Crappie Fisherman help

I work w a gentleman who is leaving his house of 40 plus years to move up by Duluth to be with family. His wife needs extra care and his daughter will be helping.
He just bought his first boat – straight out Lund 16 foot resort aluminum fishing boat – 25 hp
He is a crappie guy. I don’t know what he has for equipment. He is so focused on cleaning and purging and packing that I really haven’t been able to ask him a lot about what he has.
I would really like to send something with him ( only known him a couple months so don’t know a lot about him) but he’ll get to go fishing more often and I think a needed break sometimes from his spouse’s needs.
Any ideas what I could get him would be appreciated. $30-$40 probably. I could buy him something I like but who knows. I was hoping some suggestions from you boys might help me decide easier.
Any ideas would be greatly appreciated.

Maybe a decent bait cooler? The Bait Crate is solid and a little under your price range. Or the small Engle, just above your range.

I will second a bait cooler. Or a small tackle box.

I would stock him up on Bobby Garland Baby Shads, they work from northern Wisconsin all the way to Texas.

I’d buy him a gift card. Like any angler who has a favorite fish, he’ll likely have a favorite bait. That gift card will let him get what he’s comfortable with…confident in.

Jimmy Jones wrote:

I’d buy him a gift card. Like any angler who has a favorite fish, he’ll likely have a favorite bait. That gift card will let him get what he’s comfortable with…confident in.

I would second that. I tend to get Cabelas gift cards often from people for Christmas and I always convey to them that I really appreciate it because all the gift cards add up and it makes those bigger purchases a lot more doable.

If you wanted to be more unique than that, you could try calling a local popular bait shop and explaining the situation and pay over the phone or online for a gift card/gift certificate there. If you let them know what the guy’s situation is maybe when he comes to use the gift card they can chat a little about local waters to get him on the right track.

Great ideas guys. Thank you. Just didn’t want to impose MY preferences. I may get him the gift card and the small Engel- I love mine!

Maybe identify some of the better crappie lakes in the area and buy him some of those hot spot maps

If he ice fishes for crappies, Nuclear Ants !!!

Dan wrote:

If you wanted to be more unique than that, you could try calling a local popular bait shop and explaining the situation and pay over the phone or online for a gift card/gift certificate there.

Marine General would be the choice in Duluth.