The Fin-Nor fishing brand name is synonymous with class and style, and they've broken ground in more ways than one over their long history. It was Fin-Nor that built the first saltwater-worthy big game fishing reel back in 1936 for serious deep sea sport fishing enthusiasts, and they haven't looked back.
It was Fredrick Martin Grieten, operator of the Finley-Norwood machine shop in Miami, Florida, who was able to design and build saltwater fishing reels that could stand up to the incredible species that called those waters home. When Grieten applied for the first patent of a Fin-Nor reel, he may not have known the history he was about to make. But then the world records began to fall.
Early Days of Fin-Nor
If you've ever been spooled by a big fish—freshwater or saltwater—then you can understand the grief that post-Great Depression era charter captains went through to get their clients on a fish and keep them on it. Truly capable big game fishing tackle for the saltwater experience was hard to come by at the time Fin-Nor first broke onto the scene. With Fin-Nor's products, species such as marlin, tuna, and swordfish were no longer just a dream, but were now a realistic target, thanks to improved drag performance and attention to big reel detail.
Fin-Nor currently markets and sells three versions of its gold label Marquesa reels under the Fin-Nor name: the Pelagic Lever Drag, the Lever Drag, and the Lever Drag 2-Speed. Interestingly, Fin-Nor does have a line of spinning reels, but they are currently only offered through second party outlets such as Tackle Direct and Amazon. The brand's ownership team at Pure Fishing recently told me that the entire Fin-Nor spinning reel line is being redone, and will debut in 2023.
Fin-Nor Sunglasses
Fin-Nor
Launching a new line of performance sunglasses may seem like a standard thing for a brand that has been selling them to anglers for so long, but as Fin-Nor president Dave Bulthuis said, "With more than 100 years of combined experience in cutting-edge lens and frame technology, the Fin-Nor team is committed to maintaining the spirit of discovery that is foundational to this brand."
All of the Fin-Nor brand sunglasses feature the breakthrough Lateral Line Lens Technology which enhances the user's vision with distortion-free color.
One of their newest models for the upcoming season is the North Drop, which was recently featured in the ICAST 2022 New Product Showcase. It has a unique hydrophobic coating which is present on both sides of the lens and makes it a cut above the traditional glasses on the market. The North Drop is only one of 20 styles in Fin-Nor's line of sunglasses which come in many colors and lens options to match both personal preferences and specific fishing needs.
This is how a brand name outdoor gear manufacturing company gets the "iconic" label. They've built precision reels and eyewear that not only perform, but last and last. Fin-Nor is helping the fishing industry with maintained focus and commitment to excellence for many years to come.
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