Reel Review: Ross Colorado LT
Here’s the Ross Colorado LT family of reels – three in all – in a nutshell: large arbor, under three ounces (that’s for the largest model in the family) and, quite impressively, only 15 parts. This reel is as bare bones as you can get. Just out of the box, what struck me most is how much aluminum is machined out of this reel.
During the conception phase of the LT, Ross was undoubtedly thinking “less is more,” which is very admirable when you consider the current oversupply of overdesigned and overbuilt reels. Anyone who appreciates lightweight, streamlined reels would be doing themselves a disservice by not taking a good look at Ross’s latest offering.
Even though the reel is clearly made for stalking light- to mid-weight fish, it’s cleverly designed and built to withstand some punishment. Cosmetically, the anodize is top grade. Perhaps more importantly, the Colorado LT sports a clean, foolproof palming surface and a drag mechanism that is a thing of beauty: an impressively well thought-out little gem that you’ll instinctively feel will be trouble-free.
I fished the reel for three full days. The fluidity (and sound) of the preset/non-adjustable click system is at home in small to medium water. I combined the reel with several rods and found that it partnered best with lighter rods (coupled with an RL Winston Boron III LS, it turned out to be one the finest matches I’ve ever fished). This reel is smooth and simple and boasts a great list (included below) of unique touches that make it a standout in its category. Also noteworthy: there isn’t a plastic part to be found on this reel. It’s 100% metal. Ross promo literature sums it up well when they state, “… when you are able to focus on everything except your equipment.”
The Colorado LT comes with a lifetime warranty. Highly recommended.
The specs:
WEIGHT
All models less than 3.0 oz
FRAME/SPOOL MATERIAL
6061-T6 proprietary aluminum alloy
HANDLE MATERIAL
Machined canvas phenolic rod, resting on a 7075-T6 chromated aluminum post for increased grip and reduced weight, eliminating the need for a counter-weight
DRAG MECHANISM
All metal click/pawl mechanism with a stainless steel pawl, gear, and spring
SPOOL ROTATION, CONNECTION AND CONVERSION
Machined marine-grade bronze bushing which rotates on a stainless steel spindle, quick release spool, with easy left-hand to right-hand retrieve conversion
FISHING APPLICATION
Designed for use in all freshwater and warmwater fishing environments
FLY LINE COVERAGE
0-weight to 5-weight.
