Ross F1 Fly Reel Review

Mar 06, 2013 · 2 min read

Ross F1 fly reel with neon yellow fly line, machined silver aluminum spool and black carbon-fiber handle knob

There's a lot to like about Ross Reels. They're made in the USA, have made quite a name for themselves in the trout fishing world, and stand behind their products. The Ross F1 fly reel is their flagship model and we were excited to get the inside story. 8-Wt Challenge Full Results

WEIGHT

7.7 ounces. Not bad.

DRAG

The Ross F1 is advertised as having (near) zero start-up inertia. It lives up to that promise and then some. It's got one of the smoothest drags we saw in the test, as well as a "constant pressure" drag adjustment knob, which is a fantastic feature and all of the testers commented on its ease of use. Unfortunately, the Ross F1 only has 3.4 lbs of drag, which had it taking a big hit in this test.

DRAG TEST GRAPH

Ross F1 fly reel drag test chart with blue line holding about 3.3-3.6 lbs across distance on white grid and black axes

SOUND

I didn't care for the sound of the F1... it's just a little too loud and metallic. If you're looking for a click-pawl type sound, you might be more impressed. Definitely not a saltwater sound. Check out the Momentum LT!

SPOOL & RETRIEVAL RATE

While the spool was a little on the small/wide side, the retrieval rate on this reel was amazing! The spool was one of the easiest to change in the test.

LOOK & FEEL

Like the villain "Two-face" the F1 seemed to have two very different personalities. On the one hand, you have a great feeling reel, with carbon fiber accents that look great, and on the other... well we weren't a fan. The drag-adjustment side seemed a little too machined for no reason. A simpler ported design (again, see the Momentum LT) would have gone a long way here.

WARRANTY

Lifetime to the original owner + $20 fee. Price: $575

CONCLUSION

No reel in the Challenge had a more love-hate relationship with the testers than the Ross F1. On the one hand, it's got a top notch spool design, amazingly smooth drag, and a great price. On the other hand, the look and feel could be further refined. Ross, we'll be on the lookout for a Momentum/F1 hybrid to win this test in a few years. If you were to take one reel with you when you chuck streamers with Kelly Galloup on the Madison, this would be the reel you would want. For freshwater, its performance is second to none. Help us review more gear! Buy it here.

PROS

Amazingly smooth drag
Retrieval speeds that would make The Flash envious
Sealed Drag

CONS

Not nearly enough drag power for this test
Looks, feel, and sounds... well try them for yourself

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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