The PEETZ Book | A Reel for All Time

Douglas F.W. Pollard tells the history of PEETZ, a remarkable company whose name is has been synonymous with the West Coast fishery, from California to Alaska.

This 128-page book traces the evolution of sports fishing for salmon in the legendary waters off Vancouver Island. Pollard's narrative shows how the fortunes of the company, Canada's most successful tackle maker, are tied to the fortunes of fishery.

Boris C. Peetz, a Russian-born silversmith, arrived in Victoria, BC in 1911 and built his first reels a decade later.

By 1935 the BC PEETZ Manufacturing Company had fishing reels and swivels as its main line of business. The company diversified into tackle and whole-cane rods, but it was their handmade wood and brass PEETZ fishing reels that became North American classics. The tough, uncomplicated design of PEETZ reel has enabled it to stand the test of time...