An old Hardy Uniqua on one of my 7'6" 4wt. rods is a summer staple. (click on any image for magnification) There is something about an old Hardy that beckons a certain reverie about a specific time on a special piece of water. The old ones carry stories that will never be told and are long forgotten. The Hardy Uniqua holds so much history when it comes to the significance of a solid, highly reliable English reel. It is no doubt one of the most enduring reels ever produced by Hardy. The legendary “Perfect” reel always seems to steal the spotlight, while the Uniqua quietly sits in the shadows backstage with shy simplicity. The Uniqua was understated, accessible, reliable, and easy to service. It was the reel to fish hard with, and it was affordable for most fly fishermen when it was introduced in 1903. The original reel in “trout sizes” had a “Brass Drum” knurling around both circumferences of the reel. The reel went through changes to the spool latches over time. First with a...