This exceptional rod was built by Jason to celebrate the 20^th anniversary of his performance as the Shadow Caster in Robert Redford’s “A River Runs Through It.” But this is way more than just another fly rod put together to celebrate some memorable event in the modern history of fly fishing. This is a fishing rod, and then some. Jason’s philosophy of rod design reflects more than a desire to just build “another fly rod.” It reflects his life philosophy as well.

“Although I am perhaps known as a caster first and foremost, my rod design philosophy is tempered by the entirety of my fly-fishing life, as well as my background in the arts. To me, a fly rod is a companion on a journey comprised of angling moments. Each moment is the culmination of many actions, and I want my fly rod to feel as if it is an extension of those actions, not an anonymous stick wiggling somewhere in the middle of it all. I use my fly rod as a tool, yes, but a tool that I want to talk to me, a tool that I want to expresses me, a tool that I want to have beauty and style within a beautiful art-sport.”

“I don’t mean to anthropomorphize fly rods, but if they don’t make me feel as if they have character and can communicate with me, what’s the point of my bothering with all that is required to make them?”

And when Jason talks about bothering with all that’s required to make them, he is not talking about endless consultations with a professional designer; he is the professional designer. He specifies everything about the rod, from the mandrel taper to the modulus of the graphite cloth used in each section of the rod, to the cut of the pattern, to the color of the rod, its finish, the manufacturer of the guides, their size and placement on the rod, thread wrap color, the details of the custom reel seat, the shape and size of the cork handle, and the rod sock and tube. He even personally writes the special Haiku, rod number, and owner’s name on rod. Every detail has come under his very careful and demanding, hands-on scrutiny.

I am honored to own 01 of 20 in this series. The SC20 is truly a fisherman’s fly rod. It is extremely smooth to cast and exceptionally strong. It is also as thin as a pencil—this is a 5/6-weight we’re talking about, not a 3-weight. I have been accused more than once of pushing the limits and “torture testing” my equipment, but if a 9 foot 5/6-weight, 4 piece graphite rod is meant to be used on bright sunny days for small fish that don’t fight hard, then it’s not for me. So, I told Jason I would “break in” my SC20 on big fish. They test a rod. And that’s what I did. The first fish that I caught was on SC20-01 was a 14 pound 11 ounce female brown trout. This was the fist time I had fished the rod, and I was amazed at its accuracy and buttery feel as it punched out a size 6 Hair Leg Wooly Worm and 3/0 split shot. On the take, the rod pulled the hook home with ease and held the big brown firmly as I wrestled it to hand. Not satisfied with one big fish to initiate the rod to a lifetime of catching big fish, I then took an 11 pound male brown and a 13 pound male coho salmon with the rod. It delivered the same easy casting and powerful handling of the fish. I am absolutely delighted with Jason’s SC20, and I promise to give it a great life of extreme use.

Expect a black-onyx blank, chromed guides and keeper, black-onyx wraps with bright silver accents, a custom-made reverse half-Wells handle, and a laser-engraved nickel-silver reel seat with stabilized burl insert. A matching, laser-engraved and numbered rod tube with cloth sack is also part of the package.

If you’d like to own one of these exceptional, very limited edition rods, contact Jason here.

The SC20 is pencil thin. Jason personalizes the rod with his 5/7/5 Haiku : “Under a big sky/ Shadow cast in a rhythm/ Perfect memories. Certainly that’s the way this rod started for me.

The rod starts with a custom laser emblem on the butt of the reel seat.

The uplocking reel seat has a custom wood insert and jewel-like fittings.

The handle of highest grade cork is built on the rod one ring at time, and handle turned to shape.

The guides are wrapped with black thread tipped with silver. The coating is very precisely applied epoxy.

The running guides are “Snake Brand” snake guides made in the US to highly exacting specifications.

Jason personalizes each rod with the owner’s name and the rod number.

The high quality cloth sock is fitted to the rod and helps keep it dry and cozy.

The rod tube is not just another aluminum tube. Its textured finish makes it easy to grip when removing or inserting the rod.

Jason has paid attention to every detail. Even the cap on the rod tube is laser engraved with the rod’s name and number.

This is the first fish I caught on the SC20. Note how thin the rod looks next to this 14 pound 11 ounce female brown.

Not to let the SC20 rest on its laurels, I took this 11 pound male brown as fish number two.

Fish three on the SC20 was this 13 pound male coho. It took the fly hard and fought with true sincerity. Even so, the SC20 handled it with ease.