Bait Shop - Hernando

We have not eaten at the restaurant due to COVID so I can't speak to that, but we've done carry-out several times. The fish and chips is amazing and they give you so much: 3 good-sized pieces of delicious fish without too much batter, thick fries, corn on the cob and coleslaw. We really want to try something else, but it's so good, we just keep ordering that. I've heard great things about the rest of the menu, too. These people really know how to do it.

All I can say after trying this place out for the first time is.........tell them to go easy on the parmesan. I like parmesan cheese (after all I 'm part Italian), but everything we ordered except the ribs had a lot of parmesan sprinkled all over it. I was expecting more of a Florida Cracker style prep on the food. The portions were huge so don 't look at the price and say that 's expensive because you will get enough to feed 2 in every order. The appetizers are enough to share for four. The entrees you could share with your dinner companion if you want the same thing and ordered a side or two and appetizer. We ordered the fried gator nugget appetizer which was enough to bring some home. It 's loaded with parmesan sprinkled all over the breading (which was bland without the cheese) I though the cheese didn 't go well with the gator served with a side of remoulade sauce. I wasn 't impressed with the flavor combination, but the gator meat was tasty, tender and prepared correctly. I would have preferred it with a seasoned breading with no parmesan sprinkled all over it. A nice dill or Cajun style ranch would have gone well with it as a dipping sauce. The other appetizer we ordered was outstanding, but without that parmesan cheese it would have been over the top must order again stuff. I 'm talking fried frog legs! It was perfectly prepared breaded fried frog legs. The meat was done by an expert for sure. They were large meaty and tender with no fishy taste you sometimes get with these. Again, they sprinkled that dreaded powdery white parmesan all over them and took away some of the appeal. I would have liked a sprinkle of Garlic or Old Bay or Everglades on them instead. The same remoulade sauce came with these too. I 'm not a big fan of this combo of sauce and cheese. We are going to try and order these two again without the parmesan cheese. Our entrees were ok, but mine again was loaded with that dang sprinkled cheese! I had the fried combo of haddock, scallops, shrimp and gator tail (which turned out to be the same gator nuggets on the app) I loved the quality of the fish and scallops. The shrimp were small to be considered jumbo as on the menu and with all the parmesan on them I could not taste the shrimp flavor. The gator was, as I said before, excellent and prepared by someone who knows how to cook. My wife ordered the 1/2 rib rack which I was not too sure of since I didn 't smell any wood fire or smoker. I warned her, but she want to try them. I tasted them too of course. They were as I expected, oven style ribs with some grill marks but not as you get from a real BBQ joint. They are labeled St. Louis style, but they are more of a spare rib than proper St. Louis cut. If you are not a rib or BBQ purist than you probably will like these. They were tender with a snappy sweet molasses like sauce on them. Our sides included the typical steak fries, corn on the cob, cole slaw, and iceberg salad. All were average. The corn was probably the best of them because the fries had that crazy parmesan sprinkled all over them and really turned me off. They were nice looking fries too, but that cheese needs to be reserved for special orders only. We ate outside so everything can on plastic plates or baskets, but that was fine for our casual night out. Now, I 've saved the best for last. I 've been to this location several times over the last 20 years when another restaurant was here and even before that when it was a real bait shop on Lake Hernando. It has always been a fabulous location on the lake right off of the highway for a social gathering place. I 've been waiting for a great restaurant or pub to turn it up a notch here and this might be the one. They really did an outstanding job at making the back area and old building look fabulous. They kept the atmosphere around the eating area Florida casual lake style as it has been since it was built. There is real Hernando history in this property. I 'm certain that eating on the sand and grassy outdoor patio down the old brick stairs will make your experience complete. If you want to eat inside at least go out back for a beer or wine or maybe dessert on the dock. This place has a lot to offer. The food was good, but the location is better. We will be back to try some of the other menu items (the fish sandwich looked good) as well as order our fried favorites again without that parmesan. Fear None, Love All and Eat Well.

Izzy is a doll. We sat right out on the water, had salmon dip and fish chips. What a meal! Servers were delightful. Couldn't have asked for more. Caden is charming great guy. Highly recommended!

Best best best used to live on the lake and it was a regular stop now I can't wait to go back the best shrimp dip and food great service always

We had been trying to try this amazing place for so long. Everything was so great. The service, the owners cool stories, the food and the view. I can't wait to go back and try some more of their wonderful food.