Shakespeare

Founded in 1897 in Kalamazoo, Michigan, Shakespeare is one of the long-established names in American fishing tackle. Its founder, William Shakespeare Jr., quickly gained recognition for his reel innovations, particularly the development of the level-wind system, which helped distribute line more evenly across the spool during retrieval.

Over the decades, Shakespeare continued to develop its fly rods, predator rods, carp rods and fishing reels. Models such as the Marhoff and later the famous Wondereel, which featured a system designed to reduce line overruns during casting as early as 1939, reflect the brand’s aim of making fishing easier for anglers. That philosophy remains central today: producing practical, straightforward tackle that is accessible to anglers with different levels of experience.

The brand also places real emphasis on introducing newcomers to fishing through its Shakespeare predator fishing combos for children and beginners. More than 125 years after it was founded, Shakespeare continues to follow a simple principle: make fishing easier to discover and enjoyable enough to encourage anglers to get back on the bank as soon as possible.