R.L. Winston Rod Co., Inc., the maker of Winston Fly Rods, Bauer Fly Reels and Winston Polarized Sunglasses, has been acquired by an entity owned by Montana businessman and fly angler Lance Robertson.
Terms were not disclosed.
R.L. Winston Rod, based Twin Bridges, MT and founded in 1929, had been owned since 1991 by David Ondaatje, who purchased the company from Tom Morgan and others. Under Ondaatje’s stewardship, Winston increased its positioning as one of the leading manufacturers of fly rods, supported by the construction of 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 Winston Polarized Sunglasses.
“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 look forward to our stewardship of the company as those before us have done, maintaining the company as a family-owned business 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 they have ever produced, positioning the company well for a bright future,” added Robertson. “We anticipate the entire Winston team remaining with company moving forward. As part of today’s announcement, 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 Winston and Bauer President and General Manager, Andy 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 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 David will continue to serve the company as an advisor for a year after closing.”
“It has been an honor 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.”
Image of Lance Robertson and David Ondaatje (left to right) courtesy of R.L. Winston Rod Co.
