small diameter backing?

[Silver Creek]

Anyone want to do the math on what Silver Creek suggests....how many feet of backing that can be added vs the number of feet of running line removed?

Actually, you don't need to cut the line to get a pretty good idea. Just put the WF line on it backward and wind it on the spool until you get to the point you would cut it. Then see how much "head space" is left on the spool for backing.

My guess is that he has a Ross size 1 reel; and for a 5 wt line, a size 2 reel is needed. Ross makes a size 1.5 reel between the size 1 and size 2, so the size 1 is actually 2 sizes smaller than the correct reel for a 5 wt line.

Doing a reverse wind of a 5 wt line should reveal whether you can even use a 5 wt line on a Ross size 1 reel.