Hello

I was wondering if someone can help me out. I'm looking for information about the Fuji Guide Concept System and how it works with baitcasting rods (or if it works with baitcasting rods). I ran into [www.rodbuilding.org] from our dear friend and mentor Mr Kirkman however it only covers spinning rods. Can someone help me out with how this works with casting rods?

Thanks
Sam

The second part of the article concerned the New Guide Concept on fly and casting rods. However, there isn't much to it. The mainstay of the system for these rod types concerns dropping down quickly to the smallest guides you can use and still pass the required connections.

Looking back, it seems almost silly the way nearly all of us went through each available guide size when none of that was reallly necessary and in fact, may have been harming overall rod performance. For instance, you might have considered this set of guides for a standard bass freshwater casting set-up:

16 - 12 - 10 - 10 - 8 - 8 - 8 and 8 top

Of course, such a set-up really doesn't make much sense when you could (should) have done this:

16 - 10 - 8 - 8 - 8 - 8 - 8 - 8 and 8 top. (And in all likelyhood, you could have used 6's instead of 8's)

You may find that you'll need to increase the overall number of guides as you move to smaller and lower guides, but in the end you should still have a guide set that is lighter overall, which translates to better rod performance.

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I've since switched to fly guides all the way out, sometimes even 5's and something still gnaws at me when I'm finished and it looks like I have a million guides on the rod. After using the old standard method of a few big guides for so long it's hard to get used to even though it is better.

Last one I built, the first thing the buyer said was "Man, that's an awful lot of guides". I told him to take it fishing before he paid me the remainder of what he owed me. He did and I got a very nice tip, some hotspots, a couple of tackle tips and a bunch of old broken rods in return.

It's hard to break old habits and perceptions.

But how would one find the intersection point with a baitcasting rod, or a fly rod for that matter? It seems to me there isn't as much of a hard line to draw from these types of reels to the intersect. The line simply comes off the top so what defines the axis? Whereas with a spinning reel we know the the spindle for the spool points in the direction of our imaginary line.

Thanks
Sam

Thanks for the insight Mick. I'm still used to off the shelf rods and I may have leaned towards making my rods look like them since like you said all these guides seem a bit odd at first glance. Fortunately I'm new to rod building so I don't have as many bad habits already ingrained so I'll happily take the advice of the experts on this forum.

There is no intersect point on fly or baitcasting rods. Different type of reels.

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The system is Mainly for spinning rods. It works well to controll the pig tails that come off a spinning reel.
When using it on casting, and fly rods one can go to the smallest and lightest guides faster because the line already comes off the spool streaght.

Ah... ok then when you are using the guide concept system on fly/casting rods you actually don't worry about the intersect but concentrate on making sure the guides are just properly placed so the line doesn't touch the rod, casts well etc. If that's not correct please someone step in...

Thanks for everyone's input.
Sam

That is correct.

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Samer, I definitely second Tom's method. I have built many Steelhead casting rods using this system and do not deviate. Starting with size 12 double foot (if using low profile baitcaster) to an 8 double foot, 8 fly and then fly 6's all the way out. Oscillation and weight is at bare minimum and cast's like a rocket. (Thirteen total on 10' fast action plus tip top.)

Joe

Tom,
Would you modify the guide setup stated above if using the Fuji New Guide Concept guides on a spiral wrap?

Tom,
Would you modify the guide setup stated above if using the Fuji New Guide Concept guides on a spiral wrap?

Keep in mind that the New Concept Guides and the New Guide Concept are two entirely different things. The spiral wrap will require what it requires, and you'd want to size and space guides based on what you need to do. I have no idea what type of spiral wrap you'd be using nor what type of transition you'd make. those things would factor into what guide sizes and styles you need to use.

The issue of RodMaker that mails Friday will have information on a spiral wrap system that is remarkably easy and very much worth a try. Recommendations for sizing and spacing directions are included.


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Great!. I just subscribed to RodMaker a few days ago. Maybe they'll start my first issue with the current one.