Fly Rods

Hardy Marksman Z 9-foot 7-weight, 4-piece Fly Rod

The Hardy Marksman Z fly rod is an apex predator on the saltwater flats.

Kirk Deeter

April 6, 2025

No items found.

Hardy | Marksman Z 9-foot 7-weight, 4-piece Fly Rod

destination

product description

“The Hardy Marksman Z, with its unrivalled blend of feel, power, recovery and down right durability, has been designed in conjunction with some of the finest guides, anglers and legends in the saltwater world. From Gold Cups to grand slams and a thousand different challenges in between, the Hardy Marksman Z is the right rod for that right moment in the salt.” – Hardy

company ethos

“Hardy, based in Alnwick, England has been handcrafting innovative fly gear since its formation in 1872 and is still recognized as the finest fly rods and reels in the world. Hardy fly gear is for those who require the finest and will not settle for anything else.” – Hardy

Buy Now

How did an iconic fly-fishing brand from England, which now manufactures most of its rods in South Korea, come to own the hearts and minds of so many flats guides (and by connection, their customers) in the most vaunted saltwater flats in the world? I’ll tell you how…

First, facing somewhat of an identity crisis in America a couple decades back, Hardy decided they wanted to make a splash. The company invested in resin technologies, and leaned on its design team to come up with some tapers that would fit the technology.

Second, Hardy decided to “go big or go home” when opting to court a community of the crustiest concentration of grizzled guides–and young buck mavericks–to be found anywhere, which happened to be the Florida Keys.

Then, well before anyone knew what an “influencer” was, they found some influential types, like Andy Mill and Sandy Moret, showed them their new rod designs and invited this crew to beat up the new rods, fishing for everything from tarpon to permit, bonefish, jacks and otherwise. Which they did.

The test crew didn’t just play around with the new rods, they began winning tournaments, and along the way captured images of going “bendo” on fish in ways that nobody thought possible.

Word spread, and over time, those Hardy rods earned a cult following. If you weren’t merely farting around, if you fished for money, Hardy Marksman Z saltwater fly rods were suddenly more than a novelty for Anglophiles–they became a new standard.

And for the past decade or so, the boys from Scotland and northern England have religiously returned to the Keys to tweak and refine rod designs.

All of which led to where we stand today–the Hardy Marksman Z.

Granted, every angler has a different casting style, and we all have brand allegiances, and what feels like a magic wand in my hands might not squeak your duck and vice-versa.

But now having fished the Marksman Z quite a bit, I consider it the apex predator on the flats. Sure, there are other rods I love with equal enthusiasm. In terms of cast-ability and versatility, the Scott Sector is right there. In an 8-foot 5-inch 7-weight, I think the new Orvis Helios is a legit player. The Thomas & Thomas Sextant fly rods are also in the mix.

But in terms of durability and pressing the angling limits, Marksman Z (we tested the 9-foot 7-weight, 4-piece fly rod) is in its own league. It has an intuitive and honest casting feel. And it’s pretty, if that matters. I’d have absolutely no hesitation taking different versions of Z anywhere in the world, to fish for any saltwater species.

Pros

Supreme durability.

Intuitive, accurate casting.

Distance capability, even in wind, without sacrificing feel at close range.

Impressive strength-to-weight ratio.

Gorgeous aesthetics, and classic flourishes like ferrule plugs and other top-shelf components.

Cons

Not made in the UK: Hardy rods are designed in England, but made in Asia.

Elevated cost–about the same as a high-end American-designed rod.

Heck, it’s a Hardy, and there are scads of ruffles and flourishes like ferrule plugs, a distinctive rod tube and sleeve and all that. And by recent measures, Hardy fly rods are among the toughest, most durable rods out there. Of course, anyone can break any fly rod by being stupid (trust us, we know), but Hardys rate very high on the durability scale. And if you can get over the “import at the same price as domestic” hurdle, the value equation, while measuring a bit differently for everyone, is palatable and fair.

Price: $995 - $1050, depending on size and line weight
Dimensions: 9-foot 7-weight, 4-piece fly rod
Weight: 3.7 ounces
Construction/Materials: Sintrix FLT (proprietary resin system) applied to an updated mandrel design: intended to significantly increase the strength-to-weight ratio
Guides: Ceramic lined titanium stripper guides, titanium recoil intermediate snake guides
Rod action: Fast
Rod tracking: Straight
Rod recovery: Fast
Warranty information: Hardy warranty program

Hardy Product Manager, Howard Croston, walks through the Marksman Z series of fly rods.

Hardy is one of the few companies that invested in manufacturing universal ferrule fits. (Orvis is another.) So if you break the tip of the rod, make a claim and Hardy can send you a replacement tip that will fit just fine within days or weeks. Other companies will boast that every rod is custom made, so every replacement part is hand-crafted to fit your rod. This seems like a sensible, personable approach, but I’d be really bummed if I broke my rod early in the season, knowing I’d have to wait months, on average, to get it fixed.

Hardy warranty program.

“As an owner of a Hardy carbon/glass fibre rod, you are entitled to take part in the Hardy Product Warranty and Repair Service. To do so, you need to register your rod within 60 days of purchase.

Once you have registered to take part in the Hardy Product Warranty and Repair Service you will be entitled for the lifetime of the product to the repair or replacement (at our discretion) of damaged, broken or defective sections of your rod in accordance with these terms.

For rods manufactured before 2002, please contact the customer service team to find out the cost of your claim.”

I never expected to “aspire” to own a Korean-manufactured fly rod. Not that there’s anything wrong with Korean rods–some will rightly say they are key to keeping the American fly-fishing industry spinning on a stable axis. But that usually involves lower-price point stuff.

I won’t lie: it’s a full-on leap of faith to spend a grand on a Hardy fly rod. And that faith is based in the design, and materials moxie that goes into making the rod.

If not for the fact that Hardy Marksman Z saltwater rods have been proven, in the toughest market in the world, amongst the toughest fish, and to the crustiest SOBs in the guide world, I’d still have doubts.

But I’m satisfied. And holding, casting and fishing the Marksman Z is absolute magic. It’s a matter of trust, and Hardy has earned ours.

Find the Hardy Marksman Z saltwater fly rod with our trusted partner: