Episode 19 - JIM BARTSCHI: An Industry Icon Talks Fly Rod Design, Travel and the State of Destination Angling

Jim Bartschi is the President and head rod designer at Scott Fly Rods in Montrose, Colorado. With close to 30 years at Scott, Jim has devoted his entire career to the fly fishing industry - building and testing some of the finest rods on the planet. Jim served for two terms as a board member of the American Fly Fishing Trade Association (AFFTA) before being re-elected in 2018 to a third term. In 2019 he became the organization’s Chairman. Jim is one of the most hard-working, straightforward, and innovative individuals that we know, and this episode in one of our all-time favorites. Bartschi and Waypoints host Jim Klug discuss fly rod design and recommendations for the traveling angler, the differences between US-made fly rods and imported rods, whether lifetime rod warranties are a good thing, why fly rods break, the current role of retailers in our sport, the state of travel and destination angling in today’s world, and much more.

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