A friend in need has cracked a guide on his Tica rod, and I told him I could fix it. It is the bottom-most guide, appears to be size 30. Rod model is the 12' casting rod rated for 15-40 lb. line, 4-10 oz. of weight, Model UEHA836502C.

I want to try to match the existing guides as well as i can...they look like Fuji Hardloys (black frame, gun-metal or grey ring) but are unmarked, so I'm guessing they are knock-offs of some type. Can't find info on-line.

I'm thinking a BNLG will suffice. Anybody have any more specific info?

Thanks,

-- Doug

Your correct the guides are real cheapI think are made by tica, or by someone just for tica. I do know that they crack very easy, and are very common to break. You will probably do your friend a favor if you talk him into letting you replace all the guides, I have just seen to many break. But too answer your question, The hardloy guides are a lighter blueish grey and do not match up well. But i have found that the aluminum oxide guys by fugi, are almost exact in color and are built a little nicer. Alconites are the same color but the frame style is too differnt to match well. I think the alum. oxide are the lowest grade of fugi guides (cheap) but in my opinion they are still a big improvement on the tica guides. Unless he needs the rod for a fishing trip in two days, I would have him get some fugi's. hardloys are cheap, and you could drop down a guide size and improve the rods feel and proformance a little, most likely that rod has a 12 tip and a 16 as the first guide, never made sence to me. I think i would go 30, 20, 16, 16, 16, 16 with a 16 tip, or go with a 30, 20, 16, 16, 12, 12, with a 12 tip.

Tica makes all of their guides, blanks, reel seats. so you may not find what you are looking for and will have to find the closest match.

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