Hardy Marksman Specialist 13ft Float Rod

Richard Drayson · Mar 12, 2009

Nice article Geoff...more please! I also looked at getting a Hardy for my trotting but I'm afraid I just couldn't warrant the cost and settled (if that's the correct term)? for a Preston Carbonactive Sentient.

Good also to see that you've made it to FM. I used to enjoy reading your articles on the other website... fishing.co.uk I seem to remember.

Are you in touch with messrs Tomkins, Steuart, Rushmere, Olliff-Cooper. It would be great if anyone of those were to join us here on FM. Great stories and good writers!

Tee-Cee · Mar 13, 2009

What is the price please,can it be bought cheaper online and if so,where??

Perhaps these rods are only found in Hardy shops.......I'm in Bucks/Berks and would like to see one and perhaps try it out-as its likely to be very expensive I need to try before I buy!!

Wolfman Woody · Mar 13, 2009

This article sickens me!

/forum/smilies/tongue_out_smiley.gif in an envious way.

I held the new Hardy Marksman at the trade show about 18 months ago and it felt loverleyleyleyley! Be nice with an Arnold Kingpin on it, maybe?

However, I asked if I could feel their 11 foot Avon rod and that is the one they put the Conquest pin on for me - PURFICK! Absolutely purfick.

I just wish I was loaded (like a certain Mr Jacobs /forum/smilies/wink_smiley.gif) and could just go out and buy them.

preston96 · Mar 13, 2009

Money, fool, parted, soon, and, a, his,are. /forum/smilies/tongue_out_smiley.gif

John H Member of THE C.S.G.. & The A.T. · Mar 13, 2009

Suggest you take a drive up to Alnwick Tee-Cee.

Sales(?) staff are totally useless, and if you get the same 'professional attention' as I did you'll come out in disgust without buying anything, but at leastits a nice day out(or 2-3 days depending on where your coming from)

Geoff Maynard · Mar 14, 2009

I just got home from work (!) on the last day of the river season so I'm a bit grumpy /forum/smilies/sad_smiley.gif

There's only one thing I would consider changing with this rod - and the rest of this range - and that's the balance. A pro-rod builder once told me the rod should balance about 10 inches up from the handle and that's how most companies seem to build them but I would prefer them to balance at the front of the reel seat. I may well be alone with this view however. Back in the sixties we used to put lead in the butts - probably not a good idea on a 300 quid rod though. Yes, they are an awful lot of money and if you look around you'll find rods that will do the same job for a lot less. They won't have the Hardy label though, and in this day and age, status, branding and all that jazz is highly prized and priced. And it always was. I think it's a ploy to make people look after them /forum/smilies/smile_smiley.gif

"Are you in touch with messrs Tomkins, Steuart, Rushmere, Olliff-Cooper. It would be great if anyone of those were to join us here on FM. Great stories and good writers!

I suspect they all pop in from time to time. I've been lurking since day one so they may have been too. Both Bill and Alan have written some more Hardy tackle reviews that will probably be appearing here soon - if the guv'nor deems it so!

tinca steve · Mar 14, 2009

If you cannot afford the Hardy's then go for second best Grey's as they are superb rods as well and are tested on the same rig as the Hardy's.

Mark Wintle · Mar 15, 2009

Geoff,

Having fished with the best match rods available for 35 years, I'd have no problem agreeing with you that the Marksman is a top class rod. But your ideas on balance are off beam. Counterbalancing a rod in the way you describe has two adverse effects. Firstly it makes the rod heavier which is why the lighter the reel the better when trotting. Secondly, you can get an unwantedkick from the counterweight on the strike. Think of striking like using a hammer; you wouldn't expect a hammer to have a counterbalanced handle would you?

This is why the best rods feel AND are light. If you need to add weight to the handle because the rod is top heavy then don't go near it. I have fished with rods that have weight added to the butt but prefer the weight removed. Normark did this in a subtle way with a butt cap weighing over an ounce but I often remove this and replace it with cork.

Richox12 · Mar 15, 2009

Sorry, but i've waggled with one of these and, for the money, thought it was quite poor. Balance was way, way off. Very top heavy. Finish on the whippings was a joke. For £270 you'd be much better off saving half of that and buying a rod which was light, well balanced and with a great fish playing action. My mate hasa Drennan Matchpro and it is a much better rod for a fraction of the price. There are plenty out there to choose from the only problem for most of us is seeing them all at the same time to be able to compare.

preston96 · Mar 15, 2009

<blockquote class=quoteheader>Richox12 wrote (see)</blockquote><blockquote class=quote>Sorry, but i've waggled with one of these and, for the money, thought it was quite poor. Balance was way, way off. Very top heavy. Finish on the whippings was a joke. For £270 you'd be much better off saving half of that and buying a rod which was light, well balanced and with a great fish playing action. My mate hasa Drennan Matchpro and it is a much better rod for a fraction of the price. There are plenty out there to choose from the only problem for most of us is seeing them all at the same time to be able to compare.</blockquote>

I'm glad that it's not only me who thinks this range of far Eastern produced rods are anything but selling on past times, for a price that rips off.

Give me a blank that i can see rather than a sprayed one any day!....eg Harrison,Normark etc.

I have 20+yr old tricast rods that would blow these rods away....in my opinion.

Geoff Maynard · Mar 15, 2009

Mark - it was in the 60's we when we used to put lead in the handles, when state-of-the-art rods were made of tube steel. My 14ft Apollo Taperflash was so heavy you could have used it as a hammer! /forum/smilies/smile_smiley.gif

preston96 · Mar 15, 2009

Geoff, with all due respect,why would a rod costing knocking £300 have you considering shoving lead up it's butt if it really is a rod worth what they are asking?

I have handled its sister rod...the 11ft avon, it feels OK........in a 12ft rod world!, in my opinion that is what makes it feel ok....it is 11ft!

Geoff Maynard · Mar 15, 2009

The 'lead up the butt' comment was only a joke chaps! Perhaps I should have used a smiley. Nice to see I'm not the only one who thinks the balance could be improved though.

Steve King · Mar 16, 2009

Hmmm £270 seems a lot for a Far Eastern rod!

I am not against Far Eastern rods, but I would have expected a Hardy's rod costing the best part of £300 to be made in Alnwick!

fred hall · Mar 16, 2009

The good lady is a keen Bridge player and talked me into a Bridge holiday at Alnwick last August. Of course I had to find time to wander around Hardys and I picked up the 15ft Marksman Float for a waggle. Wow I was impressed but considering the amount of floatfishing I do these days (just above nil) I simply couldn't justify the expense. Looks like the faithful old 13ft Shakespeare President might still see a bit more action.

Peter Jacobs · Mar 17, 2009

Regarding the balance of this rod with a Hardy conquest, you have to remember that a 4" conquest only weighs-in at 191g (the 4 1/2" is only 214g) so maybe it is not the best reel to couple with that rod?

Ihave a 13' Carbotec rod (of similar specification) that is a far better balance with both modern and 'vintage' centrepin reels, but that cost a bit more than the Hardy Marksman Specialist.

PS - if a certain person and I can come to a gentleman's agreement on price, then I might have a Hardy Conquest too, pretty soon . . . . . . . they are lovely reels.

PPS - Fred, the old President was a lovely rod, theworst thing I ever did was to sell my one - [ insert glum-looking face - - - - > H E R E ]

Paul Brett · Mar 18, 2009

I bought my 15-footer at Davis Tackle shortly after launch in 2007. It is, quite simply, the best float rod I've ever used, especially for trotting with a pin. Days long-trotting on the Itchen, Test & Avon have tested the rod - it's light, responsive and has power in reserve. It's pick-up is the fastest I've experienced and I really can't praise it enough.

The only criticism I'd offer is that it has the propensity to 'flash' in bright sunlight. I'm sure that a few minutes with wire wool would sort that (if I was brave enough!).

Robert Woods · Mar 18, 2009

Try using one of those washing up sponges. A lot softer on blank. I used one on spare top on my Harrison Concept rod (had been varnished).

Richard Drayson · Mar 18, 2009

Why the need to apply varnish to a carbon blank in the first place? It's not as though you have to protect them from water/damp like cane rods.

I suspect it's all to do with aesthetics and if it looks bright and shiny in the shop, people will be more likely to buy it.

I can't imagine anyone with the nerve to rub down an expensive rod with either steel wool or brillo pad to remove the shine /forum/smilies/confused_smiley.gif.

Robert Woods · Mar 19, 2009

I meant one of those two sided foam sponges.../forum/smilies/embarassed_smiley.gif.

Hardy Marksman Specialist 13ft Float Rod

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