Hardy seems to cycle through its product lineup quicker than many other manufacturers. I have a wonderful 9’9” 3-weight Ultralite LL rod that’s no longer produced, and their excellent FWDD reel was a flash in the pan for just a few years. That FWDD reel is light, smooth, and has just the right amount of pre-set drag stops for most trout fishing. I fish it on my 2 and 3-weight rods, and I’ve always wished I’d have bought one in a 5-weight size.
The new Hardy Averon isn’t a technical successor to the FWDD, but it’s the only reel that I’ve come to enjoy as much as that old one. In many ways, the Averon is superior, and I certainly think the Averon is a much-improved offering over their current Ultradisc UDLA reel.
What Works
Buttery Smooth Drag
Hardy doesn’t get into specifics about the drag in the product description, but the Averon’s drag system is described differently from the Ultradisc ULDA (the reel I think it’s likely the Averon will replace eventually) on Hardy’s website, so I think it’s safe to assume some changes have been made.
A major difference is that the Ultradisc UDLA drag was infinitely adjustable, whereas the Averon has pre-set drag stops. I tend to favor the infinitely adjustable drag (where you can freely turn the drag knob to any setting you wish to precisely dial in the outgoing pressure), but the Averon feels so much smoother that I honestly don’t mind.
The Averon feels like it has markedly less startup inertia than the Ultradisc ULDA, which is critical when fighting big fish in heavy current. Startup inertia measures how resistant an object is to a change in motion, and the less startup interia your fly reel has, the smoother line pulls off the reel, even when the drag is set at maximum. A smoother pull of line off the reel results in less shock to your leader and tippet when fighting a fish. I can’t quantify this observation, and Hardy didn’t say they made any major changes to the drag system, but the Averon feels as smooth as butter, which is what you want.
The drag knob is easily adjustable, and the Averon produces four pounds of max drag in the 4/5/6 model I reviewed. That was plenty to handle a handful of larger fish in heavy current, including a nice brown that went 20 inches, and a rainbow that was only 17” but thick as a football. I can’t envision a trout fishing situation where an angler would feel the Averon’s drag wasn’t up to the task. Sure, that once-in-a-lifetime 30-incher might pull more than this reel is designed for, but landing fish like that is more luck than skill anyways.
Weight
The Averon feels plenty light in hand, as it should, since the 4/5/6 model I reviewed clocks in at 4.3 ounces. It’s all machined aluminum, so the low weight isn’t a surprise. When spooled with 50 yards of 30-pound Dacron and an SA Amplitude Infinity line, it balances out both my 9’ 6-weight and 8’6” 5-weight Winston Air 2 wonderfully. The Averon should feel at home on nearly any rod.
Frame Design
One feature that I absolutely hated on the Ultradisc ULDA reel was its odd frame. In an effort to cut weight, I presume, Hardy opted for an odd notch on top of the frame where the spool sat without any extra support. That weight reduction might’ve been nice, but the notch had a nasty habit of grabbing fly line at the worst moments.
That notch is gone on the Averon, and you’re left with a spool that sits fully enclosed in the frame. This is a great design move by the team at Hardy.
Durability
I took a nasty fall while testing the Averon, and the reel took a tumble down a rocky riverbank. Surprisingly, there’s only one small scuff on the bottom of the frame. I’ve only had the reel for a short time, but if it can come out the other side of a bad fall not too worse for wear, I reckon it’ll hold up well to various types of abuse.
What Doesn’t
I don’t have any major gripes about the Hardy Averon. It’s a great reel that looks nice and balances my rods well, and has the power to slow down big trout in heavy water. There’s not much more you can ask of a trout reel.
Some folks may not like the sound (I’ve never understood why some anglers want their reels to be silent, though) and the style might not be for everyone. About the only thing I can find fault with is the price, which starts at $395, and goes to $475. That’s a tough price to swallow for a reel, especially when you look at the quality a brand like Redington offers, but this is a premium product, so bear that in mind.
I’ll also point out that Hardy only warranties their reels for five years, and refreshes their reel lineup quite nicely. If you love the Averon, and break it in six or seven years, you might not be able to replace it with the same reel.
None of that impacts how the reel performs, however. And since reel choices tend to be more personal (opting for a good style match to your rod), I don’t think it should be a dealbreaker for anyone.
Final Word
The Hardy Averon fly reel is a significantly better reel than the Ultradisc ULDA, with a smoother drag and better frame design. It flawlessly handled big trout, and balanced a variety of rods very well. It’s a bit pricey, but you’re getting a wonderful-looking reel that lives up to Hardy’s level of craftsmanship. If you’re in the market for a higher-end trout reel that can handle just about anything, you should give the Averon a look.
Comments
Andrew Winton replied on Permalink
Interesting that you don't mention the diameters of the averon reels, 5 inches for a freshwater reel is ridiculous in my opinion.
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