Down-East Down-Easter Bolt-On Rod Holder

The Peterson family has been manufacturing their Down-East® Fishing Rod Holders since 1946 in Lewiston, Maine. In the fall of 1946, Fritz Peterson designed and produced his first Down-Easter trolling rod holder. It was originally designed to offer fishermen a third hand while they rowed their canoe or row-boat.

With the help of Raymond Clough, who marketed the product, the Down-Easter quickly caught on as the standard rod holder for serious fishermen. After serving in the Air Force during the Korean War, Fred joined his father manufacturing the rod holders. As the years passed, a number of different mounting systems were developed while the basic mechanism remained unchanged. In 1976, Raymond Clough retired and the Petersons continued producing and selling their rod holders. In 1993, Fritz retired from the business when Steve joined his father in the family business after graduating from the University of Maine with a degree in Mechanical Engineering.

The manufacturing facility continues to operate out of its original, 2,400 square foot building. In 2000, they added a 900 square foot addition that houses their packaging, shipping and receiving, and office. At Down-East, they continue to take pride in manufacturing their Down-East Fishing Rod Holders which represent over sixty-five years of Yankee ingenuity and craftsmanship.

Down-East Sportscraft products are proudly made in America!