2025 First-Class Forever Stamp - Freshwater Fishing Lures: Crankbait Lure

2025 Freshwater Fishing Lures

• Part of a set of stamps honoring the artistry and innovation behind five of America’s most popular freshwater fishing lures
• Features up-close photo of a crankbait lure

Stamp Category: Commemorative
Value: 73¢, First Class Mail Rate (Forever)
First Day of Issue: March 13, 2025
First Day City: Springfield, MO
Quantity Issued: 15,000,000
Printed by: Ashton Potter
Printing Method: Offset
Format: Panes of 20 in sheets of 160

Why the stamps were issued: One of five stamps issued to display the artistry behind some of America’s most popular fishing lures while also bringing attention to the innovations that have made them so successful for so many years.

About the stamp designs: Art director for the USPS, Greg Breeding, designed these stamps using photographs by Sarah Cramer Shields. A portrait photographer, this was her first time working with the USPS. According to one USPS representative, “As our design team would tell you, fitting subjects in such a tiny frame is no small feat. However, with their miniature size and design flourishes, fishing lures make ideal stamp subjects. Fish find each of these designs irresistible… and we think you will too.”

Shields worked closely with Breeding in creating the photographs for these stamps. She initially photographed more than 30 lures in a variety of poses, given the assignment to make them come to life, while also preventing glare. In the end, the stamps chosen for the set were Crankbait, Popper, Spoon, Spinner, and Wakebait.

First Day City: The First Day ceremony for these stamps was held at Johnny Morris’ Wonders of Wildlife National Museum & Aquarium in Springfield, Missouri.

History the stamps represent: Freshwater lures have played a pivotal role in the evolution of angling, with a rich history that stretches back more than a century. The first lures were simple, handcrafted designs intended to mimic the movement of natural prey. As fishing technology progressed, so did the innovation behind these lures, each serving a unique purpose to attract different species of fish.

The crankbait, introduced in the early 1900s, revolutionized fishing with its ability to dive to different depths and mimic the swimming motion of small fish. Crankbaits remain a favorite for catching species like bass and walleye. Meanwhile, the popper emerged as a topwater lure, utilizing its cupped mouth to create a distinctive popping sound that attracts fish to the surface. These lures are particularly effective for bass and other surface-feeding fish.

Spoon lures date back to the 1800s and were inspired by the shape of kitchen spoons. Their flash and erratic movement, created by their curved, reflective surface, imitate a distressed fish and are effective for species like trout, pike, and salmon. Similarly, spinner lures, designed in the early 1900s, feature rotating blades that produce both visual flash and vibrations, making them versatile for catching various freshwater fish. Wake bait lures, introduced mid-century, are designed to move along the water’s surface, creating a subtle disturbance to mimic a struggling fish, making them effective for predatory species like bass.

The 2025 Freshwater Fishing Lures stamps celebrate these creative and eye-catching designs, recognizing the innovation and lasting impact each has had on freshwater fishing.