Penn Fishing Reels

A Brief History of Penn Fishing Reels

     The Penn fishing Reels Company was founded in the year 1932 by Otto Henze. Ever since its inception Penn fishing reels have been able to gain wide acceptance amongst anglers for its superior quality and till today it continues to be amongst the forefront of modern fishing reels design.

     The History of Penn fishing reels may be related way back to the year 1922 when Mr. Otto Henze, a resident of Germany came to United States at the age of 25 years. To start with his career, he joined The Oceans City Reels Company of Philadelphia as a machinist and gained the initial knowledge of manufacturing fishing reels from there.

     From his initial career days, he had high inspirations of owning a fishing reel company and this aspiration was later fuelled and inspired by the fishing exploits of Zane Grey. After gaining complete knowledge and confidence, Otto Henze resigned from Ocean City Reels Company and started his own fishing reel company in the year 1932 in Philadelphia, under the name of Penn Fishing Tackle Manufacturing Company.

     The first reels produced by this company in the year 1932 were named MOD F and MOD K. In the year 1933, these reels were made available to the general public under the name Sea Hawk and Bayside respectively. Miller Auto Supply Company of Harrisburg, Pennsylvania was the first recorded buyer of Penn fishing reels in the year 1933.

     Further doubling the variety of reels on offer, in the year 1934, Mr. Otto Henze started naming his reels on the seaside communities of the Pacific and Atlantic coasts. Focusing on ‘Saltwater fishing’, the Penn fishing reels started getting recognition as a reputed brand in fishing reels. With Penn ‘Senator’ in 1936 and Penn ‘Squidder’ in 1938, Penn reels started making world records in fish catches around the world.

     Otto Henze however met with sudden death in the year 1948, when his equally ambitious and capable wife, Martha took the charge of running the Company under her able Presidential abilities. Under her innovative management skills, Penn not only prospered but grew around the world. Currently Penn fishing reels are recognized as one of the most reputed brand of fishing reels available in the current market.

     In the year 2003, Penn Fishing Reels Company was sold to Sea Striker Inc. of Morehead, North Carolina and Master Fishing Tackle of Carson, California. Finally in the year 2007, it was sold to K-2 Incorporated. With over 1400 world records in the IGFA to its credit, Penn fishing reels celebrates a unique place in Saltwater Fishing reels. Its torque reel was also named as the America Sport fishing Association’s Saltwater Reel of the Year in the year 2006.

     This interesting History of Penn Fishing reels and the unmatchable quality and superior service to the customers has indeed gone a long way in making the Penn fishing reels one of the market’s leading brands in fishing.