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The Ross Cimarron LT is the lighter, better-dressed sibling in Ross's newly expanded Cimarron family. It keeps the freshwater disc drag and workhorse character of the standard Cimarron, then adds more porting, upgraded aluminum accents, and nearly an ounce of weight savings in the tested 5/6 size.
Those are real improvements. They also add exactly $100 over the equivalent standard Cimarron, placing every LT model just $50 below the same-size Ross Animas. In other words, Ross made the value reel better, but also made it less of a value reel.
That awkward position does not make the Cimarron LT a bad product. It is a capable, USA-made freshwater reel with a strong drag, sensible spool, good ergonomics, and four attractive colors. The question is whether it offers enough separation from the reels immediately above and below it.
Pros & Cons
Pros
- Fully machined and made in Montrose, Colorado
- Strong, smooth composite-disc drag with useful adjustment
- Almost one ounce lighter than the standard 5/6 Cimarron
- Practical large-arbor spool with ample freshwater capacity
- Excellent handle, distinct sound, and easy-to-use drag knob
- Attractive porting and four matte color options
Cons
- Costs roughly $100 more than the standard Cimarron
- Each size is only $50 less than the equivalent Animas
- Still heavy compared with many modern trout reels
- Drag is not sealed for saltwater use
- Friction-fit spool release is less convenient than a push button
Who It’s For
The Cimarron LT is for freshwater anglers who want the Ross name, Colorado manufacturing, and everyday performance without crossing $500. It suits trout, bass, panfish, and other species where a smooth drag and durable frame matter more than minimum weight.
Guides and frequent anglers should appreciate its workhorse construction. The drag offers more power than trout fishing requires while remaining useful with light tippet. It can cover dries, nymph rigs, and streamers without being treated like jewelry.
The series comes in 4/5, 5/6, and 7/8 sizes. The 4/5 covers conventional trout rods, the tested 5/6 adds capacity for larger rivers and 6-weight work, and the 7/8 suits bass and heavier freshwater setups. Matte Black, Platinum, Blue, and Olive add more personality than "workhorse" usually implies.
Strict value shoppers can choose the same-size standard Cimarron and keep $100, while weight-conscious anglers can add $50 for the equivalent Animas. The LT fits between them for buyers who want aggressive porting, a strong drag, and a sub-$450 price.
Weight
Ross lists the 5/6 at 5.3 ounces, while our reel weighed approximately 5.25. The standard Cimarron 5/6 weighs 6.2 ounces, so the LT sheds nearly a full ounce, enough to notice on a modern trout rod.
The name still deserves some context. A genuinely light 5 or 6-weight reel can fall below 4 ounces, and the Ross Animas 5/6 weighs just 4.43 ounces. The LT is lighter than the original Cimarron, not ultralight by the standards of the broader market.
The 4/5 weighs 4.9 ounces and the 7/8 weighs 5.7. None disappears on a rod, but Ross removed useful weight without machining the reel into something delicate.
Drag
The adjustable composite-disc drag uses a stainless steel interface. Our 5/6 provided roughly one and a half turns of useful adjustment, enough to change pressure quickly without making each setting feel abrupt.
We estimated five to seven pounds at maximum, far more than a trout reel needs. More importantly, the drag remains smooth at lighter settings, where low startup resistance protects fine tippet.
The system is not sealed, so this should be treated as a freshwater reel. An accidental saltwater encounter should be followed by a thorough rinse and drying, but drag strength alone does not make it a saltwater tool.
Sound
The incoming click is audible without becoming distracting, while the outgoing click is louder and clearly differentiated. A running fish gets extra feedback, but the reel does not announce every turn of the handle to the entire river.
Sound is subjective, but this one lands in a pleasant middle ground. It has more character than a muted reel without approaching the volume of a traditional click-pawl.
Spool & Frame Design
The fully machined, large-arbor frame uses aggressive porting. Its asymmetrical spool carries backing deep while keeping the fly line higher on the arbor, preserving capacity without sacrificing as much retrieval speed.
Ross lists the 5/6 at 3.5 inches in overall diameter and 1.215 inches in width. Our functional spool measurements were approximately 3.23 inches at maximum diameter, 0.9 inches in usable width, and 2.18 inches at the arbor. The difference comes from measuring the line-holding area rather than the outermost frame.
Those dimensions produce about 7.5 inches of pickup per turn, or 160 revolutions for a 100-foot fly line. That is solid large-arbor performance, though hardly a speed record.
Official capacity for the 5/6 is a weight-forward 5-weight line with 80 yards of backing or a 6-weight line with 60 yards. The 4/5 holds WF4 plus 65 yards or WF5 plus 50, while the 7/8 holds WF7 plus 180 or WF8 plus 160. All three provide sensible capacity for their intended freshwater roles.
Looks & Ergonomics
The LT looks noticeably more refined than the standard Cimarron. Extensive porting removes weight and opens the frame visually, while the Cimarron mountain landscape is machined directly into the metal. The anodized aluminum drag knob and escapement cover also feel more premium than the standard reel's Cerakote accents.
Ross anodizes the reel in-house and offers four understated matte colors. Fit and finish are excellent, as expected from a fully machined Ross reel.
Ross's familiar freshwater handle is comfortable and secure when wet. The drag knob is easy to grasp and adjust. It could be wider, but that is a minor complaint.
Spool removal uses a friction-fit O-ring system rather than a push button. Holding the frame and pressing with both thumbs releases it without tools or loose parts, but it takes more effort than the best push-button designs. That will matter mainly to anglers who change spools frequently.
Warranty
Value
Price: $399.00
This is where the Cimarron LT becomes difficult to recommend without qualification. Comparing matching sizes, the pricing is remarkably consistent: the LT costs exactly $100 more than the standard Cimarron and exactly $50 less than the Animas. In the tested 5/6 size, that means $319 for the Cimarron, $419 for the Cimarron LT, and $469 for the Animas.
The $100 jump from Cimarron to LT buys nearly an ounce of weight savings in the 5/6, more extensive porting, aluminum accents, and a more polished appearance. Those are meaningful upgrades, although the drag performance, diameter, and line capacity remain essentially unchanged.
The next step is tougher to ignore. For another $50, the Ross Animas 5/6 drops almost another ounce, adds more intricate machining, and feels like the more premium reel. The same $50 gap applies in the 4/5 and 7/8 sizes. The Evolution LTX starts at $499, further crowding the upper end of this price range.
The LT still occupies legitimate middle ground. It looks better than the standard Cimarron, drops meaningful weight, and provides a strong drag in an American-made package. Anglers who want a cool Ross in Blue or Olive without paying $500 may decide that is exactly the point.
For most shoppers, however, the lineup encourages a clearer choice: save $100 with the standard Cimarron or spend $50 more for the Animas. The LT bridges those reels well, perhaps so well that either bank looks within easy reach.
Conclusion
The Ross Cimarron LT succeeds as a reel. It is strong, smooth, attractive, and durable, with ample performance for nearly any freshwater assignment. It also cuts meaningful weight from the standard Cimarron without losing the family's solid feel.
As a Colorado native, I have a soft spot for Ross and appreciate that the Cimarron family gives more anglers access to a reel made in Montrose. The LT carries that appeal in a cleaner, more polished package.
Its problem is not performance, but position. The standard Cimarron remains the better pure value, while the same-size Animas is lighter for another $50. That leaves the LT with a narrow audience, although it should satisfy that audience very well.
If its weight, color, and price land in your personal sweet spot, buy it with confidence. This is an excellent freshwater workhorse.
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