Paul Arden | Monday, 24 August 2026
It’s been a bit chaotic recently but life is a bit more normal again and there are fish to be caught as well! Today I’ve uploaded a video on shots, a bit about Snakehead and some thoughts on the HT8/Tornado 8.
This was the second rod we completed and it has certainly served me well. All my biggest Snakehead, ie over 6KG, my largest brown trout… from Russia at 11.5lbs and some nice bonefish in the Maldives too! For me it’s really my goto shot-taking rod for 1-1/0 sized flies.
A couple of interesting things: when testing prototypes, I was sent three rods that were all different. The difference? “Different sanding options”. That may tell you something about rods!
I tested these three against many other top-of-the line rods, which in fact was the only time I’ve done this. There was no question that the HT was better IMO but it still didn’t have the tip recovery/damping that I wanted. It took two more prototypes to get there. That was either the eighth prototype or the nineth.
In theory I could have simply released each one, a year apart, and made the marketing claim that rapid technological advances have allowed us to improve the original design! But I don’t do that. That’s a different type of business.
Anyway it’s the best I can make. And I think that’s all you can say. And actually all you want. And what a rod it’s been for me. There are a lot of memories in that rod. I’ve fished it well over 3000 days now. It fits me like a glove.
I broke the tip once playing a log. Oh and I think a guest broke a tip as well, also playing a log! But everything else is original. So that would make it a Trevor build with navy blue whippings, which are now tropical sun-bleached white!
Me, I love that sort of thing. Long may it live!!
Now Rickard, our Sexyloops Saturday-slot writer and flycasting athlete is at the WCs in Italy. The plane has delivered him but not his luggage. FFS. Hopefully it arrives today. Nothing like a bit of pre-competition hectic chaos. At least he is very ready. I’ve never seen Rickard cast better or in so much control.
I have a few athletes there and will follow the games closely of course!!
Talking of games I managed to watch the Springboks / All Blacks rugby game live! That was a fun match. Looking forward to the next 3(?).
This week, as well as the WCs in Italy, I’ll be buying some podcasting equipment so that I can either sound like Andy the Redneck or maybe Richard Burton.
Have a great week!
Cheers, Paul