The KistlerStory
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Our Story

Our company was born in a Texas garage. After Trey Kistler returned home from serving in the Gulf War, he went to work with his father building fishing rods. When his dad retired, Trey decided to blaze his own trail. He decided to make an exciting life for himself, his wife and four babies. He decided to create some solid American jobs. And he decided to try and catch as many fish as possible. So he set himself to the task of making the best bass fishing rod out there. We, and Trey, wouldn’t have it any other way. If his family name is going to be on it, it’s going to be the best. Kistler products are excellent. Period. They are the most sensitive, the most responsive, the most trustworthy. When you hold one of our rods, you know you’re holding something special.

We. Love. Bass. And we love fishing. And we love the strong community that is fishing. We make rods and reels for pros, for tournament anglers, and for obsessed anglers who live to catch the most and catch the biggest, because that’s our goal, too. We don’t sit on our laurels. We are restless. There’s always a bigger fish to catch. So we push ourselves to test, innovate, and make our products and your fishing experience the very best. We build our rods in America in a small building full of new ideas and full of our Kistler family. The best design, materials, and components. The best service. The best feel and strength. Your best day on the water. As we said before, Trey wouldn’t have it any other way.

A Letter From Trey Kistler

President of Kistler Custom Fishing Rods.

First, thank you for checking out Kistler. We are a family centered company with endless drive to help you make the most out of every day you fish.

As Founder and President of Kistler, I’ve had the privilege of building and innovating fishing rods for over 28 years. I’ve learned not only the essentials of making an excellent fishing rod, but also, and most importantly, I’ve learned to stay true to our values: God, family and you, our customer. Staying true to our values has been the cornerstone of Kistler, a company obsessed with developing the most advanced bass fishing rods available.

I believe there is no better way to get something done than to do it yourself. Each Kistler Custom Rod is handcrafted in the USA, under our own roof.

We are a team and a family. When you hold a Kistler rod, you can feel the time and love that goes into each one. Innovative design, the highest quality materials and components are just a few key ingredients in our special recipe. The result? Unmatched flow, strength, and sensitivity running through each Kistler rod.

I’ve been a fisherman for over 40 years and have been building rods for almost 30. I know what sets a rod apart from the others. You can’t just let them run down a factory assembly line. The hands that build each rod must care - and truly know what a premium rod feels like. It’s more than a job. It’s passion that bleeds into each Kistler rod.

Volume is not our goal, quality is. Kistler could easily choose to have a huge warehouse full of workers, pumping out rods. But I wouldn’t feel good about putting my trusted Kistler name on rods like that. If we did it that way, you’d have your average, cookie cutter rod, mass produced with no skill, no feel, no passion or attention to detail. That’s not what I’ve chosen to do. Instead, I choose to stand behind each loyal angler that stands behind Kistler, year after year. We’ve added new, quality-ensuring steps in our build process, instead of stripping important steps out. These extra steps can been seen and felt in every cast and hook set. Taking an extra step, going the extra mile. Yes, the details matter. Our attitude is what makes Kistler a leader in the rod building industry.

We never bend what we stand for. We stand behind our beliefs. We are blessed and appreciate each one of our loyal customers. You allow us to do what we love every single day. Thank you for being a part of the Kistler family. One of my primary goals has always been to provide a company that people are proud to work for, and to make a product that people are proud to own. Living for others is the ultimate path to true happiness. That, and fishing. This is just how we choose to live.

Your fellow fisher of men, —Trey Kistler

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The Kistler Story, Pt 1

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Kistler Story, Pt. 2

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Kistler Story, Pt. 3

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Kistler Story, Pt. 4

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Kistler Story, Pt. 5