I recall when the Lightweights weren't available in the U.S. for an interval and had to be bought directly from England. Of all the Hardy classics, one of the most desirable for trout is the St. George.
Fishing light tippets and small flies for trout that can scoot, 14-16"+ a smooth drag to prevent spool overrun is nice to have. One of the simplest systems is the "click" pawl/gear system with the pawl positions reversed to allow less force needed to pull line off the reel without overrun. Gil