About Us

A HISTORY OF

UNPARALLELED PERFORMANCE & PASSION

WHO WE ARE

Our story didn't begin in a garage or basement as a hobby—far from it. From the start, Sandro Gatti was dedicated to crafting advanced-performance composite fly rods. His journey began with designing and making precision composite parts for renowned firearms manufacturers like Beretta. Leveraging his specialized equipment and innovative engineering, Sandro turned his passion for fly fishing into advanced fly rods that redefined performance. Performance derived in a different way…through science. Science is pure and impartial; it strips away flawed ideas and refines only the best designs validated by testing and results.

Modern high-performance fly rods are dynamic, mechanically complex tools. At Gatti, we've always believed that science—physics, applied mathematics, and engineering, confirmed by rigorous testing, is the foundation of exceptional performance. We take no shortcuts. This proven process drives everything we do. We often emphasize the phenomenal performance of our rods—for good reason. Gatti performance is tangible and unmistakable; it's something you feel instantly, and there is nothing like it.

Gatti rods are individually handmade by talented craftsmen. There is no production line.

Our shop is in the Val Trompia region of the Italian Alps.

Gatti Fly Rods are engineered by science, proven in testing,

and built with passion for uncompromising anglers.

WHY HERE - WHY NOW

The fly waters of the world are unique, yet all present the same challenges for anglers no matter what continent they’re on. Today’s anglers are deeply passionate about their sport, continually refining their skills, techniques, and strategies to enhance their experience. In North America, we recognized a void—a lack of fly rods that truly deliver the advanced performance these serious anglers seek, not just touted "hype."

It became evident that Gatti performance goes where other rods simply cannot take you. The mechanical characteristics of our rods enhance an angler’s skill and ability. This performance is science-engineered and proven on the water.

There is no “hype” with a Gatti Fly Rod, only delivered performance.

That’s why we are here now!

PERFORMANCE

Gatti performance is evolutionary, sometimes revolutionary. At Gatti, science drives everything we do, and we go where it takes us. Our rods look different because they are different. We developed our proprietary low-mass, thin-wall design almost 40 years ago and it’s still the foundation of our rods. Our design creates a symmetrical, spineless blank that's both lightweight and robust, so robust it's used across all models and weights. This spineless design ensures 360° equal axial loading/release of energy, eliminating torsional instability. The result? Superior castability, greater distance, precise line control, and pinpoint accuracy.

Patented guides virtually eliminate line friction, delivering unapparelled smoothness when hauling or shooting line.

Our proprietary number and placement of guides exploit more axial energy from our blanks, for superior line speed.

Gatti Performance is not just a claim; it's the result of our rigorous science-driven process. It's a testament to our dedication to excellence. We engineered it, tested it, and perfected it! It's ours, and there's nothing like it.

HANDMADE

Our rods are made by hand, one at a time. We craft our blanks using our exclusive process that is not shared with the public. We also have a passion for beauty, and our rods are evidence of that. Every component on a Gatti rod is ours. We buy nothing off the shelf like other rod makers. At Gatti, we never compromise; we either make it or have it made to our engineered specifications; we own it! The exotic wood we use in our reel seats is hand-selected for grain complexity and color, only 7% of those make it to a Gatti Rod.

GAIN INSIGHT

VIEW OUR RODS

Sandro Gatti

Founder

Sandro’s journey began with humble industrial roots. Known for his tireless work ethic and disciplined engineering focus, he built a company specializing in precision molds and components for European firearms manufacturers.

A passionate angler, Sandro began importing and distributing fly-fishing gear in 1984, becoming the exclusive distributor for Sage and RST fly rods in Italy. Frustrated by the performance of available fly rods, he sold his engineering company to pursue his true passion: designing and crafting remarkable high-performance fly rods.

Four decades later, his dedication remains unchanged. Sandro continues to innovate, blending science with craftsmanship to create our advanced performance fly rods. Sandro lives with his wife Miriam in Gardone Val Trompia, Italy, just couple kilometer from his workshop.

Joe Lacey

North America

Joe, like Sandro, also comes from humble beginnings. His outdoor journey began in Boy Scouts rock-climbing and was refined in Yosemite, eventually on big walls on high mountains everywhere. As Joe puts it, 'Climbing is fantastic, but my real passion is fly-fishing.'

Joe started fly-fishing at the age of nine, taught by his grandfather. His connection with Gatti began in 1998 when he acquired a Gatti blank and had a rod built. 'I never picked up another rod after that,' he says.

In 2019, after selling his unrelated business of 30 years, began a new venture with Sandro. Together, they expanded Gatti's science-driven, proprietary process to develop our next-level fly rods designed to outperform all others. 'After five years of development, engineering, and testing, we are thrilled to announce the latest iterations of Gatti Fly Rods are launching here in North America!... It's an incredibly exciting time!'

Joe lives with his lab Molly in Hayden Lake, Idaho, USA, just 8,500 kilometers from the shop.