A Fifth Generation Legacy
I’m Joseph Kennedy Fisher V, though most people know me as Ken.
When I was eight years old, I continued the family tradition and built my first fly rod, which started my mentorship in the art and learning that every rod should be built with care and purpose.
I’m the fifth generation of the Fisher family to build upon a legacy that began in 1922, when my great-great-grandfather, Joseph Kennedy Fisher, founded the family business after his handmade fishing lures gained a reputation for consistently out-fishing everything else on the Santa Monica Pier. What started as a small tackle company grew into J. Kennedy Fisher, Inc., one of the pioneers in composite fishing rods and blanks.
Over the decades, the Fisher family helped shape the evolution of modern composites. We were among the innovators who advanced fiberglass and graphite rod manufacturing and became well known for producing premium fly rod blanks that were used by many of the most respected names in the fly fishing industry. We were also the first to bring the world Spigot ferrules, which had a noticeable performance advantage, and arguably still does.
Growing up, I had the privilege of learning directly from my father, Joseph Kennedy Fisher IV (also Ken) all the tricks of the trade handling and working with composite materials, learning how to work with people and advance innovation from my Grandpa Joe(nicest guy in the fly rod industry), and how to run complex operations from my Uncle Jim. Some kids spent summers at baseball practice; I spent mine at the shop, learning the art of manufacturing with composite materials, how blanks were rolled, and why quality could never be compromised.
Before the original company closed in the 1990s, my father had already established his own composites business, focusing on advanced composite products outside the fishing industry. I continued working alongside him throughout my teenage years, developing the skills and craftsmanship that would become the foundation of my own career.
After college, life took me beyond composites and the fishing industry.
Over the past two decades, I’ve been fortunate to work on some remarkable engineering challenges. My career has included reverse engineering turbine engines, developing advanced medical devices, and creating microfluidic technologies capable of growing human organ models for pharmaceutical research. Those experiences deepened my understanding of precision engineering, manufacturing, materials science, and product development.
I returned to composite tube manufacturing several years ago by building specialized composite tubing for a variety of demanding applications. Every project reinforced the same principles I learned growing up: exceptional products come from thoughtful engineering, uncompromising quality, and pride in your craftsmanship.
But throughout every stage of my career, there was one goal I never let go of.
I always wanted to bring the Fisher name back to fly fishing.
The opportunity to continue my family’s legacy isn’t something I take lightly. It’s an incredible responsibility and an even greater privilege. More than one hundred years after my great-great-grandfather started this journey, I’m honored to write the next chapter.
In 2026, J. Kennedy Fisher returns to the fly rod market with the same commitment that has defined our family for generations: innovative design, exceptional craftsmanship, and products built to perform on the water.
Our mission isn’t simply to recreate the rods of the past. It’s to build the rods the Fisher family would create today—combining over a century of knowledge with modern materials, engineering, and manufacturing techniques. We’ll be offering both premium finished fly rods and blanks for rod builders who appreciate the art of creating something uniquely their own.
Outside the shop, my family and I spend as much time outdoors as we can. Whether we’re fly fishing, hunting, shooting archery, mountain biking, trail running, hiking, adventure motorcycling, or boating, we believe the best memories are made outside. Those experiences remind us why we build these rods in the first place. They’re not simply tools—they become part of adventures, traditions, and stories that are passed from one generation to the next.
That has always been the Fisher way.
We’re honored to carry our family’s name forward, and we look forward to helping create memories on the water for generations to come.
