You can't be an angler long without knowing about Shakespeare’s
Ugly Stik.

The fishing rod,
introduced in 1976,
is the world's best-seller.

It's hardly been changed
in those 37 years.

Um, are you sitting down?

Shakespeare is introducing a new version, the Ugly Stik GX2, replacing the old version, in September.

The rod is supposed to feature all the great qualities of the original, but with a modern look and some key upgrades.

Newly designed stainless-steel guides that are one-piece, with no pop-out inserts, is one of the main upgrades.

The familiar red and yellow basket weave at the grip and red and yellow pin stripes over black guide wraps are gone.

But the new look, black with red and silver accents, is sleek and modern looking.

The clear tip, the rod’s namesake, remains.

The tip is clear fiberglass, while the rest of the rod is black graphite.

The idea is that the tip is flexible, for sensitivity, but strong.

The company, when the original rod was introduced, was worried about the strange-looking tip.

But thoughtful marketing, including the name Ugly Stik, made the tip an advantage for sales.

The economical price will also remain, like the original.  

The Ugly Stik GX2 will be available in different models, for different types of reels and fishing, like the original.

The Ugly Stik arguably became such a favorite because of price and durability.

Let’s hope this new version will be similar or better.

For more info, visit Shakespeare’s Ugly Stik Web site.