Hardy has released two new fly rod families – the Tactus and Firecrest. The Tactus is a lineup of light-line rods designed primarily for competition nymphing and some dry fly applications. The Firecrest lineup is focused on fast-action profiles that fit a wide variety of trout fishing situations. Both rods are built using Hardy’s latest Sintrix FLT resin technology, which the company has used in their widely acclaimed Marksman lineup of fly rods.
Both rods retail for $995 and are available now from Hardy or your local fly shop.
Tactus Fly Rods
Hardy rod designer Howard Croston is a championship-winning competitive angler, and he brings that intimate knowledge to the design philosophy of the Tactus.
“The (Tactus) collection combines lightweight Sintrix FLT construction with highly refined tapers and technique-specific components to give anglers greater control over the connection between rod, line, leader and fly,” Hardy said in a press release.
The Tactus is unique in the modern fly rod world in that the rod family isn’t just a specific action applied to a wide variety of lengths and weights. Instead, Hardy has divided the Tactus into Nymph and Dry Fly rods, with each length and weight specifically tuned to that style of fishing.
Two Tips Per Rod
The most notable design aspect of the Tactus is that each rod comes with two tip sections. This isn’t just to protect your investment and keep you fishing if you break one on the water, either. Instead, Hardy has designed the tips to be either lighter or heavier. The heavier tubular-carbon tip is made for loading and delivering heavier nymph rigs and flies. The lighter nano-carbon tip is built for lighter leaders and smaller flies.
The Tactus nymphing rods come in lengths ranging from 10’2″ to 11’2″, in weights 0-3. The dry fly rods are available in 9’2″ or 9’9″ lengths, in weights 3 and 4.
Firecrest Fly Rods
The Firecrest lineup of rods is a fast-action family built for heavy flies, aggressive tapers, and demanding conditions. Hardy explicitly says the Firecrest was built to excel with lines that are a half- to full-size heavy.
“With the strength to handle demanding fish, the recovery to cut through challenging conditions and the precision to deliver flies accurately at distance, Hardy Firecrest is the ultimate tool for anglers who demand dependable performance in the toughest conditions,” said Jake Fischenich, Brand and Product Manager for Hardy.
Everything about the Firecrest is designed to throw bigger flies further with less effort. It also features Sintrix FLT technology in the blank, which reduces the weight of the rod without sacrificing strength. This is the same material used in the Marksman rods, which have quickly become fan favorites of anglers and guides across the world.
Unique Reel Seat
Hardy has redesigned the reel seat for the Firecrest, opting for a completely custom design that they say will improve the rod’s balance and feel in-hand.
You can see that Hardy reduced weight in the locking rings by opting for a skeleton design. The reel seat insert also looks thinner. Reducing weight in the reel seat should, in theory, help balance the rod, so long as it’s paired with the correct reel.