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Lewiston Today
By the People, for the People
Maine-Made Fishing Rod Holder Remains Unchanged Since 1946
The Down-East Sportscraft D-11 model has been manufactured in Lewiston, Maine for over 75 years.
Apr. 9, 2026 at 6:37am
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The iconic Down-East Trolling Fishing Rod Holder, manufactured in Lewiston, Maine for over 75 years, has become a pop art symbol of the region's enduring craftsmanship.Lewiston TodayThe Down-East Trolling Fishing Rod Holder, first developed in 1946 by Fritz Peterson and Raymond Clough, continues to be produced in Lewiston, Maine by the Peterson family. The iconic rod holder design has remained largely unchanged over the decades, with the business now in its fourth generation of family ownership.
Why it matters
In an era of globalization and outsourcing, the continued local manufacturing of this classic fishing accessory in Maine represents the enduring value of quality craftsmanship, family-owned businesses, and the preservation of traditional regional industries.
The details
Fritz Peterson, a Swedish immigrant, founded Peterson's Garage and Machine Shop in Lewiston in the 1920s. In 1946, he teamed up with Raymond Clough to develop the Down-East Trolling Fishing Rod Holder, which they began manufacturing and marketing. After Clough's retirement in 1972, Peterson took full ownership and the business has remained in the Peterson family ever since. Today, Fritz's grandson Steve Peterson runs the company, using many of the same machines and techniques that were employed decades ago to produce the rod holders.
- The Down-East Trolling Fishing Rod Holder was first developed in 1946.
- In 1972, Fritz Peterson bought out his business partner Raymond Clough and took full ownership of the company.
- The business is now in its fourth generation of family ownership, with Steve Peterson, Fritz's grandson, running the company today.
The players
Fritz Peterson
The founder of Peterson's Garage and Machine Shop in Lewiston, Maine, who teamed up with Raymond Clough in 1946 to develop the iconic Down-East Trolling Fishing Rod Holder.
Raymond Clough
Fritz Peterson's business partner who helped develop and market the Down-East Trolling Fishing Rod Holder, before retiring in 1972.
Steve Peterson
The current owner of Down-East Sportscraft and the grandson of founder Fritz Peterson, continuing the family's legacy of manufacturing the same rod holder design for over 75 years.
What they’re saying
“I felt like I was transported back to the turn of the century, seeing the old machines, smelling the smell of oil and metal, and watching the belts and levers turn.”
— Lynn Sommers, Author
The takeaway
The continued local manufacturing of the Down-East Trolling Fishing Rod Holder in Lewiston, Maine by four generations of the Peterson family is a testament to the enduring value of quality craftsmanship, family-owned businesses, and the preservation of traditional regional industries in the face of globalization.
