Hardy Rods

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    Posted: 22 Mar 2011 at 6:00pm
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Hi All - Any info out there about the new Proaxis Hardy fly rods?? Better still - anyone know the agents in NZ..........I think i want to test one Big smile
Any local comparisons?
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Post Options Post Options   Likes (0) Likes(0)   Quote mike thomas Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 23 Mar 2011 at 10:34am
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I think the Hardy agents in NZ is Conahans (SP), Have not tried that rod, but if it has the hardy name on it it will not be a bad rod!
All the best.
Mike
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Post Options Post Options   Likes (0) Likes(0)   Quote vogon Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 23 Mar 2011 at 10:52am
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not bad but at a price ;-)
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Post Options Post Options   Likes (0) Likes(0)   Quote ian Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 23 Mar 2011 at 3:16pm
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i know a nz swf guide who has used one and was amazed by it. the fact that andy mill has been involved in its R&D is pretty encouraging too. I dont know if conaghans are still involved though sorry.
drink up stream of the herd
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Post Options Post Options   Likes (0) Likes(0)   Quote SINNER Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 23 Mar 2011 at 7:39pm
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Peter Wall is the NZ agent for Hardy now, he used to own Taupo Rod and Tackle. Try them they should have his details or should be able to get what your after. Very nice rods by the way.
<000<< Here Fishy Fish <000<<
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Post Options Post Options   Likes (0) Likes(0)   Quote Nikolaj Mathiesen Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 27 Mar 2011 at 4:19pm
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Howdy..
I have had the pleasure of fishing with the Sintrix series over the last week with some guys from Hardy. Normally i am not to concerned about what fly rod im using, as long as i use a quality reel and my line matches the rod. This was a different game though. We fished 5 weights for kingfish, big snapper and kahawai + some grande trevally. I have never abused a flyrod to the extremes we were doing and never did we break one. Im not saying they are unbreakable, but i do know that other high end rods would not take the beatings we gave the Sintrix rods. The record on the boat went my way with a 3kg kahawai hooked and landed in 12 seconds on a 5wt. The rod was completely point loaded during the fight and did not break. Thats enough macho talk though. What i really like about the rods is the lightness and the feel to them. They are designed to cast both short and long, so a sensitive tip and a powerful butt section. They are of stunning design with the best guides and reel seats $$ can buy. They are expensive, but they have indeed put the rest of the manufacturers way back in line....
Whats just as interesting is the new Fortuna swff reels coming out this year. 35lbs of sealed carbon drag appeals a lot to me (and 25kg kingfish)  just to compare: the Charlton Mako top of the line reel puts out around 12lbs of drag... I have had a play with the reels too and i have ordered for a fortune worth of rods and reels from Hardy... If anyone wants more info, feel free to give me a call..
Nik
www.bigangryfish.co.nz

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Post Options Post Options   Likes (0) Likes(0)   Quote Jaapie Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 28 Mar 2011 at 11:21am
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Originally posted by mathiesen mathiesen wrote:

Whats just as interesting is the new Fortuna swff reels coming out this year. 35lbs of sealed carbon drag appeals a lot to me (and 25kg kingfish)  just to compare: the Charlton Mako top of the line reel puts out around 12lbs of drag... I have had a play with the reels too and i have ordered for a fortune worth of rods and reels from Hardy... If anyone wants more info, feel free to give me a call..
Nik
 
Hey Nik,
 
Not being a smartarse, but just interested in your comments there about the reels.
 
From my perspective, what's the point of having 35 lbs of drag......20lb is the max for IGFA fishing.
Even for the guys not fishing IGFA, why not just fish a multiplier reel then.
 
IMHO it's really taking the 'flyfishing' equation out of it........but that's just me.
 
Why not get a 80lb stand up rod, use Monic 100lb core flyline and a multiplier reel.
You could technically cast it and still call it flyfishing.
 
"Only when the last tree has died, the last river has been poisoned and the last fish has been caught,will we realize that we cannot eat money" - 19th Century Indian Creed
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Post Options Post Options   Likes (0) Likes(0)   Quote Nikolaj Mathiesen Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 28 Mar 2011 at 5:48pm
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I understand your point Kevin... but i dont agree...

Some people are interested in fishing to IGFA regulations and some are not. I have no personal interest in IGFA records, but if my clients wants to fish IGFA im more than happy to work with them..

I think your example of using an 80lbs rod is a bit silly. i believe there is a road in between, say using one length of 40lbs leader for example...

I have recently had a client that landed a 32.7kg kingfish on 8kg tippet. it took 45 minutes on a locked drag on a Charlton Mako, their biggest reel. I dont think its smart to have a big saltwater fly reel where you cant break 8kg. What if you wanted to fish 10kg? 
Any experienced fly angler would with a reel that puts out 35lbs on max setting still be more than capable of fishing to IGFA regulations. I done believe the drag on the reel can disqualify you from a record. Clearly its up to the angler not to break the tippet when fighting a fish. Im sure the big game guys fishing 1 or 2kg line are using reels capable of putting up more drag than 1 or 2kg?
Hardy are just making a great fishing tool, where you have the ability to put on a lot of drag should you require it. Personally i dont like using gear that is always pushed to the max. I believe its a great feeling having spare power should you need it... I know i dont fish my big Stellas and Saltigas on max drags, i would have been drowned a long time ago...
I guess my answer to your strange question is: yes, you can fish IGFA on A Hardy reel that max out on 35lbs of smoth drag
www.bigangryfish.co.nz

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Post Options Post Options   Likes (0) Likes(0)   Quote o2flyfish Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 02 Apr 2011 at 7:48pm
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Post Options Post Options   Likes (0) Likes(0)   Quote o2flyfish Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 02 Apr 2011 at 7:49pm
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Post Options Post Options   Likes (0) Likes(0)   Quote flygimp Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 03 Apr 2011 at 6:27am
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Are they pumping the Sintrix series components out of the Korean factory as they did with the Zane saltwater rods and reels and the Demon series and then charging crazy mark-up due to  their high-brow UK reputation? The mark up on Hardys kit trade prices in the UK is crazy let alone to the South Pacific. I'll stick with middle of the range Snowbee thanks...
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Post Options Post Options   Likes (0) Likes(0)   Quote ian Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 03 Apr 2011 at 4:21pm
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same argument can be said for a lot of high end gear now, a lot of american and uk born reels are now machined in asia, probably at better tolerances than what is done in the west. this isnt really reflected in price when say comparing the asian hardy (off the top of my head, not picking on anyone) with tibor or abel.  i know andy mill has been extensively involved in teh design of the hardy stuff which will come with a price and those who have used the gear are v happy with it. 
drink up stream of the herd
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Post Options Post Options   Likes (0) Likes(0)   Quote flygimp Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 04 Apr 2011 at 5:21am
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I would say it is reflected in price - when mark up on high-end rods made in asia can be as crazy as 300 percent by the time it reaches the punter, just because of a long standing brand name like hardys/greys - who are notorious at flogging their old world UK status for price hike, then play down the fact that components are in fact flogged out of a Korean sweat shop...

As someone who has insight into trade prices for certain well known fly rods... this might be of interest...
http://www.sexyloops.com/sparton/graphiterods.shtml

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Post Options Post Options   Likes (0) Likes(0)   Quote kiwitroutbum Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 09 Apr 2011 at 7:35am
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If the market pays. Charge the market rate.

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Post Options Post Options   Likes (0) Likes(0)   Quote Tore Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 09 Apr 2011 at 10:22pm
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Originally posted by flygimp flygimp wrote:

I would say it is reflected in price - when mark up on high-end rods made in asia can be as crazy as 300 percent by the time it reaches the punter, just because of a long standing brand name like hardys/greys - who are notorious at flogging their old world UK status for price hike, then play down the fact that components are in fact flogged out of a Korean sweat shop...

As someone who has insight into trade prices for certain well known fly rods... this might be of interest...
http://www.sexyloops.com/sparton/graphiterods.shtml

No doubt that article has a lot of truth in it. Especially if you've been involved with the Pure Fishing family of companies over the last few decades, making cheapo spinning and boat rods. But it has some bitternes and pure BS in it as well. Especially if you relate it to flyrods, and even more so with high end flyrods. I'd be more than happy to go there, but normally the interest is not that great... LOL
 
Just a couple of things: Comparing China and Korea is like comparing Germany and Poland, when it comes to workers' salaries. Korean factory workers are no worse off than US ones.
Also Korean factories make some of the best flyreels and flyrods in the world now. Western experise coupled with the Asian work-my-ass-off-24/7 attitude has lead to this fact. And the factory price between a US made hi-end rod and a Korean made hi-end rod is not that great. No surprise really, since the best raw materials also come from Asia.
The main difference is that you don't have to run an entire factory facility to be able to make good flyrods and reels. Where the factory is located, as long as it's a quality facility, makes no diff.
 
And, how much do you think your TV, mobile phone, PC, etc costs out of the factory? It's of little interest really and NOT how goods are valued in a capitalistic society. Wink
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Post Options Post Options   Likes (0) Likes(0)   Quote Renegade Fisher Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 10 Apr 2011 at 7:21pm
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A recent comparison done, skip all the detail at the front end and go to the summary at the end ....

 
Chris
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Post Options Post Options   Likes (0) Likes(0)   Quote Scoopster Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 23 Sep 2011 at 2:21pm
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Hi Nik,
 
I'm a bit late coming on in this piece. However, your post is very relevant as I am currently looking at getting a Proaxis with the objective of targetting kingies and using on trips to tropical Aus.
 
With your experience of using the rods what weight proaxis would you recommend for reasonable sized king fish. Ii'm not looking to target any an IGFA record, but want a reliable and performance rod that won't risk breaking by high sticking when flyfishing from a kayak.
 
 
Cheers
 
Scoop
 
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