Would like some input. I'm rewrapping some Shakespeare 8' boat blanks used for walleye trolling and want to spiral wrap. Would like opinions on a starting point/progression for the guides. What would be a good starting distance from the reel seat? It will be using a Daiwa. I was thinkingline counter reel. I was thinking size 16 12 10 then 8 single foot fly guides the rest of the way. Am I way of base on using fly guides. How about Single foots for butt/transition guides?

Any input would be greatly appreciated

Mike

Personally I like to use double foot guides for the transition, but thats on rods used mostly for bass fishing and are going to be on the deck of the boat. Doubles tend to hold up better for me. No problem using the fly guides at all. Also, I like to use 4 double foot guides for the transition, then go to the single and fly guides after that. To figure where the transition guides would end, flex the blank so the tip is at 90 deg to the butt section. I would end the transition guides before the point where the blank starts bending.

I'm on the exact same page as Mike as far as preference for double-foots as transition guides and the location of the first 180 degree guide.

As far as starting distance from the reel seat, it depends on how fast of a transition you make. As Mike said, the first 180 degree guide should be about at the lock up point. That, in turn, will determine how fast of a transition you can make. Since you are using the rods primarily for trolling, and not extensive casting, the distance from the reel seat doesn't matter as much as sizing and orienting the first guide so that:

1. You make as smooth of a transition as possible.
2. The guide is tall enough to keep the line off of your hand when the rod is flexed.
3. The line stays off the side of the ring when it travels left and right on the retrieve.

I often find that the traditional 16,12,10,8 progression doesn't work as well as something like a 16,10,10,8 or a 16,8,8,8... type of transition when spiral wrapping. I never know for sure what the transition will be until I actually set it up, but I often find myself jumping rapidly from a size 16 or 20 guide down to a size 10 or 8 guide on spiral rods. It's all about what works.

Erik

Hey Mark, one method I use is to attach my running guides and top first. Put the reel on and run the line through the guides and weight it. I then flex the rod and observe where the line crosses the 90 deg axis. This is where I start by placing my 90 deg guide. Once it's set, I eye ball the remainder and perform another static test, and adjust to get the smoothest transistion I can. Sometimes I have to add/remove a guide or have to adjust the 0 deg +/- 5 deg to get a good flow.

PS: Be sure and run the line from side to side on the reel to make sure your 0 deg is large enough to accomodate.

Regards......Doug@
TCRds