Hello all
Need some advice. I'm building a rod for my Dentists husband(I believe in staying on the good side of anyone that will be in a position to stick sharp things in my mouth or any where else for that matter)

Blank is a St Croix 2S60mlf I'm setting it up using the Concept method using Fugi BYAGs. The reel I am using is a Shimano 2000 series, spool dia is 40mm. I have taped on guides and stacic deflection tested and practise cast. My best results seem to be a 30 set 22" from reel front then a 16, 10.5" from that, then an 8, 6.5" from that. My choke guide is a BLAG 6, 5" from the 8 with 3 more BLAGs set 4.5' apart and then the tip a BFAT 6. 4.5" from the last 6. I have used a 25 and a 20 for the first guide and while they seem to work well it seems like the setup I have now cast better, but maybe it's just me. No one ever accused my casting of ever being perfect. Any suggestions or ideas. Recipient is an oral surgeon who works on me also. If I mess this one up I could be in some REALLY bad caca.
Thanks for any help

Wayne
Six Mile Creek Rods

What size line are you using? I can't comment on the placement for each guide that you list as the proper locations will be determined by how the guides meet the straight line (table top edge) along their top edge. What you have there may be fine.

22 inches from the reel spool is a reasonable distance for the butt guide. A 25 would no doubt have to sit a farther out, and if you get much past about 23 or 24 inches I'd say you're too far. In this case, it's not so much a matter of the guide ring diameter, but the overall height that you need. The 30 seems to be giving you that.

One way to know if your set up is on the mark, is to take the rod and sight down through the butt guide towards the choke or intersect guide. Each guide should be perfectly framed by the preceeding one. In a one dimensional aspect, the guide rings should look like the rings on an archery target.

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Tom ,The line I have on is 8# the user will probably not use more than 10#. I will reset guides after I work them down and try the sighting method to see how they look. I tried to get the line to go thru the middle of the guides. I used the edge of an 8' work bench for the straight edge. Thanks for the help

Wayne
SMCR

I'd put the line to go along the top edge - not the middle. In actual use the line will never pass through the middle of the rings (gravity will pull it down to where the edge is) so going that large is just wasting guide size and adding extra weight. If he won't use more than 10 lb line, I'd sure try to made do with no more than the #25. If you put the top edge on the table top edge, I'd be surprised if you couldn't keep it in the 20 to 23 inch range. That 2000 is a fairly large reel for that size line, however.

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Tom, Went to the top of guide and got down to a 20 then 12 then 8 then on out with 6's. Checked deflection and eyeballed lineup , everything looked good, so test cast and got between 60 & 70' into about a 10/12mph wind(March in IN.). with a 3/8oz practice plug. Should be fine. Thanks for the help.

Wayne
SMCR

Another thing is take the spool off the reel and use the shaft as your center guide

If you can get it done with a #20, and it casts just as far as with the 25 or 30, then I'd go that route for sure. Sixty to seventy feet into a stiff breeze witih just a 3/8th plg is not bad at all. Particularly with just a 6' length rod. Sounds good.

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