I've decided I want to build a spinning type rod for Salmon fishing and have read and reread the New Guide Concept article in Volume 7, Issue #1. And I want to build a rod in the 9' - 10' range. It would make sense to me that the distance from the reel to the "intersection guide" would be the exactly the same distance on a 7' blank as it would on a 10' blank - correct? And all guides from the intersection guide to the tip top would be the same size, and the guides from the intersection guide back to the reel should be selected based on the distance from the blank to the edge of the table.

If the article says not to predetermine guide size, are there any tables avaiable that give various guide heights? Since I don't have a drawer full of about 500 guides, I'm still going to be ordering a bit in the dark. I've got Mudhole's, Batson's, and Angler's Warehouse catalogs but none of them give height measurements. Once I have my blank and the reel seat with my reel attached, I'll know roughly how many and what will fit, but I'm mainly lost what to do for the reel to the intersection guide.

The reel angles forward when the feet are placed horizontal. It would seem to me if the 3 1/2" or so at the center of my Shimano reel intersects my current 6'6" rod at roughly 55" away, it should be close to the same 55" on a 10' blank if the reel seat is the same diameter. So couldn't I use my current setup as a template to order my spinning guides and then place them exactly where they should be? But if I still don't know the heights of the guides, I'm still not sure what sizes to order. Thanks for any help.

The length of the blank won't change the intersection point for any given reel - you are correct.

Now, you don't need 500 guides. All you need is one complete set of Concept guides plus a handful of the small running guides which most likely will end up being #6's, or #7's if you're using mono in the 12lb or under category. #8's at the outside.

With a full set, you can easily set this up. You'll end up with perhaps 1, 2 or maybe 3 guides you don't use. So, $5 to $10 in extra guides will sit, or you can save them for the next rod, or throw them out and just consider their expense part of the cost of having a really fine performing rod (I'd keep them for the next rod if it were me).

Once in a while in a pinch you have to introduce maybe one or perhaps two regular height spinning guides into the mix, and if so then just choose the SVSG type frame.

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Batson Enterprises / Forecast catalog has the height of all guide styles. If you have any questions please feel free to contact us. The Batson Catalog IMHO is the most comprehensive catalog in the industry..
Bill Batson
CEO
Batson Enterprises
Rainshadow/Forecast
877-875-2381..

Thanks Tom and you're exactly correct Bill. I went back through your component catalog again and found exactly what I was looking for. I don't know what I was looking at before. I've built (3) fly rods with Forecast guides so far and I really like them. Guess I'll be building a spinning rod with them as well. Thanks again

Yes, I should add that you don't necessarily have to use the Fuji brand guides to implement the New Guide Concept System. Any guide style that gets you the height you need will work just fine.

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I myself like the Fuji Concept guides for spinning rods only because they give the right ring size, and always seem to put it at the right height for the line. Just make it a little easyer. For me any way.