Building a spinning rod, read where some are placing the gathering guide backwards .I can't remember the principal behind this backward position. Anyone know it? Which do you prefer the conventional or non-conventional placement?

Since the position of the ring doesn't change, and the line could care less how the feet below the ring are arranged, it really doesn't make any difference.

I have heard some say they do it one or the other because line slap on the guide is reduced with one direction over the other. But, if you have line slapping the frame, you don't have the guide in the correct position to begin with. Line shouldn't slap the frame or the legs on the cast.

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LET THE DEBATE BEGIN ... (To me, it’s more a matter of Ring Tilt or Knots, …) … IMO:

For a BUTT guide that is single-footed (and double-legged), I'll usually mount it NORMALLY (conventionally, forward), with the foot and two legs on the same side of the guide ring as the reel. ... For almost all brands of these single-footed / two-legged (double-braced, etc.) guides, the PLANE of the guide ring for these single-foot guides is almost always TILTED. That is, the part of the guide ring that is furthest away from the rod blank is leaning away from the foot and legs. … If the tilted ring were mounted backwards as a butt guide, it makes for a smaller target for the line-cone whirling off the spool as you cast, because of the upsweep angle on the reel, and the fact that the direction of the line cone is angled from the reel toward the rod tip. Therefore, I usually do not want to mount a SF guide backwards as a butt guide. It really has very little to do with the legs (braces) – it is because of the tilt in the guide’s ring. … I’m really not into bending the original angle on guides (made during the frame pressing by the manufacturer) as some rod-builders may be. That just seems like the induction of the first major flex at the guide’s ankle-heel. That is not an energy threshold that I want to lower. And I do not want to start the process of bending the guide ring back and forth. …I’ll never forget the first time I had some 10-12# jack crevalle (Sebastian Inlet, FL) on a 7 foot 20# spinning rod with a SF 30mm butt guide. Not only did the butt guide flex quite a bit, the drag was so heavy the graphite leg of the REEL was bending noticeably, never mind all the guide frames.

For a BUTT guide that is double-footed (and tri-legged), I may mount it NORMALLY on a CASTING ROD, but BACKWARDS on a SPINNING ROD. … The PLANE of the guide ring on these double-footed / triple-braced (tri-legged) guides is almost always PERFECTLY PERPENDICULAR to the ROD BLANK. The target area (of the cross section of the butt guide’s ring) facing the reel is the same regardless of which way the double-legged side of the frame is pointing. So, the tilt angle of the guide ring is usually not an issue. …

Here is where the debate may be: some rod-builders are likely to feel that the two-legged side of the guide frame helps funnel the line into the butt guide. Some say a leader knot may get caught in that triangle there, if leader knots are flying thru. If the single-legged side faces the reel, then the guide ring is less obstructed and may be less likely to catch a leader knot (on a surf casting outfit). That seems to be true for either a spinning reel or a revolving spool casting reel. So, in may opinion, if I think I’ll use knots or a wind-on leader, or cheap monofilament nylon line in cold weather (which is stiff and snarls easily), then the butt guide goes on backward for either a spinning or casting rod. Since I see no harm in mounting the tri-legged guide backwards, I’ll do it that way in most instances, to cover both cases, with or without knots. … That’s one man’s opinion. Add that view to the discussion. Ultimately, your experience is what matters. (Shabbatt Shalom)

IMO, -Cliff Hall, Gainesville, FL-USA+++

I bend any guide ring that isn't perpindicular to the rod so that it is. Just makes more sense to me that way. I find that what I get from the factory varies in terms of guide ring tilt angle. Never seen two alike.

If your line or knots are hitting the frame you've got bigger problems than guide ring tilt angle. Your guide is in the WRONG place. You need to move it until the line doesn't hit the frame. On spinning rods a well placed butt guide has the line hitting only the bottom of the ring for the most part. This is the area of the ring farthest from the rod.

Is it possible to go back to the original question? ... recognizing, as has been pointed out above by TK and SM, that if the line is touching the butt guide's frame, or slapping the rod blank, then the butt guide needs to be moved. -CMH

Why do some rod-builders mount guides:
"backward or forward ?" Posted by: Bill Cohen Aug. 26, 2005 11:15AM
"Building a spinning rod, read where some are placing the gathering guide backwards .I can't remember the principal behind this backward position. Anyone know it? Which do you prefer the conventional or non-conventional placement?" -Bill Cohen-

Fuji designed this type guide with the dougle leg side to go towards the reel. The idea was that if the line did hit the frame, the sloping legs would "funnel" the line into the ring opening.


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