Iconic US fly brand sold to home town businessman

One of North America’s most iconic fly fishing rod and reel makers has been sold to a local businessman who has pledged to maintain the traditions of the business.

R. L. Winston Rods – owner of Bauer Fly Reels and Winston Polarised Sunglasses – has been acquired by Lance Robertson, a long-time business leader, engineer and passionate fly fisherman based in the company’s home town of Twin Bridges, Montana.

“My family and I are excited to have the opportunity to be part of the Winston family,” said Robertson. “We look forward to helping people enjoy their outdoor pursuits and build cherished memories through great products.

“We also look forward to our stewardship of the company as those before us have done, maintaining it as a family-owned concern since its founding. We are focused on maintaining the innovative spirit of the company and products of the highest quality. In addition, we will be purposeful in engaging our customers early in our tenure to understand how best the company can serve their needs in the future.”

“The R.L. Winston Rod Company has a compelling team in place, delivering among the best rods and reels it has ever produced, positioning it well for a bright future,” added Robertson. “We anticipate the entire Winston team remaining moving forward. I would like to share that Andy Wunsch, General Manager, will continue with the company in the role of President & General Manager.”

“I am really excited about the future for Winston,” said Wunsch. “Having been here for almost two years, we have an amazing team that takes great pride in their work. We look forward to continuing building outstanding products to be sold by the finest retailers in the world.

“I also want to thank David Ondaatje for his many years of leadership at R.L. Winston and the great pride he has maintained in the company and its products over his long tenure,” said Robertson. “We are pleased that he will continue to serve the company as an advisor for a year after closing.”

“It has been an honour to have been involved with Winston for more than three decades, and to have worked with outstanding people committed to making the world’s best fly rods every day,” said Ondaatje. “Under Lance, I look forward to celebrating Winston’s industry leadership and success in the years to come. Mostly, I want to say thank you for making my time with Winston the most fulfilling professional experience of my life.

“It’s a rare thing to get to say you’re involved with a company that makes the best product of its kind in the world. I’ve been lucky enough to do that for 35 years.”

Winston has been based in Montana since shortly after Tom Morgan purchased the business from Doug Merrick in the 1970s. Ondaatje bought the company from Morgan and others in 1991 and has grown its reputation as one of the leading manufacturers of fly rods.

It took greater control over the quality and design of its operations when it built a fully integrated rod manufacturing facility in Twin Bridges in 1995. In 2016, Winston acquired Bauer Fly Reels from Jon Bauer, and in 2024 launched its new line of Winston Polarised Sunglasses.

Winston sells its award-winning deep green fly rods under the popular Winston AIR 2  and PURE 2 fly rod lines, Bauer SLT, RX and RVR fly reels, and now polarised sunglasses to fly shops across countries and regions that include the USA, Canada, Europe, Japan, Scandinavia and South America.

Winston rods have long been celebrated for their beauty and distinctive smooth casting action known as the ‘Winston Action.’ It also continues to make a limited number of bamboo rods each year in a dedicated bamboo building in Twin Bridges, continuing a tradition since the company was created by Lew Stoner and Robert Winther in San Francisco in 1929.

Main picture: Lance Roberston (left) and David Ondaatje.