Shakespeare’s fishing rod business, led by the company’s signature Ugly Stik, continued to reign as a market leader in the years leading up to the name change. The rods made by Shakespeare cover multi-disciplines of fishing with casting rods, coarse rods, fly rods, poles, specimen rods and spinning rods. These rods all in term offer different specifications of weight, action, power and length that help cater to the anglers needs. For example, the Omni range offers match anglers a great, long lasting rod, made of three sections and a cord handle.
The Agility range of reels features anodized aluminium spool which is perfect for long range casting. Many of the reels fit both saltwater and freshwater like the Beta, Omni and Crpry series. We spoke with senior editor and lifetime angler Grant Clauser about his preferences for tackle storage.
This would be a go-to option for a host of surf species when the waves and weather are conducive to lighter class fishing rods. Such longevity in the ridiculously competitive angling market suggests Shakespeare fishing rods have been getting it right, and probably from inception. When rinsing a reel, first tighten the drag, sealing it so that water doesn’t work into the washers.
are an American classic and deserves its high regard in both affordability and functionality in the world of freshwater rods. The line of Ugly Stik that was introduced in 1976 now includes the Ugly Stik Junior kits as well as the Ugly Stik Tiger units. In 1999, Ugly Stik became the first and only 100% graphite rod, to be offered on the market and the success from that name alone makes Shakespeare a living legend, in the world of freshwater fishing.
The rod’s material, flexibility, sensitivity, and line-guide construction all make a difference in how well the rod will perform and last. Anthony Industries continued with its acquisition campaign after purchasing Shakespeare, adding both recreational and industrial businesses to its operations. The most important of the acquisitions to follow was the company’s acquisition of ski manufacturer K2 Corporation in 1985, precipitating the name change of Anthony Industries to K2 Inc. a decade later. In the years leading up to the name change, company executives paid a great deal of attention to the development of the K2 brand and to targeting other acquisitions that increased Anthony Industries’ presence in recreational and industrial markets.
It’s because of their rock bottom pricing that I thought it best to go into some Shakespeare history, however brief. Some anglers are put off by the lowest of entry point pricing believing the quality simply can’t be there. Without going into the specific mission statement and marketing objectives of Shakespeare, they appear to be, for all intent and purpose, a name for shakespeare fishing the average angler and weekend dangler. While rated over 10kg, and indeed heavy, there are many brands that offer all the power without compromising action and sensitivity. The list of fishing names may surprise a few of you who may have believed their favorite fishing name was fiercely independent. There is a 9-foot version of the same rod which is pretty cool too.
The amount of tackle carried to the boat, watering hole, or river will vary depending on what kind of fishing you’re doing. But to keep things flexible and give yourself room to grow and try out different environments, we think investing in a simple yet multipurpose tackle bag is a good place to start. If you know you want something stiffer for doing more lure fishing, the Ugly Stik Elite series is a good bet.
It’s also home to a whole host of one-of-a-kind items made with love and extraordinary care. While many of the items on Etsy are handmade, you’ll also find craft supplies, digital items, and more. And competing against each other under the same corporate umbrella ensures the angling consumer is assured, at the very least, a modicum of genuine quality, not just marketing hype. Later, I’ll provide the specs for one of the models, but consider this a review of the Inshore Select spin range.
While componentry is a little lackluster, this is a light and versatile graphite rod, with plenty of power for dealing with the majority of the shoreside species you’re likely to target or encounter. It’s very light to hold (especially paired with an ultralight reel) and easy to extract peak casting. It is sensitive enough to feel a timid bite while holding all the grunt you need when a stripy takes a small live bait.