Hardy question for Binka

[chrissh]

I had a busy day and managed to get hold of a Hardy Marksman 8ft telescopic net handle and can’t find any details about them apart from the length & weight

Are they any good for the heaver fish or just for silver?

Also picked up a Hardy conquest as new

Hardy conquest and it has a set of three balancing weights still in there bag. The small booklet that come with the reel had got wet at some time so I can’t open it to find any info no the weights

I will be using the reel on a Marksman Specialist 14ft Float for trotting

1. What are they for
2. How do I know if I need to fit them
3. What is the advantage of using them
4. Where do they fit on the reel


Thanks for any help
Chris

 

[sam vimes]

Also picked up a Hardy conquest as new

Hardy conquest and it has a set of three balancing weights still in there bag. The small booklet that come with the reel had got wet at some time so I can’t open it to find any info no the weights

I will be using the reel on a Marksman Specialist 14ft Float for trotting

1. What are they for
2. How do I know if I need to fit them
3. What is the advantage of using them
4. Where do they fit on the reel


Thanks for any help
Chris

The balance weights are to fit in place of the handles should you wish to remove one, two or all three. Some pin users don't like handles on their reels, others may go with only one. In theory, they allow a user to remove a handle and add a counterweight to maintain the balance of the reel. I've tried every configuration possible and ended up with a full set of handles on the reel and three counterweights back in the box.

 

[S-Kippy]

Chris

I'm sure the Binkmeister can and will elaborate but the weights allow you to configure & use the reel with the number of handles you prefer...from zero to 3. You do this by swapping handles for weights. How you swap the handle for a weight I'm not sure. They are basically counterbalances so you dont need to use them at all if you're happy with the 3 handles....but if you prefer [say] 2 handles then you'll need to sub a weight for the 3rd handle or the reel will be out of balance.

Not sure about the LN handle. I've got one but I put it somewhere safe before using it and I cannot for the life of me think where that was. Personally I doubt its robust enough for heavy work.

Ooops....Chris beat me to it.

 

[binka]

Regarding the counter balance weights and handles, my fellow brothers of the angle have already answered the question and you will, by experimenting, find your own preference.

The only thing I will add is that, if like me, you find yourself enjoying your Conquest on stillwaters too then three handles are just a little too much for loop casting as one of them will inevitably snag a loop that you have released on the forward swing.

So, my own preference has been to keep the three handles on the two reels I use for river fishing and just have the one handle and two counter balance weights for the two reels I use on stillwaters where I'm loop casting and it drastically reduces, or near eradicates, the loops snagging up on the handles...

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On the landing net pole...

I really liked it but it is more of a silvers pole, I've used it for Barbel but one lapse in concentration led to a snapped section and I then went and trod on the replacement mg:

Not to be outdone I salvaged the rather nice butt section and spliced in a more robust, 6' pole before painting and varnishing it all up to match and at somewhere in the region of 6' 10" total length it has covered all of my fishing for the last two or three years...





You're safe as long as you draw any large(ish... up to around 10lb) landed fish towards you and pick it out with the collar of the net but I'm pretty certain it wasn't designed for such use but should the worse happen there's always the own build option with the nice part, namely the butt section.

If you can try and avoid any grit on the pole when packing away as, being telescopic, it does make a very nice looking pole look a bit tatty when scratched around the joins.

I'm sure you'll enjoy using them Chris and good luck

 

[S-Kippy]

As the resident Hardy Expert any idea where I put my handle, Steve ?

I bagged the very last one from my local ts for a bargain 20 sovs, tucked it away for the kids to give me at Christmas and its never been seen since. Mrs S denies " tidying it away" which is how my gear usually vanishes.

 

[binka]

As the resident Hardy Expert any idea where I put my handle, Steve ?

I bagged the very last one from my local ts for a bargain 20 sovs, tucked it away for the kids to give me at Christmas and its never been seen since. Mrs S denies " tidying it away" which is how my gear usually vanishes.

Oh dear...

Given the packed away size that sounds very much like a landing net pole, all nicely wrapped up, being discarded with numerous rolls of unwanted wrapping paper

 

[S-Kippy]

Oh dear...

Given the packed away size that sounds very much like a landing net pole, all nicely wrapped up, being discarded with numerous rolls of unwanted wrapping paper

Howl ! That is entirely possible and just the sort of thing Mrs S would do. Not deliberately of course but a lot of my gear gets "tidied up" never to be seen again.

 

[binka]

It seems I'm not the only fan of the one handle/two counter balance weights configuration...

 

[tigger]

It seems I'm not the only fan of the one handle/two counter balance weights configuration...

It can't be Mark Wintles reel, he hates centrepins lol.

 

[sam vimes]

It seems I'm not the only fan of the one handle/two counter balance weights configuration...

I wouldn't shout about it too much. I seem to recall Mark suggesting that it was a stock photo of a certain individuals reel. That certain individual was last seen on TV using a Conquest with the ratchet on whilst trotting!

 

[binka]

Has the Roach got black spot?

And have the counter balance weights and line guard been airbrushed to make them look black??

 

[S-Kippy]

And have the counter balance weights and line guard been airbrushed to make them look black??

Its the limited edition "Stealth Bomber" version. You haven't got one of those have you ?

Steady now.