Penn Fishing Tackle Manufacturing Company (better known simply as Penn Reels) is an iconic American fishing tackle maker founded in 1932 by German immigrant Otto Henze in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. The company quickly became known for its rugged saltwater reels, most famously the Penn Senator, which helped establish Penn’s reputation around the world. Over its long history, Penn has changed hands several times: it was acquired in 2003 by Sea Striker Inc. and Master Fishing Tackle, then in 2007 by K2 Sports, later folded into Jarden’s Pure Fishing portfolio, and eventually became part of Newell Brands before being sold in 2019 to private-equity firm Sycamore Partners as part of Pure Fishing. With all that shuffling, are any of their models still manufactured in the USA? We dug in to find out.
Verdict: Are Penn Reels Made in the USA?
Penn only makes a few of its reel styles in the U.S. – its Senator and International series are the most popular. Everything else is manufactured overseas. Those two styles account for only a small fraction of the total reels Penn produces each year.
For its American-made products, Penn mainly operates out of its Philadelphia plant, which is one of the few remaining U.S. facilities. Their American factory footprint has shrunk over the last few decades as cost pressures have forced them to go international and shut down plants across Pennsylvania.
Luckily, American made Penn reels are pretty easy to spot. Those made domestically have “Made in the USA” stamped right on the box, and their overseas products don’t use confusing language – most just state the country of origin in plain sight on the packaging.
Check out all the details below on which models are American made and some good made in the USA alternatives. Also, be sure to watch our YouTube video on how to find fishing gear made in the USA.
Popular American Made Penn Reels
- Senator
- International
Popular Penn Reels Not Made in the USA
- Jig Master
- Power Stick
- Tuna Stick
