackle store in the area. Unhelpful and unfriendly staff, if they weren't the only place around they would have gone out of business a long time ago. Great selection though, so I can give them that. read more

Had 400.00$ cash on me and wanted to buy a bait caster rod and reel this morning, drove 30min to the store. Was checking out the reels and St. Croix rods, liked the abu Garcia revo stx, $199.00. Asked if I can look at it and the lady seemed annoyed and I was like damn, lol. Anyway while checking it out, I spin the drag adjuster and she freaked out on me!! Stop doing that!!! I'm like, it's the drag adjuster?!? Lol. At this point I'm like screw this. Walked out pretty upset. So I just ordered everything on amazon and saved about 50$. I wanted to help support a local bait shop. But I'll never walk in that store again. Extremely rude, not pleasant at all. read more

Maybe people have been burned by other bait shops, but as a guy who wants to learn how to fish just so he can spend some time with his daughter, most miserable customer service I've ever experienced. I gave them the benefit of the doubt for the first three visits, maybe I caught them on a bad day, but the lady in the front wouldn't give you the time of day. I thought it was just me, but she was rude with other customers that came in as well. I don't understand the glowing reviews. Since I cannot give them zero stars, I will give them one star, because everything I bought here has been comparable in prices to Amazon. Unfortunately, they are the only live bait shop in the area, otherwise I would never return. Sure, get your minnows here, but buy everything else somewhere else. read more

Great place to pick up some fat healthy mealworms to feed my toad. I'm sure it's also great for someone looking for fishing supplies as well since they have other bait and lots of tackle to choose from. read more

Glad to find this place, very knowledgeable and fully stocked with everything I needed!

Drove a 1/2 hour from my office in Northlake to get some line put on spools. There was 1 customer in the store who was checking out. I was told I needed to come back in an hour. Woman behind the counter stated "I have a lot of things to do". She was working on some kind of knitting project. Not sure what that had to do with a bait and tackle store. Been fishing for close to 40 years and have never been told to come back to pick up spools. Worst customer service I've experienced in 40 years of fishing read more

Sorry Lee but you have a grumpy lady there, not helpful at all, Im new at fishing so i was asking question and all she was doing was mocking me.. she ask me where i was fishing i told her i didnt know, and i ask her where is a nice place and she just looked at me and walked away.. i ask what is good bait and she pointed at a F IN wall...NEVER AGAIN!!!!! read more

Live bait stores have been disappearing from the Fox Valley, and it is always a pleasure to stop in at Lee's Bait & Tackle! They have an excellent selection of healthy live bait, and the woman who runs the shop even hand-selects the healthiest ice fishing bait (wax worms, spikes) while I watch! I also buy some tackle whenever I stop in, as the big-box stores (Gander, Bass Pro) make enough money. Highly recommended! read more

They are always extremely helpful and generous. They have a great selection of tackle. I keep going back because I have never had a bad experience. read more