[ColdOnTheShoulder]

I don't know how the line on the pre-spooled reel is, but the reel is most definately worth it. Mine has taken some nasty spills and held up better than any reel I've had thus far.

[lacyjp]

I bought a Ross Flystart #3 this June to match a St. Croix Imperial 6 wt.

The reel doesn't look that great, but I figured I didn't need much of a reel & invested the money saved in a better line.

I'm hard on reels. I still own some good cast reels: A Medalist, A couple Courtland Rimflys, even an old Shakespeare Alpha. All of them have held up to my abuse: sticking them in mud while I rig up, dunking them in water while I land fish, even dropping them on rocks.

Until the Flystart. The reel worked fine for 4 months. It worked very well with my Imperial. It has been scratched up by rocks, it put up with all the sand and grit I got in it and performed as expected.

Then, I dropped it. About five feet. In my house. On carpet. The reel foot broke off the frame, ruining the reel. (I was trying to mess with another rig -- they got tangled up & the Flystart and the rod it was attached to fell to the floor, busting the reel.)

I'm certain Ross will warranty the reel, but I replaced it with a machined Orvis reel because I lost confidence in the Flystart.

I'm done with buying cast reels. I just don't think you can get a lifetime of service from a cast reel like you used to. Maybe I just got a bad reel, but I expected a fifty dollar reel to put up with at least a few seasons of abuse.

The Flystart works great, just don't bring it on an extended trip without a backup.

--lacyjp