# Ross Flywater Reel



## Pork Chop (Jan 21, 2003)

I fished a Ross Flywater reel all weekend. I've always like the Ross products, particularly the fact that they are made in the good ol US of A. I have to admit I spent alot of thought debating whether or not to purchase one of the Ross Worldwide products (read - not made here).

The price seemed reasonable for this reel ($60), and I have to say I was very happy with the way if performed. I was lucky enough to hook into several 15" trout this weekend, and the reel handled them great. It fished as well as the USA built Ross (and other quality reels) I own.

What I don't understand, when I hear something being made at a reduced price offshore, I think a 3rd world country sweat shop. Ross is making it's offshore products in the UK? Is the labor that much cheaper there that they can offer a product of comparable quality at about half the price? You just don't associate Hardy reels and Rolls Royces being made by underpaid slave labor.

One offseting factor, the Ross worldwide products don't carry the Ross lifetime warranty, but they will fix them for a flat $25 fee if they take a dump.


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## TUCKER (Nov 1, 2002)

Actually they are made in Japan now. They were originally made in the U.K. the first year and then went over to Japan. I assume because of cheaper labor. They are also not $60.00. They sell for $89.00 to $119.00 depending on the size. They do make a Flycast reel that is $60.00 to $75.00 depending on the size. The drags are essentually the same in the overseas reels versus the U.S. made reels comparing them to the standard cimmaron or the old gunnisons. Anything other than the drag and you are paying for pure cosmetics and machining. The drag is great and the looks are fine and therefore is a great trout reel for the money maybe the best!


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## Pork Chop (Jan 21, 2003)

That's interesting. Ross seems to make a point of not saying the country of origin. All the non-Ross material I've seen said they were made in England, haven't seen a reference to Japan. I'll have to take a look to see if the product itself is labeled anywhere. In either case, neither England or Japan are currently known for their low wage, sweat shop labor.

You are right about the list price of the reels, but Cabela's have them on sale for $30.00 off list. The reel I bought was a regular $89 on sale for $59.


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## TUCKER (Nov 1, 2002)

Actually I made an incorrect statement. They are made in China. My guess is that they have last years on sale to blow them out. They made some cosmetic changes as well as where they are made changes. If you look on the bottom of the new boxes they will say (made in China).


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## Pork Chop (Jan 21, 2003)

I guess that explains it, still a nice reel.


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## Old Steelhead Dude (Jan 5, 2003)

Unless youre fighting big fish and need a fly reel with a disk drag, the only thing a fly reel is really needed for is to spool excess line :lol:

OSD.


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## Pork Chop (Jan 21, 2003)

I agree, and I'd go on to say that alot of BIG fish have been landed on reels without a disk drag.

I don't know that I've ever bought a reel because it has a disk drag, but alot of the reels I have bought, for whatever reason, happen to have some sort of mechanical drag. There aren't too many reels made today that don't have some sort of drag mechansm incorporated in them.


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