Thoughts on the Hardy Duchess

[NewUtahCaneAngler]

I know that there was a topic on the Duchess a few years back, but I wanted to share my opinion of the Hardy Duchess. I just picked up the 2 3/4" version for right around $250. These are still available at that price. The reel is very well made. The foot is aluminum and fits my rods well. It has the s/n on one side of the foot and Made in England on the other. 3 screw latch. 3 rows of porting on the front and back including the back of the spool. Wooden handle that matches the wood insert on Orvis rods well. I picked this up to pair with my Madison version of the Flea and like how they look and feel together (see this thread viewtopic.php?f=65&t=130420 for photos). Like the older CFO II and Flyweight, the smallest version of the Duchess does not have a drag adjustment, so the normal position of the adjuster on the larger reels is not an issue for me.

The reel is wider than the JLH and Featherweight, closer to the width of the St. George, but a bit narrower than the St. George. It has single screw line guards for both LHW and RHW installed and there is a cut out between the foot and the lineguard and the two lineguards, thereby creating two windows for the line guards. The non guard side of the window is not 90 degrees to the back, but rather has an angle. It seems odd at first, but I don't see it when the reel is on the shelf and I'm not looking at it when I'm fishing, so it won't bother me in the least. It doesn't have the full frame like the JLH, but is sort of like the CFO only an opening where the lineguard is on the CFO. The spool can be palmed if necessary.

The frame is laser engraved "HARDY (ALNWICK) LTD. MADE IN ENGLAND" - read right side up when the reel is mounted - just above the foot and "THE DUCHESS" just below the spindle, with 2 3/4" just below the name. The spindle has the the Hardy crown with fly logo. Like the JLH, the reel can be set on its back and it will lie flat.

It came with a neoprene pouch, which I won't use as I don't care for neoprene pouches.

At this point, I would recommend this reel to someone looking for a small (in diameter) reel with a reasonable amount of line capacity. I haven't lined it yet, but am reasonably confident that it would hold a WF4. I personally would have liked hardy to stick with the classic black handle for this and the JLH, but they didn't ask for my opinion before deciding.

Cheers,
Joe

[jim royston]

I agree. All in all, a very nice reel!

[Brian K. Shaffer]

Buy as many as you can now... while they are under appreciated for who knows why reasons...

That reel has everything - and few reels do it with that kind of style in my opinion.

Top notch quality on all the ones I have handled. All have had ZERO issues.

It is truly the bees knees. Buy 5 of their various sizes and go fishing!

[PT48]

Couldn't agree more. I have a 5/6 which pairs beautifully with a 7' 6" five weight. A better reel than my JLH 5 in many ways.

[Rockthief]

I agree with Brian Shaffer. If I was young I'd have bought several and put them in the closet. This reel is delightful to use and to look at. I have dozens of reels and this on is cream.

[ibookje]

Yes very nice reels indeed.
I have my Orvis CFOs, Hardy LRH and Sage 500 series for my trout fishing so I don’t need more reels but if I was in need of a reel the Dutchess would certainly be one of them. I like to porting pattern better than the JLH and Ultralight.

[Caneghost]

I just acquired the 3" Duchess to pair with my Dennis Menscer 7'6" 4 weight. It is all lined and ready to fish. It looks to be a very nice classic style reel and I look forward to four weight time in several weeks.

Whatthehellhappened to the forum? It looks like Sparse Gary matter and I don't like it!

[DireWolf53]

Regarding the new look it's only temporary until Mark gets things in order.

I posted in the Announcements forum I had to change back to the default style because we were having issues with the old style not working well with the forum software update. It's only temporary till we get our style updated to work with the updated forum software.

Mark

[jacknoir]

My 3-1/4" Duchess has become one of my favorite reels. I love its updated, classic look and the easy-to-palm rim. It's well machined as you would expect from a Hardy and has a smooth click pawl sound. It may be a Duchess, but she sings like a temptress.

[Brian K. Shaffer]

I am glad they named it what they did.

The reels loses a style point for missing the T.
Reel score out of 100 -

113.

[NewUtahCaneAngler]

My fishing buddy talked me out of my 2 3/4" Duchess and a 6 1/2' Orvis, but I did pick up 3" Duchess and while recently comparing it to a 3" St George, I came up with the following idea: Hardy, if you are listening, please produce a 3" version of the Duchess without porting on the back side of the frame and without porting on the back side of the spool. Also eliminate the inner most row of porting on the front of the reel. This would produce a slightly heavier version of the Duchess with less work/less time/longer tool life = less COGS. The result would be a reversible (in seconds, without tools) 3" reel capable of holding a DT5 and maybe a DT6, with a palmable spool and a weight better suited to the sweet spot of 7 1/2' to 8' bamboo rods. And a better line guide IMHO. Sort of like the regular vs L version of the Sage 500 series. Oh, and send me the prototype for evaluation and showing off at bamboo events.

[bprof]

The Duchess reels are nice, but....
I like the back of the frames & the inner flanges of the spools on my Hardy fly reels to be un-drilled. This makes "thumbing" the inner flage easier when I want to slow down a fish. To me, a solid back looks more traditional. The little extra weight is negligible IMO.

[Caneghost]

NUCA I think they would have to call that one The Duke. It sounds nice though. My only problem with my 3" is, once again, Hardy is still milling those thicker than classic reel feet. Mine will not fit the cap and ring seat I bought it for, though it is attractive and fished very nice. A 3" reel of these proportions belongs on a cap and ring seat on a 7' to 71/2' rod but it won't fit any of mine.

[Brian K. Shaffer]

Still the sexiest thing going...

[magpie]

I have two and I heart them.

[PYochim]

The Duchess reels are nice, but....
I like the back of the frames & the inner flanges of the spools on my Hardy fly reels to be un-drilled. This makes "thumbing" the inner flage easier when I want to slow down a fish. To me, a solid back looks more traditional. The little extra weight is negligible IMO.

Then you would like the Marquis. I just picked one up. The clicker is a little loud but otherwise it is a nice reel.

[JabaliHunter]

I like the idea of the Duchess; it just doesn’t quite do it for me…

[ibookje]

Something about the proportions seems a bit out of touch for me.
Love the Sage 500 reel series Hardy did for Sage back in the 1980’s. Similar looks as the Duchess

[PYochim]

I handled one yesterday and didn’t like it. What I did not like were the pillars both at 5 and 7 o’clock, both with removable line guards. Same crappy screw as on the old ones. If you don’t have the right screwdriver you are screwed I like the one on the Marquis much better.

[NewUtahCaneAngler]

Why would you want to remove the line guard and why not just invest in a set of frontier or chapman screwdrivers and not bugger up any screws? I didn't care for the slanted pillars, but don't see them on my display shelf or while fishing, so I'm over my initial dislike.