HAWKRIDGE COLORADO 9’6” #7 Review: a no-nonsense stillwater combo that actually feels decent on the water

I’ve been using the HAWKRIDGE COLORADO 9’6” #7 combo for stillwater trout fishing, mainly from the bank and the odd session from a boat. I went for it because I wanted a dedicated reservoir rod with a bit more backbone than my usual 9’ #5, without spending silly money. It’s a UK brand, but like most things at this price, it’s made in China. I wasn’t expecting anything fancy – just something that throws a line properly and doesn’t fall apart after a few trips.

Right out of the case, the first thing I noticed was that it doesn’t look like a toy. The burgundy blank, matching whippings and gun-smoke fittings look fairly tidy. It’s not premium-level finish, but it doesn’t scream “starter kit” either. The reel comes pre-loaded with backing, a WF7 floating line and a braided loop already fitted, so you really can tie on a leader and go. For anyone who hates faffing around spooling reels, that’s a plus.

I’ve had it out for a few weekends now: windy bank sessions, chucking lures and larger buzzers, and one calmer evening with dries. I’ve hooked and landed decent stockies and a couple of better fish that pulled a bit of line. Nothing trophy-sized, but enough to see how the blank behaves under load and how the drag copes when a fish runs towards the backing knot.

Overall, it feels like a mid-range rod bundled with a very average but usable reel. It’s not perfect: the combo is a bit on the heavy side, and the reel is clearly the weak link. But for the money, it’s pretty solid, especially if you’re moving up from a really basic starter outfit and you want a faster, punchier rod for stillwaters and reservoirs.

In terms of value, this HAWKRIDGE COLORADO combo sits in a sweet spot for a certain type of angler. You’re getting a 9’6” #7 4-piece carbon rod, a large-arbour reel, pre-loaded backing and line, a braided loop, and a proper hard case. For the price, that’s a lot of kit. If you tried to buy everything separately at the same quality level, you’d almost certainly spend more. That’s why a lot of the reviews mention it being good for beginners and improvers who don’t want to spend big.

The key thing, though, is to be realistic: the real value here is the rod and the case. The reel and line are basically decent extras that get you fishing straight away. Compared to some cheap starter kits from generic brands, the blank on this one feels more refined and genuinely capable on stillwaters. You can throw proper long casts, handle bigger fish, and not feel like the rod is holding you back. That’s where the money is going.

Where the value is less impressive is if you’re already sitting on a good reel and line. In that case, you might wish you could buy the rod alone for less. Since this is sold as a combo, you’re stuck paying for a reel you might not really want. Also, if you’re chasing the lightest possible setup or super precise drag, you’ll quickly outgrow the reel. So for more advanced anglers, the value is more about having a solid backup or dedicated stillwater rod rather than a full main outfit.

Overall, I’d say good value for beginners to intermediate anglers who want a ready-to-fish stillwater combo with a rod that actually performs. If you’re already deep into fly fishing with premium gear, this won’t blow you away, but it could still earn a place as a spare or a rod you’re not scared to lend to mates or throw in the car for casual trips.

The design is fairly straightforward: burgundy blank, matching whippings with black trim, gun-smoke guides and hardware. It’s not flashy, but it looks decent on the bank. The 4-piece build makes it easy to pack down, and the sections are short enough to fit in a small car boot or overhead compartment. Visually, it sits somewhere between entry-level and mid-range. You can see some minor imperfections in the finish if you look closely, but nothing that affects use.

The handle is a full wells cork grip with a fighting butt, which suits a #7 stillwater rod. The cork is AA grade according to the spec, but in the hand it feels more like decent mid-range cork: a few small fills, but nothing shocking. The fighting butt is handy when you’re playing stronger fish or casting all day, as it gives you a bit of extra leverage against your forearm. The reel seat is anodised aluminium with a matching burgundy screw lock; it holds the reel firmly with no wobble.

Guide-wise, you get SIC stripper guides, stainless steel gun-smoke snake guides, and a full-size hayfork tip. Line shoots fairly cleanly through them. They’re not the smoothest I’ve ever used, but they don’t snag or rattle. On windy days with a WF7 line, the rod has enough stiffness in the butt and mid-section to punch out longer casts, especially with heavier flies or lures. The fast-action design is obvious: most of the bend is in the top half of the rod.

Overall, the design is practical and sensible. No weird gimmicks, no flashy graphics, just a standard modern stillwater rod layout and a matching reel that looks okay from a distance. If you’re used to premium brands, you’ll notice where they’ve saved money – mostly in the reel and some finishing details. But if you’re upgrading from a supermarket combo or an old glass rod, this will feel like a clear step up in both looks and function.

Comfort-wise, this combo is usable but not feather-light. At 9’6” in a #7, you’re not expecting a super delicate feel anyway – this is a stillwater and reservoir tool meant to cast bigger flies and handle wind. The rod itself is fairly light for the length and rating, but once you add the graphite reel, the whole setup feels a bit heavier than some pure rod-only setups I’ve used with nicer reels. One of the Amazon reviewers mentioned it feels “a fraction heavy but manageable”, and I’d agree with that.

The full wells grip is comfortable for standard overhead casting and hauling. Over several hours of casting lures and pulling a line, my hand didn’t cramp, which is the main thing. The fighting butt is nice when you’re playing better fish or casting with the rod butt against your forearm. That extra bit of support takes pressure off your wrist. The balance point with the supplied reel sits slightly towards the rear, which some people will like, others not. For me, it’s fine – not perfect, but I got used to it quickly.

In wind, the fast action is actually a plus for comfort, because you don’t have to work as hard to get the line out. The rod has enough backbone that you can throw a WF7 with a weighted lure without feeling like you’re overloading it. If you’re coming from a softer 5-weight river rod, you’ll immediately notice how much easier it is to punch into a breeze. On the flip side, for very delicate presentation of tiny dries at close range, it feels a bit stiff and unforgiving, but that’s not really what this combo is built for.

After several sessions, I’d summarise comfort like this: if you’re doing typical stillwater fishing – longish casts, stripping lures, indicator fishing, buzzers – it’s perfectly fine for a full day. If you have shoulder or wrist issues and want the lightest possible setup, you might want a more expensive, lighter blank and a better reel. But for most anglers doing weekend reservoir trips, the comfort level is good enough and not something that ruins the experience.

The rod uses 24 Ton high modulus carbon fibre, which is pretty standard for mid-priced fly rods these days. It gives the blank a light enough feel with a fast, crisp action. It’s not ultra-light or ultra-thin, but on the water it feels reasonably responsive. You can feel takes clearly, especially when fishing nymphs or buzzers. The blank recovers quickly after the cast, which helps keep your loops tighter once you’re in the rhythm.

The cork handle, as mentioned, is decent but not perfect. There are some filler spots, but nothing that makes it feel cheap in the hand. The guides are stainless steel with SIC strippers, which is good news for durability and line wear. They’re not top-tier components, but they’re far from junk. Over several sessions, I haven’t seen any grooves or corrosion starting, even after fishing in drizzle and not being super careful about drying everything properly afterwards.

The reel is where the materials remind you of the price point. It’s graphite, not metal, which keeps it light but doesn’t give that solid, cold feel of an aluminium reel. The frame and spool are fine for normal trout fishing, but it doesn’t feel like something you’d want to abuse or drop on rocks repeatedly. The drag is a disc system, and the knob is plastic with a burgundy finish. It works, but it’s not the kind of drag you’d trust for heavy saltwater use or long, brutal runs from big fish. For stockie rainbows and typical stillwater trout, though, it’s fine.

In practice, the materials feel like this: rod = slightly above its price, reel = exactly its price. If you treat the reel as a bonus and focus on the blank, it’s easier to justify the kit. If you’re picky about reels, you’ll probably end up upgrading the reel and keeping the rod as your main stillwater stick. The good thing is that the rod itself doesn’t feel compromised by the overall kit price. They haven’t clearly cheaped out on the blank just to squeeze in a reel and line.

Durability is always the question with these mid-priced combos. So far, after multiple trips, the rod has held up well. No loose ferrules, no cracking sounds, and the guides are still straight. I’m not super gentle with my gear – the rod has been chucked in the car, leaned against fences, and used in light rain. The finish hasn’t started peeling or bubbling, and the burgundy colour still looks the same as when it came out of the case.

The cork has picked up the usual marks and slight darkening from use, but that’s normal. No major chunks have fallen out, and the filler spots haven’t blown open yet. The reel seat is still clamping the reel tightly with no play. The fighting butt and handle transitions are still solid. So on the rod side, I’m pretty confident it’ll last at least a few seasons of normal use if you don’t do anything stupid like high-sticking a big fish right at the net.

The reel is more of a question mark long-term. Being graphite, it’s lighter but also not as tough as a full metal reel. I’ve had it knock against the boat and the bank a couple of times with no cracks, but you can tell it’s not built to take serious abuse. The drag is still smooth enough, and the roller bearing on the main shaft hasn’t started grinding yet. For freshwater trout use, I think it’s fine, but I wouldn’t trust it for heavy-duty or saltwater work. If you’re clumsy or hard on gear, you might want to budget for a sturdier reel down the line.

The travel case is another durability plus. The cordura outer and rigid tube have shrugged off being jammed in the boot with other rods and gear. The zip hasn’t split, and the stitching is still intact. For a combo at this price, the overall durability is actually better than I expected. The rod feels like the part that will outlast the rest of the kit; the reel is usable now but probably the first thing you’ll replace as you progress.

This is where the HAWKRIDGE COLORADO combo does its main job: casting a WF7 line on stillwaters with enough power and control. With the supplied line, I was getting consistent, controlled casts at normal fishing ranges (15–20 metres) without much effort once I found the right stroke. The rod is fast action with a fairly stiff butt, so it prefers a slightly more aggressive casting style. If you’re used to slow, relaxed casting with a softer rod, you might need a few minutes to adjust.

In terms of distance, it’s more than capable of reaching the fish on most UK stillwaters. With a bit of double hauling, I could comfortably throw into the backing for fun, though obviously that’s not real fishing distance. More importantly, in a crosswind or headwind, it still held tight loops and turned over medium-sized lures and indicators without flopping all over the place. It’s not on the same level as high-end fast rods, but for this price bracket, it’s pretty solid.

Playing fish, the blank bends nicely into the mid-section without feeling like a broomstick. On stockies in the 2–3 lb range, it’s fun but not overkill. On slightly bigger fish, it has enough muscle to keep them away from snags and bring them in quickly. You do feel the takes quite clearly, especially when fishing buzzers or pulling lures. One thing I liked is that it doesn’t lock up too early – there is a proper curve through the rod when a fish pulls, rather than all the pressure sitting in your wrist.

The reel’s drag works, but I wouldn’t rely on it for super fine adjustments. It’s basically there to stop overruns and add a bit of resistance when a fish runs. I mostly palm the spool out of habit anyway. The large arbour helps pick up slack line quickly, which is handy when a fish runs towards you. Overall, performance-wise, this combo is well suited to beginner and intermediate anglers who want a capable stillwater setup without worrying too much about fine-tuning every component.

In the tube you get a 4-piece 9’6” #7 rod, a large-arbour graphite reel (size 7/8), pre-loaded with backing, a WF7 floating line, and a braided loop already attached. Everything comes in a cordura hard travel case with separate compartments for the rod sections and a space for the reel. So if you’re starting from scratch, this really is a complete outfit: you just need tippet, flies and maybe a pair of nippers.

The rod sections fit together cleanly, with standard spigot ferrules. Alignment is straightforward; there are no fancy alignment dots, but that’s hardly a deal-breaker. The reel is already spooled right-hand wind, but you can swap it to left-hand fairly easily if you’re used to that. The drag is a disc system with a burgundy knob, and you can feel distinct clicks as you tighten it. It’s not super precise like higher-end reels, but it’s good enough for trout work.

The travel case is actually one of the nicer surprises. It’s rigid enough that I don’t worry about throwing it in the boot with other gear on top. The zip feels okay, and the stitching doesn’t look like it will fall apart after a couple of trips. For a budget combo, this is important, because a lot of cheaper outfits come with floppy sleeves that do nothing. Here you actually get a proper protective case, which makes it a decent option if you’re travelling by train, bus, or even flying and want a bit of protection for the rod.

In terms of "out of the box" experience, it’s simple and practical. There’s no fancy manual or marketing booklet, and honestly that’s fine. You screw the reel on, thread the line, tie on a leader and you’re fishing. If you’re new to fly fishing, that simplicity is helpful. If you’re more experienced, you’ll probably look at the reel and line as "good enough for now" and maybe plan to upgrade those parts later while keeping the rod.