Would I be crazy to use some of the Fuji size 8 or 10 Concept Guides for a a 1-3 oz Plugging Rod?

I should have added The Alconite "Fly" Guides

Joe
I think you're going to want to keep the line further from the blank. Also, I don't know where you fish, but in the northeast we favor larger guides to prevent fouling with seaweed and mung.
Jud

Joe,
I have an 8 ft. steelhead rod that I use when wade fishing the surf on the Texas Gulf Coast. Sometimes I wade deep and the extra length keeps me from slapping the water on the back cast. I spiral wrapped it and my last four guides are Alconites in size six. I throw lures weighing almost an ounce with no problem. Sometimes the seaweed gets on my line and I just shake it off. I am using Alconites on all of my personal rods; they are light, inexpensive and hold pretty good in the salt if you wash them right after fishing. I usually rinse them off at the cleaning table and rub WD40 on them when I get home.
Cheers, Ellis

Joe...

If it's a spinning or spiral wrapped rod and you plan to take care of it, size 10 single foots would probably be fine (locking wrap) in the tip section. Double foot concept guides will hold up better to being dinged around a bit.

I just had a customer bring me a spiral wrapped 11-foot, 1 - 3 oz plugging rod for repair. I had built the rod a year ago and it had seen one season of pretty steady use. He had damaged one of the transistion guides (user error). This was a spiral wrapped rod with size 10 single foot titanium concept guides in the tip section, from the choke point out. All of the single foot guides are holding up just fine with a locking wrap.

I don't think I'd go smaller than size 10 though.

Erik

Joe: "Crazy?" ... I've slept on it, and here's one man's opinions.

First of all, let me say that IMO there is essentially nothing sacred about a single method of guide placement and all the internal criteria which are imposed. How to align the guides, select the style(s) and number of guides, space those guides, and choose their height-off-the-blank and ring size is open to a range of combinations that can give you comparable performance. And as you do a Static Distribution Test and a Casting Performance Test, you need to allow for adjustments.

In picking one system of guide alignment-placement over another for a revolving spool reel on a conventional casting-plugging or bottom-fishing rod, there is plenty of good reason and expert advice to favor a SPIRAL WRAP system of guide placement rather than the CONVENTIONAL guide alignment (which has all the guides in a straight line ON-TOP of the rod blank, along with the reel mounted on top.) If you feel comfortable doing that set-up, go for it. (There are resources here thru the RBO-Forum to point you in the right direction if you need help.)

But, I'm with Jud Tussing here, and his initial reaction: Why FLY guides?

(1) A SPIRAL WRAP alignment of the guides would really reduce the torque on the rod while fighting a fish. A spiral wrap probably won't improve casting or distance very much; but it won't hurt it either.

(2) On the choice of using the CONCEPT guides, are you preferring them because you want the ALCONITE ring? or because of the high frame? Or both, or price, or color, or _(other)_ ? You are free to select any style and size you want, and also to mix styles on the same rod (which often works well if done for the right reason). It's your rod; that's
what a "custom" rod and do-it-yourself is all about.

... BUT, if I understand you correctly, you are selecting a Fuji CONCEPT Alconite Style BLAG (Fly) for your guides for this 8.5' (1-3oz) PLUGGING rod. Right? [Is it a SPINNER or BAITCASTER?]
I guess I don't understand why you want to use a guide that lays so close to the blank, or has such a small ring (8mm or 10mm).

The CONCEPT system is mostly for guide spacing on a spinning rod.
For a CONVENTIONAL rod, the CONCEPT spacing set-up is not that relevant.
For a SPIRAL WRAP rod. the CONCEPT system can be used to space the "running" guides, between the "transition zone" and the rod tip-top, because now the guides will be UNDER-THE-ROD, just like a SPINNING rod.

If you are using the ALCONITE for the high-quality ring, then the options between Alconite and the HARDLOY guides, which are of similar quality rings, frames, & price immediately becomes boggling. If you add brands other than FUJI, you'll have a real bird's nest to pick thru.

If the single-foot, single-leg Fuji BLAG Alconite-ring guide is what you were gonna use, I guess I'm asking why not consider some of the single-foot, TWO-leg (the Y-frame) guides, in the ALCONITE (BYAG) or HARDLOY (BLVLG) ring? They have much larger rings, are higher off-the-blank, are also very light in weight, and have strong frames.

The prices are very similar for the ALCONITE BLAG-(fly) or the BYAG-(spinning) at ~ $2.00. The HARDLOYs BLVLG-(spinning) are even less, at ~ $1.25. Really, in this range, the price differential may be trivial compared to your preference for color. I'm not sure the Alconite ring hardness, smoothness and strength is that much superior to the older Hardloy ring. Silicon Carbide (SIC) would be a real quantum leap in up-grade here, but your wallet would get much lighter, too !

In the tip section (running guides), perhaps the Fuji BYAG or BLVLG single-foot, Y-frame guides in sizes 12mm-10mm would serve you better. In the transition zone (spiral zone), the even sturdier BLNAG or BSVLG double-foot, tri-leg frame guides in sizes 20mm-12mm would work better. Like Eric said, the transition guides are more prone to impact damage and some torque. They should be double-footed and of sturdier frames.

Just my thoughts on the subject, since you asked. Best Wishes, -Cliff Hall-

Joe,
I was considering a similar setup for a 9 foot (spinning) plugging rod, and I corresponded with a poster on another site that had done basically what you're talking about on a 9 foot Ron Arra blank and he absolutely loves it.

Joe,
Before I can give you an intelligent answer, you need to first answer the question raised above as to where and what you are planning on using your rod for. Also, what blank are you using? I am now convinced that on certain rod blanks, conventional wraps for revolving spool reels are the way to go and on other blanks, spiral wraps are the way to go. Also, for me personally, I would have to know your line set-up whether you are using big knots or casting straight mono or what? I use braided lines and tons of knots like bimini twists and imrpoved shock leader knots so I tend to use larger guides with size 8 double leg being my smallest guides. I also use a lot of alconites but for rods in heavier saltwater use, I use SiC tip and stripper guides. This may be overkill as I had a buddy nail 16 sailfish in one day on one rod with fireline through hardloy guides with no problem, but it's my own piece of mind I guess. If you answer those questions, I think the people on this forum can help you more.

The rod blanks I'm considering are a Lamiglas 1204-2 or a All Star
1145-2 for throwing 1-3oz wood plugs off the California Coast for Stripers. The rod will be a Spinning Rod. I like the way the Fuji Aloconite Fly guides look but function is more important then looks
since the rod will be for a Lady friend. Does Casting in the wind
affect the type of guides that should be used. Is that why some of you say you prefer a higher guide.
Thanks
Joe

And if this helps I the reel will be either a Daiwa Capricorn 4500
or Okuma Inspira 40

Lamiglas 1204-2 or a All Star 145-2, either of which is ~ 10 ft. Tip ~#10.
For throwing 1-3oz wood plugs off the California Coast for Stripers. Spinning Reel: Daiwa Capricorn 4500 or Okuma Inspira 40

I'm not saying, "Use these line guides." But I am suggesting that these are the guides I would like to have on hand when working-up this rod, before & after my static-load testing and test-casting this rod. IMO:

Considerations for CONCEPT Spinning Rod. Whether you use HARDLOY rings (grey-purple), or ALCONITE (black) or SIC (grey) rings, is up to you. And how you match your metallic frame colors, that's a ditto. And you can go with PacBay or AmTac for even more options.

STRIPPER Guide & Funnel section: double-foot, tri-leg frames.
Fuji BMNAG - 40J, 30J, 25J, 20J
Fuji BHVLG - 40HH, 30H, 25H.
Fuji BSVLG - 50mm, 40mm.

Funnel Guides & Running section: single-foot, Y-frame guides
Fuji BYAG - 30J, 25J, 20J, 16J, 12J, 10J. Or BLVLG series.

TIP-TOP: Silicon Carbide PST - 12mm ring - ~ 10 / 64ths ~ $8.
These are very rugged and have a generous flange ring, to help
keep the line from rubbing over the frame. Or BMNAT series.

I think you get the idea. If that rod owner ever wants to wind a snap / swivel up thru the guides while in transport, a big-ringed tip helps.
The open ID on a 10mm ring is 6mm. For a 12mm ring, ID = 7.5mm.

Best Wishes with your building, Joe. -Cliff Hall-.

I built an Arra 1083 concept style and fished it some last weekend in Hatteras as well as all fall here in Wilmington. I give it a big thumbs up. I ended up using the SIC concept single foot and SIC fly guides. I THINK I ended up with the BYAG 30, 20, 12, & then 5 fly type size 10's out to a MNST 10. The reel is a Penn 360 Slammer with 30# fireline. Caught stripers up to 30# & drum up to 60# last weekend with bucktails & storm jigs from the boat. Did I say I love this rod?