Foundation — 1937

The origins of Berkley date back to the Great Depression. In 1937, at the age of 16, Berkley Bedell began manufacturing and selling hand-tied fishing flies from his home in Spirit Lake, Iowa. Early products reportedly utilised inexpensive materials such as dog hair and chicken feathers. Initially operating under the name Berkley Fly Co., the business supplied local tackle shops, with Bedell’s brother Jack becoming the first employee.

Post-war expansion

Following his service in the U.S. Army Air Forces during World War II, Bedell formally established Berkley & Company in 1945. The company initially focused on fishing accessories like nylon-coated wire leaders before expanding into more sophisticated tackle. This era established a long-standing pattern of developing products designed to solve practical problems encountered by anglers.

Trilene — 1959

A pivotal moment in the brand’s history occurred in 1959 with the introduction of Trilone, a monofilament fishing line. Trilene became a signature product that helped establish Berkley as a major manufacturer of fishing line. Throughout the 1960s, the company expanded its range to include fishing rods and other tackle, while the 1970s saw the development of international markets.

Rather than remaining solely a fishing-line manufacturer, Berkley developed a comprehensive portfolio of angling equipment. Its current product categories include:

• Monofilament fishing line
• Fluorocarbon line
• Braided fishing line
• Fishing rods
• Fishing reels
• Artificial lures
• Soft-plastic baits
• Fishing hooks
• Leaders and swivels
• Fishing tools
• Tackle-storage products
• Fishing accessories

Trademark registrations for the brand cover a wide array of goods including rods, reels, lines, artificial lures, packaged baits, hooks, leaders, tackle boxes, and related equipment.

Trilene

Trilene is historically the most significant product family for Berkley. Originally launched as a monofilament fishing line, it played a crucial role in transitioning the company from a small American tackle maker to a leading global fishing-line brand.

PowerBait

PowerBait represents a major innovation in scented and flavoured soft fishing baits. Designed to attract fish and encourage them to hold onto the bait longer, PowerBait became one of Berkley’s most recognisable consumer brands and cemented its reputation in artificial-bait technology.

Gulp!

Distinct from conventional rubber-like soft plastics, Gulp! products utilise proprietary formulations designed to release attractants into the surrounding water. This product family is particularly prominent among anglers targeting bass, walleye, trout, saltwater species, and panfish.

Soft plastics and specialty lures

Berkley produces extensive ranges of soft-plastic fishing lures, including worms, creature baits, swimbaits, minnows, and other species-specific designs. This category places the brand in direct competition with both specialist lure manufacturers and other major fishing-tackle companies.

Throughout its history, Berkley has operated under various corporate structures. The original business eventually evolved into the Outdoor Technologies Group, and in 2000, it became part of Pure Fishing. Despite changes in corporate ownership, the Berkley brand identity has remained distinct.

In 2007, Pure Fishing was acquired by Jarden Corporation, which subsequently merged with Newell Rubbermaid to form Newell Brands. Between 2018 and 2019, Newell Brands sold Pure Fishing to Sycamore Partners, a private-equity firm. Consequently, Berkley currently operates as a brand within Pure Fishing rather than as an independent publicly traded entity.

Corporate structure

The simplified ownership chain is as follows:

Berkley
↓
Pure Fishing
↓
Sycamore Partners

It is important to note that Berkley (the fishing tackle brand) is entirely unrelated to W. R. Berkley Corporation, a large American insurance group. These are separate entities operating in different industries.

Berkley’s identity is closely tied to practical fishing performance and product innovation. Historically competing across a broad spectrum of fishing categories rather than positioning itself exclusively as a luxury maker, the brand appeals to both casual recreational anglers and experienced sport fishermen. Its market appeal is generally characterised by a combination of innovation, accessibility, wide product selection, and fishing-specific technology. The brand’s longevity, dating back to hand-tied flies in 1937, remains a core component of its identity.

Berkley holds a significant position in the global fishing-tackle market, largely due to its breadth of products. By participating in numerous aspects of an angler’s setup—from lines and hooks to lures, bait, and rods—the brand serves diverse fishing techniques and target species. Products are commonly associated with:

• Bass fishing
• Trout fishing
• Walleye fishing
• Panfish
• Saltwater fishing
• Catfish
• Pike and muskie
• General freshwater fishing

As one of several major brands within Pure Fishing, Berkley benefits from a vast corporate distribution and manufacturing network while maintaining its individual brand identity. Pure Fishing’s portfolio encompasses numerous established names in the industry, allowing for comprehensive coverage of fishing lines, rods, reels, lures, and accessories.

The Berkley logo traditionally features the word BERKLEY in a bold, distinctive typeface, often incorporated into an oval-shaped design element. This visual identity is deliberately straightforward and highly recognisable in retail environments. The oval logo has been protected through trademark registrations covering fishing equipment and related goods.

Berkley Bedell was both an entrepreneur and an American politician. He began his business career at the age of 16, growing a small fly-making operation into a substantial tackle manufacturer. Although Bedell later served in the U.S. House of Representatives, the fishing company he founded continued to develop after he stepped away from day-to-day leadership. His entrepreneurial philosophy remains integral to the company’s historical narrative.

To avoid confusion, it is necessary to distinguish between the two unrelated entities sharing the Berkley name:

Berkley fishing

• Product: Fishing tackle
• Founded: 1937
• Founder: Berkley Bedell
• Parent: Pure Fishing
• Industry: Outdoor recreation / fishing

W. R. Berkley

• Product: Insurance
• Founded: 1967
• Founder: William R. Berkley
• Headquarters: Greenwich, Connecticut
• Industry: Insurance / financial services

W. R. Berkley Corporation describes “Berkley” as its network of 60 specialised insurance businesses. Therefore, references to fishing gear pertain strictly to the Berkley/Pure Fishing brand.

Berkley’s historical significance lies in its transformation from a small Iowa fly-making business into a major international tackle brand. Three key developments define this legacy:

1. 1937: Berkley Bedell begins making fishing flies.
2. 1959: Trilene establishes Berkley as a premier fishing-line manufacturer.
3. Later decades: Expansion into rods, reels, artificial lures, soft plastics, and technologically advanced baits.

Today, the Berkley name remains highly recognisable among anglers, combining a history dating back to the 1930s with a comprehensive contemporary product portfolio.

1. Berkley (fishing)