what length do you usually prep them to? I'm using REC regular chrome snakes on a light fly rod. Wayne Cattanach suggests 5/32 of an inch for all snakes. Any other suggestions?

thanks,
Shanon

Even single foot snake guides are better then regular. Less thread, less clear, less weight

The new issue of RodMaker has an article geared to just that question, plus some methods for quick and easy guide prep.

You want a shallow taper, so depending on the height or thickness of the foot, this might well be 5/32nd of an inch, or it could be much more. I would certainly think you'd want that foot edge angle to be less than 30 degrees.

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so really it's the angle of the taper that's important, then as a secondary note make the foot length as short as a good ramp angle will allow? How far up the foot can I taper without affecting the strength of the foot.

As far as single foots go, snakes are what aesthetically delineate (in my view) a fly rod from other kinds of rods. They are much simpler looking and I am from the school of "Simple is beautiful". Plus, I don't need to cast the whole reel with a 3/4 weight, at least not where I'm fishing.

thanks for the help,
Shanon

Yes, the point of the tapering the feet ends is twofold - first to make it easier for the thread to climb the foot onto the guide and second, to allow the end of the foot to flex enough that you don't crack or bust the thread and finish at the end of the foot.

The traditional fly rod guide is the ring and clasp - you may want to consider that if you're going for a "classic" look. These pre-date snakes, obviously.

I wouldn't go too short on the feet. Too short and the wraps have too little to grasp. Then again, you don't put much pressure on a guide under actual fishing conditions. I think the Snake Brand guides are sized so that the smaller ones, intended for use closer to the tip, have progressively shorter feet.

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What could be simpler than a single foot wire guide? Less thread, less epxoy, less weight.