Hardy appears to cycle by means of its product lineup faster than many different producers. I’ve an exquisite 9’9” 3-weight Ultralite LL rod that’s now not produced, and their glorious FWDD reel was a flash within the pan for just some years. That FWDD reel is gentle, clean, and has simply the correct quantity of pre-set drag stops for many trout fishing. I fish it on my 2 and 3-weight rods, and I’ve at all times wished I’d have purchased one in a 5-weight dimension.
The new Hardy Averon isn’t a technical successor to the FWDD, but it surely’s the one reel that I’ve come to take pleasure in as a lot as that outdated one. In some ways, the Averon is superior, and I actually assume the Averon is a much-improved providing over their present Ultradisc UDLA reel.
What Works
Buttery Clean Drag
Hardy doesn’t get into specifics in regards to the drag within the product description, however the Averon’s drag system is described in another way from the Ultradisc ULDA (the reel I feel it’s probably the Averon will change finally) on Hardy’s web site, so I feel it’s protected to imagine some modifications have been made.
A significant distinction is that the Ultradisc UDLA drag was infinitely adjustable, whereas the Averon has pre-set drag stops. I are likely to favor the infinitely adjustable drag (the place you possibly can freely flip the drag knob to any setting you want to exactly dial within the outgoing strain), however the Averon feels a lot smoother that I truthfully don’t thoughts.
The Averon feels prefer it has markedly much less startup inertia than the Ultradisc ULDA, which is crucial when combating massive fish in heavy present. Startup inertia measures how resistant an object is to a change in movement, and the much less startup interia your fly reel has, the smoother line pulls off the reel, even when the drag is ready at most. A smoother pull of line off the reel ends in much less shock to your chief and tippet when combating a fish. I can’t quantify this commentary, and Hardy didn’t say they made any main modifications to the drag system, however the Averon feels as clean as butter, which is what you need.
The drag knob is well adjustable, and the Averon produces 4 kilos of max drag within the 4/5/6 mannequin I reviewed. That was a lot to deal with a handful of bigger fish in heavy present, together with a pleasant brown that went 20 inches, and a rainbow that was solely 17” however thick as a soccer. I can’t envision a trout fishing state of affairs the place an angler would really feel the Averon’s drag wasn’t as much as the duty. Certain, that once-in-a-lifetime 30-incher may pull greater than this reel is designed for, however touchdown fish like that’s extra luck than talent in any case.
Weight
The Averon feels a lot gentle in hand, because it ought to, for the reason that 4/5/6 mannequin I reviewed clocks in at 4.3 ounces. It’s all machined aluminum, so the low weight isn’t a shock. When spooled with 50 yards of 30-pound Dacron and an SA Amplitude Infinity line, it balances out each my 9’ 6-weight and eight’6” 5-weight Winston Air 2 splendidly. The Averon ought to really feel at dwelling on practically any rod.
Body Design
One function that I completely hated on the Ultradisc ULDA reel was its odd body. In an effort to chop weight, I presume, Hardy opted for an odd notch on prime of the body the place the spool sat with none further assist. That weight discount may’ve been good, however the notch had a nasty behavior of grabbing fly line on the worst moments.
That notch is gone on the Averon, and also you’re left with a spool that sits totally enclosed within the body. This can be a nice design transfer by the workforce at Hardy.
Sturdiness
I took a nasty fall whereas testing the Averon, and the reel took a tumble down a rocky riverbank. Surprisingly, there’s just one small scuff on the underside of the body. I’ve solely had the reel for a short while, but when it might come out the opposite facet of a foul fall not too worse for put on, I reckon it’ll maintain up nicely to varied varieties of abuse.
What Doesn’t
I don’t have any main gripes in regards to the Hardy Averon. It’s a fantastic reel that appears good and balances my rods nicely, and has the ability to decelerate massive trout in heavy water. There’s not rather more you possibly can ask of a trout reel.
Some people could not just like the sound (I’ve by no means understood why some anglers need their reels to be silent, although) and the model won’t be for everybody. About the one factor I can discover fault with is the worth, which begins at $395, and goes to $475. That’s a troublesome worth to swallow for a reel, particularly whenever you have a look at the standard a model like Redington gives, however this can be a premium product, so bear that in thoughts.
I’ll additionally level out that Hardy solely warranties their reels for 5 years, and refreshes their reel lineup fairly properly. When you love the Averon, and break it in six or seven years, you won’t be capable to change it with the identical reel.
None of that impacts how the reel performs, nevertheless. And since reel decisions are typically extra private (choosing model match to your rod), I don’t assume it must be a dealbreaker for anybody.
Remaining Phrase
The Hardy Averon fly reel is a considerably higher reel than the Ultradisc ULDA, with a smoother drag and higher body design. It flawlessly dealt with massive trout, and balanced quite a lot of rods very nicely. It’s a bit dear, however you’re getting a wonderful-looking reel that lives as much as Hardy’s degree of expertise. When you’re available in the market for a higher-end trout reel that may deal with absolutely anything, it is best to give the Averon a glance.
BUY THE HARDY AVERON
