Tibor “Ted” Juracsik always loved fishing, but an unexpected meeting turned his hobby into a full-fledged career. Juracsik’s interest in the sport began when he was a child living in Budapest. After immigrating to the States in the ’50s, Juracsik worked in the tool and die trade. However, when he met Billy Pate, a Florida fisherman who was having trouble with a beat-up reel, that all changed.

“My dad told Billy that he could fix it, but only if he was taught how to fly fish in return—that’s how it all started,” explains Marianne Papa, Juracsik’s daughter, who serves as Tibor Reel Corporation’s vice president and director of marketing. The two men hit it off, leading Juracsik, a natural Mr. Fix It, to create a reel that was unparalleled in its durability and quality. Soon after, his company was born.

Over the past 41 years, Tibor Reel Corporation has become a major player in the fly-fishing world, thanks to its reputation for fine-tuned craftsmanship. From the reels’ aluminum builds to their cork drag systems, every part is American-made and designed to stand the test of time. “We keep things clean and simple,” says Papa. “My father always says, ‘The most beautiful machines have the least moving parts.’” tiborreel.com