Telescopic Poles: Easy to store and quick to deploy, telescopic poles have grown in popularity. Shakespeare's WonderPole, available in 10-, 12-, 13-, 16- and 20-foot lengths, are rated form lines from 4 to 10 pound test. A flip of the wrist extends the pole, and you're ready to fish. No reel needed, as extra line is wound around a line keeper on the butt.

B'n'M offers 11 series of telescopic poles, in addition to multi-piece poles with guides, and long spinning rods. The Black Widow Ready Rig comes in 4 lengths up to 20 feet, pre-rigged with line, shot, and hook. Just add water.

Zebco has added the Crappie Cane Classic Series, including a 10-foot telescopic pole with a miniature reel in the butt for line storage. Cabela's Classic Crappie Poles range from 10 to 16 1⁄2 feet, while lighter action Panfish Poles are graphite, and available in 12-, 15- and 15 1⁄2-foot lengths.

Telescopic Spinning Rods: Long telescopic spinning rods with guides are popular with bank anglers and trollers. These rods accommodate spinning reels or underspin spincast reels, which have remained popular for their ease of use and smooth line release. Zebco's Crappie Classic series includes a 10-footer that comes with a Zebco 11MTS Triggerspin reel and line. B'n'M has the Slo-Troller Series (4 lengths to 20 feet).

Multi-Piece Rods: Multi-piece rods have grown in popularity as they're most like traditional rods in appearance and use. Several companies offer light and sensitive graphite models. These rods (often called poles) match spinning, spincast, underspin reels, or small round reels that serve primarily for line storage, such as B'n'M's Buck's Mini-Reel and Bass Pro Shops' Wally Marshall Signature Deluxe Crappie Reel.

Shakespeare's WonderPole Series of 2-piece rods includes 10- and 12-footers in both fiberglass and IM-6 graphite. Match with Shakespeare's new Synergy Titanium SYMS and 1402 Ti underspin models or Pflueger's Microspin U. Zebco has 10- and 12-footers built with “Tennessee” reel seats.

The Wally Marshall Tightline Specials from Bass Pro Shops (12-, 14-, and 16-foot) are built of hybrid IM-6 and IM-8 graphite and feature Fuji Concept guides. Bass Pro Shops' Universal Crappie Series (8- to 14-foot) are lighter action for dabbling or bank fishing, built on IM-6 blanks. Cabela's Crappie System rods (9- and 12-foot) feature an extremely light tip, rated for lures from 1/32- to 1/8 ounce.

B'n'M offers seven series' of 2-piece jig poles, including the Sam Heaton Signature Series, of IM-6 graphite, in 9-, 10-, 11-, and 12-foot models. Buck's Brush Cutter, a heavier action pole, also is of IM-6. Other models are 96 percent tubular graphite or fiberglass.

Line: Most pole anglers favor abrasion-resistant mono for these vertical or near-vertical tactics. The smoothness of Berkley's new IronSilk makes it a winner, while old favorites include P-Line CXX X-TRA Strong, Maxima Ultragreen, and Berkley XT. For poles rigged with small spinning reels or underspin models, flexible, easy casting lines, like Berkley Trilene XL or Stren MagnaThin are good choices.

In murky waters, many pole anglers favor hi-vis lines like Stren's High-Vis yellow or the Super Vis Mr. Crappie Line from Bass Pro Shops. In ultra-clear conditions, on the other hand, thin clear lines can mean more bites.

Fluorocarbons lines have started to catch on, though some anglers balk at their price. TripleFish Camo-Escent introduced the camo concept to line and has expanded it with Ultra Viz, with four alternating fluorescent colors providing high visibility above the surface but a camouflaged appearance underwater. Mr. Crappie line also comes in camouflaged form.