I’ve talked before about how much I like vintage Ross reels. The appeal is in their simplicity, burly design, and durability that holds up over time. Among my favorites is the original Colorado, a click-pawl reel that carries all the hallmarks of a classic Ross. When Ross reintroduced the Colorado in 2016, it stayed true to the click-pawl format but shifted toward a lighter, more sculpted profile. It fishes well and looks sharp, but it moved away from the simple, solid feel of earlier Ross designs.
The new Cimarron Creek brings that classic Ross feel back in a modern click-pawl. It shares visual DNA with the original Cimarron and Gunnison, with a more traditional frame profile and a finish that fits the vintage-styled rods and fishing this style of reel belongs to.
At $249, it’s the first fully machined, made-in-the-USA Ross reel under $300. For anglers who have wanted a domestic reel without stepping into higher price tiers, this opens that door.
The Cimarron Creek is available in sizes 2/3, 4/5, and 5/6, with matte finishes in Black, Olive, Blue, and Platinum. The reel is designed, machined, anodized, and assembled in Montrose, Colorado, using USA-sourced aluminum and stainless steel.
The headline feature is the click-pawl system. Ross built this around removable and replaceable pawls, with 10 possible configurations to adjust both tension and sound. Each reel includes two soft pawls installed and two stiff pawls, along with a small tool and extra screws. You can mix and match to dial in how the reel engages and how it sounds under load.
Ross takes that a step further with an open-source approach. You can download files that let you 3D print your own pawls at home. You can experiment with different materials, stiffness, and color. It adds a level of customization that you do not see in this category.
I’ve been fishing the 4/5 in Matte Olive. It is an excellent match for my Orvis Superfine Graphite 7-foot 9-inch 5-weight “Far & Fine.” The reel looks a bit chunky, and you would expect it to be on the heavy side, but it balances well at 4.5 ounces and fits the rod and the fishing it is built for.
I’ve been fishing it on my lunch break and after work in the small stream at the edge of the business park, targeting smaller brown trout that have been feeding on the spring baetis hatch, and at the local pond, where feisty rainbows have been gorging on spring chironomids. With the soft pawls installed, the feel is lighter and quieter. It works, but I swapped to the stiff pawls early and certainly prefer them. That setup gives a stronger check and a more defined sound. A few of the better rainbows made solid runs and got the reel singing. I’m looking forward to fishing it for bass and panfish this summer with topwater bugs.
While vintage in looks, it is a modern large-arbor reel, which helps with line pickup and reduces coiling compared to older designs. Tolerances are tight. Fit and finish are exactly what you expect from Ross. Everything lines up clean, with no play.
This is a simple reel. That is the point. There is not much to fail, and nothing to think about once you are fishing.
The pawls are plastic. That ties directly to the customization and the ability to print replacements. I would prefer metal for sound and long-term wear. Time on the water will tell how these hold up. The upside is that replacements are easy to carry and easy to swap with the included tool. The screws are small, so you need to pay attention if you make changes on the water.
That tradeoff comes with some upside. The open design invites experimentation. Different materials could change how the reel engages. There is room here to tune the feel to your preference.
The Cimarron Creek delivers a lot at this price. It brings back a look and feel that many anglers have missed, while adding something new with the adjustable and customizable pawl system. It fits trout and light warmwater without question and matches the tone of a click-pawl reel well.
I’ll keep fishing it and report back on long-term durability, especially around the pawl system.
