Hardy Uniqua 3 3/4" Salmon Reel

[PeterHenry]

Another fishing related query -

I've got a 1980s Hardy Uniqua 3 3/4" reel - that I'm told is a salmon reel - but not having done any salmon fishing, it seems surprisingly small. I'd say only a size or two up from the Marquis #7 reel I use for trout fishing.

I always presumed salmon reels were great big affairs - so I was wondering if anyone with more knowledge than myself (most) would be able to tell me -

Is it just my expectations that are wrong, and it is a Salmon Reel thats only a marginally bigger reel than my trout reel?

What sort / weight of salmon rod should I be pairing it up with? 

All advice greatly appreciated 

[oldypigeonpopper]

Hello, You could contact Hardy Fishing UK in Alnwick , They will have all the info on your reel, 

[kevin55]

1 hour ago, PeterHenry said:

Another fishing related query -

I've got a 1980s Hardy Uniqua 3 3/4" reel - that I'm told is a salmon reel - but not having done any salmon fishing, it seems surprisingly small. I'd say only a size or two up from the Marquis #7 reel I use for trout fishing.

I always presumed salmon reels were great big affairs - so I was wondering if anyone with more knowledge than myself (most) would be able to tell me -

Is it just my expectations that are wrong, and it is a Salmon Reel thats only a marginally bigger reel than my trout reel?

What sort / weight of salmon rod should I be pairing it up with? 

All advice greatly appreciated 

Broadly 2.5" - 3" is a trout reel 3-5 wt say, I mostly use 4 wt reels  on rivers - Wharfe,Loddon etc 

For bigger lakes or reservoirs -  6-7 wt reels - they tend to be 3 1/4 to 3 1/2 as thicker line and backing requirements

3 3/4 would tend to be for sea trout/salmon with 7-8 wt lines or bigger reservoirs

Large Arbor reels confound this 

 

[PeterHenry]

3 hours ago, oldypigeonpopper said:

Hello, You could contact Hardy Fishing UK in Alnwick , They will have all the info on your reel, 

Good suggestion - I've done that previously. Not sure why it slipped my mind this time....

3 hours ago, kevin55 said:

Broadly 2.5" - 3" is a trout reel 3-5 wt say, I mostly use 4 wt reels  on rivers - Wharfe,Loddon etc 

For bigger lakes or reservoirs -  6-7 wt reels - they tend to be 3 1/4 to 3 1/2 as thicker line and backing requirements

3 3/4 would tend to be for sea trout/salmon with 7-8 wt lines or bigger reservoirs

Large Arbor reels confound this 

 

Ah, OK - that all makes sense. Yes, I think it might be the large arbour reels I'm getting confused by...

[enfieldspares]

The great big affairs, or at least as Hardy were concerned were the reels made for tuna fishing. I have Hardy Marquis in 4, 6, 7 and once upon a time in 10 for use of a 15' 4" Marquis Salmon Fly which I never used as, as you know, rules for salmon in Scotland changed and I was never a "catch and release" fan. My beliefs are those of my late father. You either catch and kill or leave the rod in the bag and leave the fish alone they are not toys to be played with. But back to backing I think it also depends on the backing that the angler used. I prefer on the trout reels that hollow braid plastic stuff. But on salmon reels I understand that some used very thin backing. I used to have a spool or so of it left over from my late father. Green and white it was. That gave a huge amount of line in reserve compared to hollow braid plastic backing.

Edited January 10 by enfieldspares

[PeterHenry]

14 hours ago, enfieldspares said:

The great big affairs, or at least as Hardy were concerned were the reels made for tuna fishing. I have Hardy Marquis in 4, 6, 7 and once upon a time in 10 for use of a 15' 4" Marquis Salmon Fly which I never used as, as you know, rules for salmon in Scotland changed and I was never a "catch and release" fan. My beliefs are those of my late father. You either catch and kill or leave the rod in the bag and leave the fish alone they are not toys to be played with. But back to backing I think it also depends on the backing that the angler used. I prefer on the trout reels that hollow braid plastic stuff. But on salmon reels I understand that some used very thin backing. I used to have a spool or so of it left over from my late father. Green and white it was. That gave a huge amount of line in reserve compared to hollow braid plastic backing.

I've looked at some of those Hardy tuna reels - the Zane I think - they are magnificent things.

With the reappearance of tuna off parts of Britain, and me and my brothers re-intrest in sea fishing - I recently bought a couple of Allcocks Comodor's - which are a hell of a reel, and you can absolutely imagine somone wearing a woolen jumper fighting (catching) a tuna off Scarborough with one.