Shawn Combs to Join Scott Fly Rods
Imagine taking the lead design forces behind Martin Guitars and Taylor Guitars, and seeing what happens…
Shawn Combs, formerly the Director of Product Design and Development for The Orvis Company, will join The Scott Fly Rod Company as Vice President, starting early next year.
The move effectively combines two of the leading-edge fly rod design powerhouses–Combs, who spearheaded “Helios” design efforts for Orvis, and Scott President Jim Bartschi, who developed “Centric,” “Sector” and the newly-launched “GT” series for Scott–under one roof. Combs and his family will relocate to Montrose, Colorado, home of Scott Fly Rods.
It’s a potential tour de force.
“Imagine taking the lead design forces behind Martin Guitars and Taylor Guitars, and seeing what happens… I’d want to play whatever guitars they come up with,” said Kirk Deeter, editor of Angling Trade. “You can be sure this will up the bar significantly when it comes to fly rod design, manufacturing and marketing. Frankly, I think it’s some of the best news in the fly-fishing industry in 2025, which has been a year of disappointment on many fronts. This will for darn sure be good news to cap off the year for fly shops.” (Scott only sells rods through select dealers, e.g. independent fly shops.)
“And I’d add that a tremendous opportunity now arises for someone at Orvis, which I have no doubt will attract the right talent and move on successfully as well,” says Deeter.
Here’s the announcement from Scott Fly Rods.
Scott Fly Rod Company Welcomes Shawn Combs as Vice President
MONTROSE, CO (December 15, 2025)–The Scott Fly Rod Company is pleased to announce that Shawn Combs will join the Scott team as Vice President in January 2026.
“Shawn is a lifelong angler with finely honed skills and a proven track record in fly-fishing product design,” said Scott President Jim Bartschi. “His passion for innovation, quality, and team building is a perfect fit to help carry on Scott’s fifty-year legacy of handcrafting high-performance fly rods. I’m thrilled to welcome Shawn to the Scott family and the opportunity to work with him and the rest of the team on writing the next chapters of the Scott story.”
After earning his master’s degree in mechanical engineering, Shawn Combs spent a decade in engineering roles with industry leaders including ExxonMobil and Lockheed Martin. In 2011, he joined The Orvis Company in Vermont as a Product Developer for fly rods and reels, and he has served as Director of Product Design and Development since 2014.
Combs added, “I am beyond excited to join Scott Fly Rod Company to work alongside Jim and team. Having grown up fishing Scott rods, I am honored to contribute to the legacy of handcrafting rods that, in my view, embody innovation and soul like no other.”
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