Old Florida Cigar & Bait Co.

Old Florida Cigar & Bait Co. is exactly what the name promises, and locals in Indian Rocks Beach will tell you there's nothing else quite like it. It's a genuine old Florida bait shop, the only spot on IRB carrying live bait, and folks come in for fresh live shrimp along with all the tackle you need to chase most of the species swimming in the surrounding waters. Then there are the cigars, hand rolled locally, which makes this one of the more unusual and charming stops on the beach. The word around town is that the fishing advice is worth the trip on its own.

Ask anyone who shops here and they'll point you to the owner, Will, who always seems to know what's biting and how to catch it. One first time surf fisherman came in not knowing much and left with the right gear and the right tips, and plenty of visitors say the same thing. Regulars describe the whole crew as friendly, knowledgeable, and refreshingly no nonsense, with a sense of humor to go with it. One shopper caught a bonnet head shark on shrimp from here and hasn't stopped talking about it.

On the cigar side, people who shop here swear by the hand rolled sticks, said to be rolled by a Cuban woman using Cuba seeded plants from the Dominican Republic. You'll find mild and medium body options in a couple of different sizes, and even folks who aren't buying enjoy the smell. Prices get plenty of praise too, especially for a place sitting right near the beach. With a strong reputation earned across dozens of happy visitors, Old Florida Cigar & Bait Co. serves both locals and tourists looking to have a good day on the water.

As one regular put it, Hemingway would have loved this place. If you're after bait, tackle, honest advice, and a good cigar in Indian Rocks Beach, this is the kind of place worth going out of your way for.