Fantastic Fishing Gift Ideas for your Favorite Crappie Angler

Don’t fret over holiday shopping that remains uncompleted. If anyone on your list likes to catch crappie, we have some fabulous fishing gift ideas!

I’m a last-minute Christmas gift shopper and have been throughout my adult life. But that could be good news for any of you still seeking fishing gift ideas for someone who loves to fish for crappie. Here are a few crappie gift ideas based on my experience as a late-season shopper and as avid crappie angler, which you might find helpful, even at this point in December.

First, I encourage you not to give in to the temptation of just buying “something” as the clock winds down. Trust me, there are plenty of good crappie fishing gifts out there – right up to the eleventh hour! The smiles that come as a result of thoughtful choices always warrant the extra effort.

Crappie Rods & Reels

Unless your angler is super avid or one highly focused on tournaments, giving a crappie rod or reel is always a viable option. A spend in the $50-$75 range will buy quality gear that will thrill most any crappie angler. Spending the same amount on a rod or reel only will generally take the product up a few levels in quality and performance.

Why did I exclude “super avid anglers and tournament anglers” above? It’s because their gear is often more specific to preferred techniques and tactics. Although I’m personally not a fan of gift cards, one for use at their favorite fishing tackle retailer might indeed be your best option for someone in this group.

Rods – For rods, look for models specifically designated for crappie fishing because they’ll have the right feel and action. Typically, the crappie rods will be found grouped together in the rod display area. I’d go with a 7-foot spinning rod in light action, rather than ultralight. A rod’s action is usually clearly designated on the lower part of the blank.

Reels – For a reel, I recommend a spinning reel in size 10 or 20, also classified as 1000 and 2000 by some manufacturers. These reels have spools that will hold plenty of line to allow anglers versatility, from jigging to casting to trolling. As with the rods, a spend in the $50-$75 range will buy a smooth, multi-ball-bearing reel ideal for most crappie fishing.

Crappie Measuring Boards

Most states have crappie regulations that include minimum lengths for “keepable” fish. One of the handiest measuring device types for crappie is the see-through plastic “tray” that holds the fish in place while you assess its overall length. These are offered by a few different manufacturers, and you’ll typically find them in the $10-$20 price range.

Crappie Baits

Soft-plastic crappie baits have become the norm for year-round crappie fishing. Choices vary greatly in styles, shapes and colors, from realistic imitations to bizarre creations. The beauty of the realistic ones is that not only do they look like the things crappie naturally feed on most – minnows, shad and insects. They also eliminate the biggest hassles that come with using live bait, such as trying to find minnow in the first place and then keeping them alive.

Think your crappie angler already has every crappie lure made? We think not. Bobby Garland Crappie Baits has a new introduction that has only recently hit stores – The Mayfly. This insect look-alike represents various progression stages of the common mayfly from nymph to adult, and it’s something that crappie feed upon through all seasons. The 2.25-inch soft plastic comes in a unique, flip-lid bag that contains a natural baitfish-scented bath to protect the lure’s shape and appendages, and to serve as a fish attractant. The Mayfly is available in 12 colors, including new ones – Spring Fling, White Ice and Neon Nymph. The Mayfly 50-count bag retails for $9.99.

Also, you can’t go wrong with gifting a bag of Bobby Garland Baby Shads. The 2-inch lure is arguably the most popular crappie bait on the market and it comes in a wide range of colors,  including many that the Bobby Garland brand originated. Always among top-selling colors are Monkey Milk, Electric Chicken, Blue Ice, Cajun Cricket, Bluegrass and Lights Out, plus there’s an entire series of Mo’ Glo glow-in-the-dark colors. An 18-count bag of Baby Shads retails for around $3.79.

Crappie Bait Kits

Crappie bait assortments also make great gifts. The three that follow are ones that I’m personally familiar with because of their contents, and “what’s inside” is the most important consideration of all when it comes to kits. I can assure you these have everything needed to get someone started the right way for crappie fishing.  

The Bobby Garland Take Me Too kit has been assembled especially with young anglers in mind. It features multiple colors of the Baby Shad and Hyper Grub, and has the right-sized Crappie Pro jigheads to fit both bait styles. Also included is a Thill cork for bobber fishing, and a nylon fish stringer to restrain keepers. All items come encased in a re-usable Plano box. This assortment is especially good for kids and beginners to crappie fishing. The Take Me Too kit sells for $19.99.

A more advanced kit from Bobby Garland is the Crappie Deluxe Premium Tackle Edition. Among the different lure profiles inside are the Baby Shad, Minnow Mind’R, Pile Diver and Crappie Shooter. Plus, the kit includes Crappie Pro jigheads, glass rattles, “teaser” willow blades, and a Thill balsa float. All are kept neat and ready for action in a quality Plano utility box. The Deluxe Crappie Kit sells for $29.99.

Another new-to-the-market item is Lurenet’s Bank & Creek kit. Included are numerous handpicked lure types, colors and styles – including some exclusives – and all made by top fishing brands, like Bobby Garland, YUM, Rebel, Heddon and more. Contents are assembled specifically with bank and creek fishing in mind for crappie, perch and bass, and include instructional materials, a random discount and more value-adding features. And don’t just think Christmas. Bank & Creek changes the items throughout the year according to seasons. That also means quantities are limited per offering, so don’t dally in ordering. The price for each is $39.99.

Fillet Knife

A lot of us put crappie right at the top of the list of “best tasting freshwater fish.” Fried, baked, grilled…  It doesn’t matter much. All cooking preferences for the species deliver delicious eating results. Also contributing to the crappie’s high marks as table fare, are the fact that they live pretty much everywhere and with generous bag limits in most cases. Another plus is they’re relatively easy to fillet, provided you have a quality knife for the job.

Again, lots of choices out there when it comes to fillet knives, but that also bodes well for your last-minute Christmas shopping. A primary consideration in buying a fillet knife is whether or not it should be a traditional blade or an electric one – both are highly popular among crappie fishermen.

Thin, flexible and super-sharp traditional blades are ideal for making precision cuts and maximizing fillets when cleaning fish the old-fashioned way. On the other hand, the speed and proficiency of an electric knife in experienced hands gets the nod by most crappie guides and anglers who deal with cleaning a lot of fish on a regular basis.  

For the traditional knife, go with one that has a 6- or 7-inch blade. The blade should be stainless steel, or otherwise rust resistant, and it needs to be thin, flexible and easy to sharpen. I don’t give a lot of thought to handle construction – wood, plastic or rubber – but I do like the smaller diameter ones so I can easily keep my blade working low and parallel to my cutting surface. You’ll find many good steel-bladed fillet knives in the $25-$50 price range, for knife only.

For electric fillet knives, you must also decide on the power – battery, electric or both. If electricity is usually available where cleaning occurs, a plug-in model is probably the choice. However, for those who do most of the cleaning at or near the water, then a battery powered one is best. Regarding performance, plug-in knives typically run at higher, sustained RPMs, but today’s battery versions have come a long way in rivaling the capabilities.

Expect to spend from $25 to as much as $150 for electrical plug-in models, with the highest priced ones featuring titanium blades and/or accessories. Battery powered knives, including some AC/DC models, usually hit the $50-$150 range, with the highest ones featuring lithium batteries and/or related knife accessories.

Happy shopping and Merry Christmas!