Bozeman RS325 Fly Reel Review

Jan 31, 2015 · 2 min read

We no longer carry the Bozeman RS325. Check out our full lineup of Fly Fishing Reels for current options.

Black anodized Bozeman RS325 fly reel, large-arbor ventilated spool with white fly line, machined aluminum finish

This job is a lot of fun. We get to try out a lot of exciting new gear, and this is certainly one of them. Design, built, tested in Montana, Bozeman reel was born in trout country. We love innovation in the fly fishing world, and we were excited to test a reel from one of the newest manufacturers on the market. 5-Weight Reel Shootout Full Results

WEIGHT

5.25 ounces. Heavier than we were hoping.

DRAG

While the Bozeman's drag tested at 3.3 pounds - which is quite solid - the drag was a little bit too sticky for our taste with .76 lbs of start-up inertia (roughly 23% of the total drag).

SEaled?

The RS passed our freeze test with flying colors!

DRAG TEST GRAPH

SOUND

I really liked the outgoing sound on the RS, which is very classic. It's a little soft on the incoming.

SPOOL & RETRIEVAL RATE

In a somewhat puzzling design choice, the Bozeman's spool is almost classically sized. It's got a fairly small arbor combined with a wide spool and low volume (it only holds about 75 yards of backing with a GPX line. Definitely an easy area for improvement.

LOOK & FEEL

The Bozeman RS is a good looking reel. It's well machined, but not overly modern.

ERGONIMICS

Handle: The handle is a bit oversized, but in diameter, not length. Overall, it's not bad, just not as comfy as some of the better handles. Drag Knob: The drag knob on the RS isn't quite as oversized as the top reels, but it's design is great and it's very easy to grab and adjust. Spool Change: Quick change spool, it's a little difficult to line up when you're putting it back in.

The DroP

Average. For a black reel, the RS held up fairly well. There were still divots and scratches, but not as pronounced as some. There was no damage to the reel.

WARRANTY

Lifetime to the original owner + no fee! Price: $410

CONCLUSION

There's a lot to love about the Bozeman RS. It's made in Montana by a great group of dedicated anglers. There's also a lot of areas where we felt the reel could be improved. It's their first modern drag reel, so we're pretty sure that there will be a lot of improvements coming from Bozeman in the future.

PROS

Made in the USA
Plenty of drag for a trout reel
Good looks

CONS

A little too much startup inertia
Outdated spool design
Expensive

Written by

Ben Freeman

Ben Freeman founded Trident Fly Fishing in 2012 to cut through the marketing fluff and provide anglers with the technical info they actually need. He’s built his reputation by putting gear to the ultimate test in the world’s most unforgiving fisheries. With fishing stamps from over 22 countries and 17+ states, Ben’s passport is a roadmap of bucket list angling—from landing a 25lb Golden Dorado in Bolivia and 150lb Arapaima in Guyana to sight-casting for Roosterfish off the beaches in Baja. Whether it’s battling 60+mph winds to land a 20lb Rainbow at Jurassic Lake or a full day of casting 8in streamers in Mongolia, Ben has spent decades ensuring his gear performs when a trip of a lifetime is on the line.

At Trident, Ben serves as the lead gear geek, specializing in the deep-dive mechanics of rods, reels, and lines. Over the past 15 years, he's reviewed 250+ fly rods and 150+ fly reels and is likely one of the most prolific rod reviewers in the world. But he doesn't just curate the catalog; he scrutinizes every taper and drag system through the lens of a traveling angler who knows what it's like to have gear fail a thousand miles from home. For Ben, the mission is simple: leverage his experience across nearly 100 species to ensure that when you head into the wild, you’re equipped with gear that has been vetted by someone who has actually been there.

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