Overview

The Ross Animas is a guide favorite for one reason: it keeps working. Ross says it has sold more than 80,000 of them with defective reels you can count on one hand, and it has earned its place on drift boats and flats skiffs. Its composite drag uses stainless steel parts, so it stays smooth and strong season after season, from trout on a 5 wt to bonefish on an 8.

The Animas is machined in Montrose, Colorado and engraved with the Colorado "C". A bell-shaped, ultra-large arbor brings line in fast and reduces coils, overlaid spokes let wet line and backing dry, and the canvas phenolic handle holds its grip when wet. The spool release is maintenance-free, and Ross backs it with a limited lifetime warranty.

Which size? The 4/5 fits most 9' 5 wt trout rods, the 5/6 adds backing for big rivers and nymphing, and the 7/8 handles streamers, steelhead, bass and the flats. It comes in Matte Black, Matte Blue, Matte Olive and Platinum.

Animas or LTX? Both are machined in Colorado and both handle trout and light salt. The Animas is the simpler, tougher workhorse. The Evolution LTX is lighter, with the stacked-disc drag from the Evolution R. On a tighter budget, the Cimarron uses a drag based on the Animas.