Birth of the Bass Rod

GROWING UP, FAMILY trips to the Metropolitan Museum in New York City were highlighted by the exhibits of ancient Egypt. While mummies were the big draw, I recall a pot with hieroglyphics depicting an angler on the banks of the Nile with fishing rod in hand. The value of such a tool was not lost on this ancient civilization anymore than it could be overlooked by today’s Bassmaster Elite Series competitors. Simple in concept, rods have undergone incredible changes over the years, particularly since the development of graphite as the basis of the light and powerful models we enjoy today.

Historical Perspectives

To delve into how we got to today’s high-tech rods, I examined the storied histories of several American rod companies. Each dates back many decades and represents the culmination of American ingenuity and perseverance. The fishing tackle industry began to expand rapidly after the end of World War II, as military personnel made their way home and a war-weary public looked for recreational outlets. It’s no coincidence that one of the postwar breakthroughs was a fiberglass rod called the Hurd Supercaster, hitting the market in late 1945. As the story goes, the U.S. Army had decommissioned Sherman tanks, making their fiberglass radio