4 Crappie Reels That Will Never Fail You

Almost every crappie fishing "expert" has an opinion on what he (or she) thinks are the best pieces of crappie fishing equipment. It's no different with crappie reels. Opinions vary far and wide, and of course, the best reel for you may be different than the best reel for Jim Bob a fishing a different lake on the other side of town.

Now...if you look at all the different opinions out there, you'll start to see a "trend" emerge as to the top crappie reels on the market. This is where you can find the gems. This is where you can figure out what crappie reels are worth your trouble.

Ok, let's start off with some highly recommended reels for fishing crappie...and since you can't talk about reels without talking about rods, I'll give you some good info on recommended crappie rods to go with these.

Always start with Shimano (higher end reels) when you start thinking about getting a new reel. See what's out there, then work down as needed.

When looking at Shimano for crappie fishing, start with the Sustain 1000 and 2000. Highly recommended, though a little pricey. Also check out the Calais casting reel.

The entire Shimano line comes highly recommended for any type of fishing. Plenty of models to choose from that work well for crappie. Start with the Sustain's I mentioned

Shimano's are high quality reels and will hold up long term...much better than cheaper reels on the market. You get what you pay for. :)

If you want to go the budget route, but still get a quality real, go with the Shimano Stradic model. It will hold up through all kinds of abuse, and will never fail you.

None of the reels I've mentioned so far have every failed my on a hook set.

Now, if you're just an occassional crappie fishermen, this all might be out of your range. In that case, head over to Cabela's (online), check out the reels by Mr. Crappie - Wally Marshall. They're all "good enough" for the average Joe crappie guy.

My dream combination is the St. Croix rod with either of the Sustain reels I mentioned. Had to put this in here. :)

And speaking of crappie rods...here are some guidelines.

For example...if you fish crappie for a long time in one stretch, check out the St. Croix Legend Elite. It's got a short handle and is very easy to work for 10+ hours.

I've found, if you combine the St. Croix with Lindy riggings (and jigs) you can really maximize your crappie catches over a day-long excursion.

Really, any 6' medium, fast action rod work well for crappie when you're fishing with a Linday setup.

Also, check out the G. Loomis IMX rod. It's not top of the line, but is a mid-tier price range that will give you many years of crappie fishing action. Just be careful...it's a little stiffer than some of the other crappie rods, and you don't want to rip any lips! :)

I like using these in the spring.

For the budget crappie guy, go with a Fenwick hardcore graphite rod. For the price, you really can't beat it - and it's my recommendation for 75% of the crappie fishermen out there.

This rod has great balance, and will feel great in your hands.

Other budget rods, all found on Cabela's are: the Fish Eagle II (and the XML), and also the Platinum ZX.

Remember...above all else you've got to balance the benefits of your rod and reel combination with how often and you fish...along with your personal "style" of fishing.