With the use of a spiral wrapped trolling rod of 30-50lb class would it not be safe to say that you can disregard all logic of guides tapering as they near the tip and use as large as you need for leader clearance? Also I am using turbo guides but was going to use a (standard) double foot guide for my bumper. Do I need to use the turbo for a bumper as well?
Thanks for your help!!

"The early bird gets the worm,.. but the second mouse gets the cheese!"



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 08/19/2005 06:55AM by Michael Friddle.

This is really no logic to tapering or gradually reducing guides anyway - most people do it because the factories provide all the various sizes or include them in guide "sets." If they introduced additional in-between sizes tomorrow, many buildes would insist on incorporating those new sizes into their set ups only because they're available. Not out of logic.

You need to use whatever size and height guide is required to do what you need the rod to do. If a connection won't pass through a #10 ring, then it would be folly to use any #10 rings on the rod. If they'll pass through a 12, then get down to a 12 quickly and stay there.

A standard double foot guide for the bumper would be fine - there is no side pressure on the bumper so the straddle foot design, which is there to prevent guide twist, is not necessary. In fact, the guides along the underside of the rod really don't need those straddle feet either. But putting them on the underside of the rod, you remove the reason for having to use the straddle legs/feet in the first place.

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That being said, once you make the turn to the under side could you use a single foot up to a certain pound class rod??

"The early bird gets the worm,.. but the second mouse gets the cheese!"

Certainly. On a 30-50lb outfit, however, I'd stay with double footed guides.


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Thanks Tom. Things seem a lot easier now!!

"The early bird gets the worm,.. but the second mouse gets the cheese!"

I have to slightly disagree with Tom K. I've been using Fuji LBSG heavy duty single foot boat guides on spiral wrapped 80# stand up rods for years and they work great. For details see [www.rodbuilding.org]

Tom is very right that there is no need to taper the guides. Once you've done the transition any possible need to taper is long gone.

Dave