Our Roots

Tom had never built a rod when he purchased R.L. Winston in 1973, but over the course of 45 years, he became an icon in the fly fishing industry.  Quite simply, Tom worked tirelessly in pursuit of building the perfect rod.

Evolution

Tom Morgan Rodsmiths evolved from a dream of Tom's while owning the R. L. Winston Rod Company from 1973 to 1991.  He always wanted to build a limited number of superior graphite rods for appreciative anglers. Rods not limited by cost or materials. Rods he would fine-tune until their actions were perfect. He chose graphite as the material for these rods because it has all the characteristics necessary to make a wonderful fishing rod. It is strong, lightweight, durable, sensitive, and efficient.

A Beautiful Partnership

Tom Morgan Rodsmiths evolved from a dream of Tom's while owning the R. L. Winston Rod Company from 1973 to 1991. He always wanted to build a limited number of superior graphite rods for appreciative anglers. Rods not limited by cost or materials. Rods he would fine-tune until their actions were perfect. He chose graphite as the material for these rods because it has all the characteristics necessary to make a wonderful fishing rod. It is strong, lightweight, durable, sensitive, and efficient.

The Highest Quality

While other rod companies chased a demand for stiffer and stiffer rods, Tom worked hard to keep the same progressive action that he developed while at Winston. His rods possessed a smoothness and the light, lively feeling so prized by anglers worldwide. He sought designs that emphasized continuous taper blanks with a commitment to the importance of a sensitive tip. He added the best components he could find from a carefully chosen group of suppliers committed to making the very highest quality products. To this mix he added a unique commitment to traditional design and fine craftsmanship; it is true that the whole of a finished Morgan rod is truly greater than the sum of its parts.

A New Chapter

Now there is another exciting chapter in the Tom Morgan Rodsmiths story. Tom and Gerri sold the company to Joel Doub, a life-long fisherman committed to the preservation of the Morgan legacy. He moved his family to Bozeman to carry the torch, and is honored to be steward of the company as Tom and Gerri envisioned it. As such, TMR will remain a small company, and will continue to provide the unprecedented quality the brand is known for.

Sadly, Tom passed away on Monday, June 12th, 2017 of pneumonia. While he is no longer with us, his legacy in rod design will touch anglers for generations to come.