Pure Fishing buys Hardy & Greys Ltd

FishingMagic · Jul 3, 2013

This is a dedicated thread for discussing article: Pure Fishing buys Hardy & Greys Ltd

Pure Fishing Inc., a leading global provider of fishing tackle, has purchased Hardy & Greys Ltd, the well-known UK provider of fishing tackle for fly, carp, sea and coarse segments around the world, marketed under the Hardy Bros.®, Hardy®, Greys® and Chub® brands.

Paul Boote · Jul 3, 2013

Thanks. Very interesting.

Paul Boote®

Mr Cholmondeley-Corker (PaSC) · Jul 3, 2013

So are we to see a decline in product quality such as seen in the Abu and Mitchel brands I wonder?

Peter Jacobs · Jul 3, 2013

Mr Cholmondeley-Corker (PaSC) said:
So are we to see a decline in product quality such as seen in the Abu and Mitchel brands I wonder?

It would be a terrible shame to see the quality of the Hardy brand reduced to "built to a price" that is so typical of most of their other companies in that group.

In my home I have a lovely old print of a photograph taken in the Rod Finishing Department at Hardy's from the 30's.
It depicts real tradesmen taking pride in their work.

I have a few Hardy rods which I would never part with, principly a Marquis 6# fly rod and matching reel with several spare spools which I still use today.

Paul Boote · Jul 3, 2013

Yes. I still have a few old classic Hardy odds and ends and will always have a place in my heart for the old firm and its remarkable people and products. I had dealings with the outfit in the late 1990s that briefly left me rather less than pleased with one or two in its then present management, but, oh, the old Hardy's of the Hardy family - wonderful. Check out the very nice movie The Lost World of Mr Hardy - [ame=http://youtu.be/Jyc0QQ0cup4]The Lost World of Mr Hardy - trailer - YouTube[/ame]

cg74 · Jul 3, 2013

As an almost proud owner of a pair of these: Abu Garcia Fixed Spool Reel - Cardinal 507i Free Runner | eBay
I can confirm they're utter sh!te, one has basically dropped to pieces internally, the other grates, grinds and rattles like a bag of rusty nuts and bolts.

This all occurred in under a year.

On a plus, the clutches are still flawless.

So where are Hardy & Greys going from here, IMO selling top end Chinese cr@p!

Bluenose · Jul 3, 2013

Matt/CG, my experience with Abu is somewhat different. I got 2 of their 305 FR baitrunners in 2007 (about £35 a pop I think) and have used them for all my tench feeder fishing, and some barbel sessions too. In 6 years I reckon that's probably well above 100 times. Probably not as good on paper as some but they still work perfectly well. Maybe the new-er models aren't as good?

I have other reels by Abu for coarse and sea fishing too, not used as much admittedly but still AOK in good working order.

cg74 · Jul 3, 2013

Bluenose said:
Matt/CG, my experience with Abu is somewhat different. I got 2 of their 305 FR baitrunners in 2007 (about £35 a pop I think) and have used them for all my tench feeder fishing, and some barbel sessions too. In 6 years I reckon that's probably well above 100 times. Probably not as good on paper as some but they still work perfectly well. Maybe the new-er models aren't as good?

I have other reels by Abu for coarse and sea fishing too, not used as much admittedly but still AOK in good working order.

It's not lake or even slow and small river fishing that destroys the reels, it's fishing big fast rivers (Severn and Wye) especially when in flood; cranking in 4, 5 and 6oz feeders, moreover with a 1-2lb chub on, when you just have to winch it in or else lose control of the fish.
It could be that 2007 is prior to the 'throw away' era?
Maybe your reel was already in stock when Abu was bought out?

I'm left wondering whether the model I have was even field tested, if it was, how and where?
I do think it'd be alright for feeder fishing on commercials for 8-12lb carp, as it won't be placed under a high level of stress.

bennygesserit · Jul 3, 2013

I watched that video the action on the fly rod seemed admirable for a natural material but surely something that today is relativly easy to achieve in carbon ?

Paul Boote · Jul 3, 2013

Some people still like cane-like "Noodle"-actioned fly rods, and they are still made today, in both glass and graphite (and cane if you asked a maker to do one for you). However, a faster-actioned fly rod, both double-handed (the Americans call them "Spey Rods"**, after the Cast) for salmon and steelhead, and single-handed for everything from dace to tarpon, is generally preferred these days. I'm in the fast camp.

** North Americans scarcely used double-handed rods until about twenty years ago, virtually the only ones owned over there being in western Canada and used with great skill by the hardcore steelhead fishers and by wealthier American anglers who fished Iceland, Norway and later Russia and met Brits fishing the rods with devastating, river-covering effect. Spey Rods and Spey Casting have become huge in north American in the years since - annual gatherings and conclaves for Spey Casters, the lot. New magazine launched the other day, too.

http://swingthefly.com/magazine/subscribe/

Bluenose · Jul 3, 2013

I get your point CG, you're probably right in all fairness, am not sure how mine would fair if they were getting beasted on the severn/trent/ribble or wye every weekend?

I killed a Shimano aero GTM 4010, over many years admittedly, cranking in feeders on the severn, somehow I don't think these would put up with it for quite as long!

Pure Fishing buys Hardy & Greys Ltd

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