Image thanks to Mayfly Outdoors
The Coors Light Cimarron LT does not appear like an advanced piece of fly fishing devices. Initially glimpse, it’s merely another wonderfully machined reel from Ross Reels, ended up in a luminous silver with the familiar Rocky Mountain shape that has actually decorated Coors beer cans for years.
However dip it in cold water– or wade into a trout stream on a crisp early morning– and something unforeseen occurs. The mountains turn blue.
It’s a visual technique obtained straight from drink marketing, the very same thermochromic innovation that informs beer drinkers their Coors Light is “as cold as the Rockies.” However in the hands of Ross Reels, that marketing trick has actually been repurposed into something the business declares is a market initially: a passive preservation tool constructed straight into the deal with.
The reel’s frame utilizes temperature-responsive pigments that move the mountain graphics to blue when temperature levels drop listed below 70 ° F. If the mountains aren’t blue, the water is too warm for ethical trout fishing.
” If the mountains are blue, you understand the water is cold enough to fish properly,” stated Jeff Patterson, Brand Name Supervisor at Ross Reels. “If they’re not, it’s a visual hint to inspect your thermometer– or reel it in.”
The Science Behind the Trick
The 70 ° F limit isn’t approximate. Trout are cold-water types that end up being stressed out when water temperature levels climb up into the mid-to-upper 60s. When temperature levels go beyond 67-70 ° F, the minimized liquified oxygen in the water implies connected fish might not recuperate from the battle, even when effectively launched.
Preservation companies have actually long promoted for anglers to bring stream thermometers. Trout Unlimited, Yellowstone National Forest, and various state wildlife agencies advise stopping fishing when water temperature levels struck 65-68 ° F. Some Western rivers execute “hoot owl” constraints throughout summertime heat waves, closing waters to fishing throughout the hottest hours.
” For a lot of trout, water temperature levels that approach 70 degrees show problematic and typically deadly,” keeps in mind Trout Unlimited on their site. “Water temperature levels that increase into the mid-60s can make trout listless and slow. It depends on us to understand when the waters we fish may be working versus the trout we want.”
The Ross reel will not change a thermometer– it determines ambient temperature level, not water temperature level straight. However as the business acknowledges, it works as a “visual tip” to inspect conditions before fishing.
The Trade Convention Buzz
The January 2026 statement has actually triggered substantial conversation in market circles. The 3rd model of Ross’s partnership with Molson Coors, the thermochromic Cimarron LT represents a departure from previous releases, which focused mostly on aesthetic appeals and fond memories.
” Cue the Coors Light jokes. Cue the business partnership shade,” wrote Hatch Magazine in their protection. “Fly anglers like their pureness tests and Ross Reels’ most current partnership is bound to stop working numerous of them. Nevertheless, what it will likewise do is raise an approximated $100,000 for Trout Unlimited.”
That preservation dedication is main to the collaboration. Considering that 2024, Ross Reels and Coors have actually raised over $200,000 for Trout Unlimited’s Embrace A Stream grant program, which funds regional river remediation jobs. The 2026 collection intends to bring that overall to $300,000.
The cash has actually supported concrete jobs: environment remediation for greenback fierce trout in the Poudre Headwaters, stormwater overflow mitigation on Clear Creek, and preservation deal with Montana’s Huge Hole River, Utah’s Provo River, and Wyoming’s La Barge Creek.
Preservation Tool or Marketing Trick?
Critics may argue that any major angler currently brings a thermometer and does not require a beer-branded reel to advise them about water temperature levels. The 70 ° F limit, while significant, is likewise somewhat greater than what numerous preservation companies advise–Yellowstone closes fishing at 68°F, and some specialists promote stopping at 65 ° F.
However protectors indicate the reel’s more comprehensive effect. The collaboration raises considerable funds for preservation. The color-changing function develops discussion, possibly reaching anglers who may not otherwise consider water temperature level. And the partnership in between a drink business and a deal with maker around preservation messaging represents a design that might be reproduced throughout markets.
” Rocky Mountain water is main to how we brew and to Coors’ story,” stated Candace Hancock, Field Marketing Supervisor at Molson Coors. “It’s likewise why this collaboration with Ross Reels and Trout Unlimited matters a lot to us.”
The Collection
The 2026 Ross x Coors collection consists of 3 items:
Coors Light Cimarron LT— The thermochromic reel, restricted to 2,000 systems. Developed on the revamped Cimarron LT platform with aggressive porting to decrease weight, improved aluminum drag knob, and premium internal anodizing in Montrose, Colorado.
Coors Banquet Cimarron Creek— A click-and-pawl reel restricted to 1,000 systems, ended up in “Coors Banquet Enthusiast” gold with a red center hub imitating the traditional bottle cap. Offered in 2/3, 4/5, and 5/6 sizes for little stream fishing.
Coors Banquet Airlite Aspire 905— A 9-foot, 5-weight fishing pole in a customized combination case, created to couple with the Cimarron Creek reel.
Pre-orders opened January 15, 2026, with shipping through February. Previous Ross x Coors cooperations have actually offered out quickly.
Looking Forward
Whether the thermochromic surface represents significant development or smart marketing might eventually be next to the point. In a period of warming rivers and increasing fishing pressure, any tool that triggers anglers to think about water temperature level– even a color-changing mountain graphic– has possible worth.
The reel likewise indicates something more comprehensive about the instructions of fishing equipment. As wise innovation multiplies in deal with, the market will deal with continuous concerns about where development includes worth and where it simply includes intricacy.
For Ross Reels, the response appears to depend on simpleness. No apps, no batteries, no information tracking– simply a peaceful visual hint that the water may be too warm, provided in the language of a familiar ad campaign.
When the mountains turn blue, it’s cold enough to fish. When they do not, possibly it’s time to break open a beer rather.
The Ross x Coors 2026 collection is readily available through rossreels.com and licensed dealerships. A part of earnings supports Trout Unlimited’s Embrace A Stream grant program.
