I am working on my first spinning rod. Can't say that I like filing down that first guide very much...but that's not the real issue.

I am having a hard time placing and/or sizing the first guide. There may not be a good answer to any of these questions, but that's never stopped me before.

What size (in relation to the reel spool) should the first guide be?

How far should it be away from the spool? I am using the concept setup, but I can't seem to get the first spool located. Move it closer to the spool...line slaps. Move it farther away...line goes crazy. Neither seems to be the right solution.

Sean, have you read the article in the library. Tom has got a good article there "New Guide Concept Primer". This article has helped me out alot. It will cover guide sizing and placement.

I have read it, but I'll read it again. Maybe I missed something.

Sean,
Reread the article and search the site here and I'm sure you'll come up with the best fit.
A general guideline about reel size is to size the butt guide about half the diameter of the spool. There may also be some angle from the reel frame to need adjusting the best distances for the first guide placement.

Rich Garbowski
Richard's Rod & Reel

Sean,

Also keep in mind the line that you are using to do the setup. A limp line will give much less line slap than a stiff one. If you regularly fish stiff line, then you may need to bump up a size larger than what is suggested. The concept system works well, if you keep some things in mind. The rule of thumb for the size of the first guide is half the diameter of the spool. Personally, I like a #25 for all of my spinning rods unless I am using heavy/stiff line or a reel with minimal upsweep. If you make your setup with a #20 because it is half the diameter, but then find that your line is stiff and holds a lot of memory, then you can bump up to a #25 to help control the line. Also, the first guide is partly set by the system, partly by stress distribution, and partly by test casting. Use static distribution first to determine where you need the guide to be roughly. On blanks that are stiff in the lower half, you can eyeball it and adjust later. Next, use the concept system to figure out the guide height you need at that position to intersect the spool spindle line. Finally, put all the guides on with the system and go cast it. Adjust the position and height of the first guide to give the best casting.

Thanks,
Rick

"Can't say that I like filing down that first guide very much..."

If you didn't like filing down the top guides (top being close to tip top) wait until you get the joy of wrapping them. Took me a while to do the little tiny ones.

Guide placement's a personnal issue - function of rod use - but Tom's got an excellent article on it.

Keep in mind wrapping the concept sytem works best with the concept guides. I've done it w/ the spinning guides, and it worked, but not quite as good as w/ concept style guides.

Good luck on the new hobby and be careful - it's addicting.