After being the lucky recipient of a Barclay rod this past weekend, I am now faced with the task of finding an appropriate reel. I have a line on a nib Abel TR1 for just under $200, but I also think it would look ( and fish ) great with a Hardy Featherweight. Help me - please !

I'd go Hardy -- my two cents.

It's a 7' 4wt progressive, similar to his 723. It's the raffle rod from the conclave this last weekend. According to Chris, it's one of the first three of it's kind. I put my LRH on it and it looks huge on it. I did put one of the Abel TR1's on it and it looks nice, but I just love the way a Hardy looks. A Golden Featherweight would be incredible. My son is trying to talk me into a Galvan Brookie, but I just don't care for the look of that reel. I can get the Abel for a very good price and if I didn't like it could probably do ok on a resale. I might go that route and could always be on the lookout for a Hardy. You know a guy can never have too many good fly reels.

Cool. The Able is a eally nice reel, as is the Golden Featherweight. I hane one of each. The TR1 will become my wife's reel, unless I need to borrow it. Congrats on your lottery win!

anything Hardy ... CFO .. Featherwight.

The Lightweight would be my choice.

my favorite Hardy is JLH, here on a Pickard Driggs. It has the widest-ranging check design of any Hardy click-pawl, shared with Sunbeam and Cascapedia.

I have a dt4 406 line on the way here for the rod and I'm curious as to how much backing I can get on a Featherweight with that line.

Yes, the new info that you have a DT4 in mind changes things. The Hardy Featherweight is more a DT3/WF4 kind of reel. The Hardy LRH would definitely hold a DT4 plus some backing but it might be a bit large for the rod.

I bought a mint Golden Featherweight this year, intending, and still intending on putting it on a Barclay 75p. As I recall, I loaded about 15-20 yards of 20# Dacron backing, and a 406 DT4F line - fits fine - no problem.

BTW, the Featherweight is PERFECT on the original progressive Barclay 4 wt., as is a CFO III. Sorry to venture off topic.

At 3 1/8" (same size as the Hardy LRH Lightweight?) I think the 504L is a tad too big. The 503L is too small again

It's a great reel that's for sure!

Like backing1, I too am using an ilsander.

JoeFiday, I like the way you think. My biggest problem is that the budget I was working with is the money that I'd put back for a deposit on a rod I might order at the conclave. I was really thinking about ordering a 723 after the Friday night casting session and then won the 4wt on Saturday. The two were close enough in handling and performance I figured I'd get a reel and line with my deposit cash. I actually picked up the Abel TR1 at a little expo yesterday. He is closing out all of his Abel stuff and he offered me too good of a price to say no. It fit about 40yds. of backing and the 406 dt4 easily. I actually cast the rod before buying the reel with my LRH loaded with a Barrio dt5 on his casting pond and it was pretty sweet with that combo. Made for really great accurate, soft cast out to 40ft. Then with the 406 dt4 it could do it all. I really love this rod! This doesn't mean I not still on the lookout for a nice Golden Featherweight though, my birthday and Father's Day are both right around the corner.