Ugly Stik

Ugly Stik is a subsidiary company of Shakespeare, a fishing equipment retail company. Ugly Stik is primarily known for its fishing rods. Shakespeare, originally called William Shakespeare Jr. Company, was founded by William Shakespeare Jr. in 1897 in Kalamazoo, Michigan. The William Shakespeare Jr. Company changed its name to Shakespeare in 1915, then moved its base of operations to Columbia, South Carolina in 1970. In 1976, Shakespeare introduced the Ugly Stik rod.

About
The Ugly Stik rod gained popularity due to its distinctive construction method. Shakespeare employed the Howald process, initially introduced with the "Wonderod" in 1947, an innovation by Dr. Arthur M. Howald. This process transformed Shakespeare's rod-building techniques and was later utilized in crafting the first Ugly Stik rods. The approach involved incorporating an internal spiral fiberglass core and parallel glass fibers infused with pigmented polyester resin, which were then layered with tape and cured in an oven. Subsequently, high-pressure water jets removed the tape. Although the contemporary Ugly Stik rods still utilize the Howald process, they have undergone adjustments in materials and techniques to accommodate technological advancements since 1976. The modern Ugly Stik rods, thanks to the Howald Process, exhibit both strength and flexibility, enabling them to be bent into a circle without breaking. The construction methodology yields a product that is robust yet pliable. The incorporation of graphite within the fiberglass wraps further enhances sensitivity, offering anglers the necessary strength, stiffness, and responsiveness for effective fishing.

Ugly Stik got its name from the "ugly" appearance of their first rods. The first Ugly Stik rods were very large, featured metal handles, the graphite color showed through the blank, and the wraps were black with white pinstripes. Over the years, the appearance of Ugly Stik rods evolved into the now recognizable “red and yellow basket weave” design near the handle, a shiny jet-black finish, and a clear tip.

Shakespeare did not just manufacture fishing tackle. During World War I, their “factory was converted to manufacture mortar fuses and automobile carburetors”. In World War II, Shakespeare manufactured controls for tanks, automobiles, and aircraft. “Shakespeare also manufactured the first fiberglass radio antennas, golf club shafts, pool cues, archery equipment, and numerous industrial materials”. From 1968 to 1986, Shakespeare manufactured trolling motors. Today, Shakespeare also sells non-fishing related Ugly Stik products, such as car decals, hats, glasses, and clothing.