When it comes to fly fishing, anglers demand the best and with over 13 million anglers fly fishing globally and growing on a daily basis. Hardy fly fishing has been producing superior fly reels since 1891. We take a look at what you can expect from 150 years of innovation.
History of Hardy Fly Reels
In 1888, the Hardy brothers already had a reputation for selling superior quality tackle from their establishment in Alnwick, Northumberland. The brothers decided they could no longer attach their name to products made by other companies. The Hardy brothers decided to design and launch their own range of fly fishing reels.
Hardys First Reel
It took three years of experimentation and development, but in 1891 Hardy released their most famous reel to date, the ‘Perfect’.
The ‘Perfect’ was an immediate success and has since changed over the years, although its basic design has remained the same. It still remains extremely popular with fly fishing anglers today.
The firms, rods and reels have won many international competitions, and its custom reels have become immensely popular with collectors. Many of the reels were made for special occasions and purposes and enjoyed limited runs.
Hardy Wide Spool Perfect
Reel size (inches): 2 7/8, 3 1/8, 3 3/8, 3 7/8, 4 1/4, 4
Gear ratio: 1.0:1
Forster Hardy was granted a patent for the design of the Perfect in 1889 and the company has been improving on the design ever since.
Today’s Hardy Perfect features a wider spool and smaller arbor for greater fly line capacity and backing, perfect for anglers chasing the bigger freshwater species. Constructed of bar stock aluminium frame and paired with stainless steel bearings the hardy perfect wide is built to be fished in the harshest of environments.
Key Features:
- Stainless steel ball bearings
- Bar stock aluminium
- A one-piece naval brass spindle
- Ivorine handle
- Available in 6 sizes
Hardy Ultralite MTX
Reel size: 3/4/5 | 5/6/7 | 7/8/9
Gear ratio: 1.0:1
A blend of carbon composites and metal alloys, makes this reel one of the most durable on the market for its size. A major highlight of this reel, is the carbon fibre disk drag and 340 degree colour coded drag regulator. This feature allows the angler minute adjustments when fighting a fish or presetting the drag.
With the Hardy Ultralight MTX fly reel being a large arbor fly reel, which means it has a wide spool so you will be able to retrieve your fly line at over 10” per turn. The down side with the large arbor spool is less room for backing.
Key Features:
- Extremely loud drag clicker
- Light weight and durable
- Easy to use drag system
Hardy Marquis LWT Reel
Reel size: 2/3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | Salmon #1 | Salmon #2 | Salmon #3
Gear ratio: 1.0:1
Originally released in the 1930s, the Hardy Marquis LWT was the first ever reel made for fly line backing and has been updated to be more durable and light weight.
The new version of this iconic reel, features an improved drag system and a new spool design with a wider line capacity to meet the needs of the modern fly fisherman. Bar stock 6061 aluminium has become popular through-out the fly fishing industry for its strong resilient nature. Hardy being at the frontier of the fly fishing industry, it only makes sense that the Marquis LWT reel is made up of this material along with having a anodised finish it makes for one hell of a durable reel.
Key Features:
- Modern reel design
- Modified Porting to reduce weight
- Updated, yet classic styling
- Indented regulator button
Is a Hardy for You?
With over 150 years of innovation packed into the range of hardy fly reels, anglers can not only expect one of the best fly reels on the market, but also a reel that will last the elements. If your in the market for a new reel you can find the hardy range and more HERE!
If you’re keen on learning more about fly fishing or want to get started, you can find more info HERE!
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