I am building a 7-6 popping rod mainly for light saltwater fishing. Line weights that I will end up using is 8-12# test. As far as wrapping the guides someone mentioned a double wrapped guide. I guess that is laying down a base and then the guide goes on that then a another wrap is done to secure the guide. Is that correct? Do I need to double wrap the guides in place? Or when do you do a double wrap?

Doug

I never double wrap anything except for decoration when weight isn't an issue on the rod. So far, just on the kids spincasting rods. 8-12 lb test rods shouldn't need a double wrap if the feet are prepped right.

Doug, For any light action rods I suggest a single wrap and be sure to use the Forhan locking wrap for strength. Forhan info in the library. Double wrap is exactly as you described, used for heavier rods. Good Luck!!! Ed

Doug,
When I first started building rods 20+ years ago I would make fancy under wraps on popping rods and double wrap the guides. I wound up with pretty rods but heavy ones. Now I make a single wrap on the guides and as short as possible. I want to have the lightest rod possible when fishing. I believe that Gary Loomis set the standard for light rods and blanks. After meeting him at a show one year, I started wanting to build my rods as light as possible. On my personal rods I may give up putting long butt wraps to cut down on the weight. You would be surprised how much difference an extra ounce or two can make after a long day of wade fishing or casting.

I didn't answer your question. Use double wraps on surf and off shore rods. I also double wrap guides on heavy pier rods.

I didn't answer your question. Use double wraps on surf and off shore rods. I also double wrap guides on heavy pier rods.

Thanks for the replies. Looks like I will go with a single using the Forhan locking wrap.

Doug

What was mentioned above is not double wraping, thats putting down an underwrap and the a single layer of thread on top of the guide foot. Doublewrapping is laying down two layers of thread over the guide foot. I double wrap just about everything,probley 95% of my wraps have a metallic underwrap and black overwrap. If you do not doublewrap over the metallic it tends to shine through the single layer of thread. Jesse

Doug,

Since no really got into the strength issue plainly, I will.

Using overwraps (wrapping the blank, then placing the guides on top of that and wrapping the guides with a single layer if thread) is a cosmetic project. It isn't neccessary for strength. A properly prepared and wrapped single wrapped guide will be stronger than the blank up to and including the 150 pound class tackle. In fact, it's not even close. Some folks believe that you want an underwrap on very light rods, to protect the BLANK, but if you properly prepare the guide feet, this isn't neccessary.

Same goes for 'double wrapping' the guide feet, either over an underwrap or not. Cosmetic, as Jesse mentioned, this can keep underwraps from showing through.

All of this leaves out rod abuse and such. For rods that are banged about quite a bit, or tend to be mistreated, double wrapping would, on it's surface, seem to add some stength and durability. Still, a guide being bent or broken can't be protected by the wraps, regardless of how many, since what tends to bend or break is ABOVE the wraps anyway. Seems to me, since doublewraps don't make the functioning area of the rod better, unless you want them for cosmetics, leave them off, even or maybe especially, on rods that take too much abuse. Makes it take longer to REPAIR them.

Certainly don't use stuch things on rods where casting performance is an issue.

Good Luck!

Buddy

I guess different people use different meanings for similar terms. In my area a 'double' wrap refers to an underwrap and single guide wrap...as is the case in this post. A double guide wrap combined with an underwrap, as Jesse describes, is called a 'triple' wrap. Like I said, this is just how the terms are used in MY area. That would be like me going to florida and calling their 'bonita' a false albacore (which it is by the way..lol). Same fish but different name.

In reality I would guess an underwrap doesn't really protect the blank much at all...maybe I'm wrong. Even with that said I usually incorperate underwraps on most saltwater rods 30# and up. Underwraps do add another element of color and/or design to the overall rod. On light rods the performance loss would most likely outweigh any benefit of design you'd get from an underwrap.

Jay