The Long Haul Gear Reviews are designed to give you honest, in-depth feedback on gear that’s been thoroughly put to the test. The idea is to give you a look at how durable and long-lasting a product actually is, sans any marketing fluff. In this review, we’ll take a look at a stalwart in the reel world—the Ross Animas.
The Ross Animas is a trout-focused reel, available in line weights four through eight. Its drag will certainly handle bass, pike, and carp, and it’s been around since 2019. I’ve owned and fished an Animas, in a 5/6 size, since then. Of all my reels (I own about a dozen) it’s received the most consistent use other than my Abel TR-2.
Ross Animas Reel
Reel Specs:
- Size tested: 5/6
- Drag: Composite fully-sealed disc drag with stainless-steel interface
- Line capacity: 100 yards of 20-pound Dacron backing for 5-weight lines; 75 yards of 20-pound Dacron backing for 6-weight lines
Pros:
- USA-made
- Extremely durable
- Gorgeous design
Cons:
- Odd handle material
- More expensive than other reel options
The Skinny
The Ross Animas is a higher-end reel with premium looks, designed to appeal to the trout market. It’s available in weights four through eight and has the guts to handle bass, pike, and carp.
It boasts a fully sealed drag that Ross says is “maintenance-free.” The drag has a wide range of adjustability, enabling you to set it for any situation. It’s one of the most gorgeous reels on the market, and it also features a unique spool design that gives it an “ultra-large arbor.” This increases how much line you retrieve with a revolution of the spool.
The idea is that your backing lies in the lowest part of the spool, on the left, eventually stacking even with the curved part of the spool on the right. This increases the arbor size without adding bulk to the spool, which Ross says also reduces weight.
These reels are built in Montrose, Colorado, and feature a Colorado mountain skyline etched into the frame.
The Time Test
Other than my Abel TR-2 (a discontinued model), my 5/6 Animas has received more use than any reel in my collection. This thing is an absolute workhorse. It has survived all sorts of falls and drops, but the frame and spool are both in great functional shape. Scuff marks on reels are signs they’re used, right?
I’ve used this reel on grayling in Alaska, trout in the Rockies, and even on bass at Lake Powell. The drag is more than capable of taming a big run from any of those fish, and it’s easy to adjust. The only thing I don’t like about the drag knob is the lack of an audible click when I move from low to high drag. The Animas probably has a tactile response in the drag knob, but I think that got knocked out on one of my many falls down a river bank. Regardless, the drag still functions as smoothly as the day I bought the reel, so this is a minor complaint. 
The drag engages swiftly and has almost no startup inertia (that discernible hitch you feel when the line is pulled off the spool before the drag fully engages). It’ll work well with your rod to protect light tippets, but still quickly get fish in the net.
The only other issue I have with the Animas is the handle. Ross uses a canvas phenolic handle that gets tackier when it gets wet. It’s a good idea, but I’m just not a fan of the execution. When I first bought the Animas, I was convinced some sort of plastic wrap had been left on the handle, and I spent far too much time trying to remove it before I realized that’s how the handle was supposed to look and feel.
It’s certainly grippy when wet, but I don’t know that it offers a huge advantage over other reel handles, and it just feels odd. Obviously, that’s not enough to stop me from using the reel, and I don’t think it’s a dealbreaker if you want to add this to your collection.
Doing so will set you back $385, which is on the higher end for a trout reel. I think the machining and quality are worth it, though, and there’s no doubt you’re getting a gorgeous piece of kit when buying an Animas.
My Recommendation
I can’t put the Animas above the Orvis Mirage LT in my personal trout reel hierarchy. That said, it’s an extremely close second and, admittedly, a better-looking reel. It’s virtually the same weight as the Mirage LT, but it’s also cheaper.
If you want something flashier to dress up an R.L. Winston or similarly fancy rod, it’s hard to beat how great the Animas looks. I wouldn’t hesitate to buy one if it’s in your price range, and I think the drag and design are worth the jump from imported and cast reels.
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