I was out fishing for steelhead yesterday with my first rod build. It is 9'6" Rainshadow IST1143F fitted with 10 Forecast LTCVSNG guides. The guide sizes are 30-25-20-16-10-8-7-7-6-6. I use a Shimano Stradic reel model 2500FH. The stripping guide is approx. 22 1/4" from the bail or 24 1/4" from the reel mounting leg. The problem is on retrieving line, I can feel the line grazing the back of my fingers where I am holding the pole. I have been trying to figure out why? I realize a taller, perhaps larger reel could eliminate this problem but as a builder I want to be able to build to suit my needs and not buy something to accomadate my shortcomings. I am about to start another Rainshadow IST 1085FG blank and it is my hope also to use this reel so I don't want the same thing happening. The problem could also be the result of or in part of the handle style I prefer. It is known as a "Skamania" style or a longer foregrip and a shorter butt grip. I have a 6" butt grip and a 7" full wells foregrip. The reel seat is a standard #16. The entire length of my handle is 17". If any more info is needed please ask I would really like to avoid this in my next build and just become a more educated builder.

Thanks
Steve Lynas

I'm sure the experts will give better advice but I have a similar problem with my finger "clearance" between the reel and foregrip on one of my rods. It has a 17mm reel seat but the foregrip is a bit oversized (I think) thereby reducing the clearance availble. If you're using a 16mm seat and a full wells grip, I would suspect you too have reduced the distance between the two. On my upcoming projects, I'm going to use 18mm seats (locates reel a bit further from blank) and I'll either use a single cork ring so my finger can lay against the blank (and provide more clearance) or turn the short foregrip down to the same size as the seat's OD - 15/16" versus the usual 1 1/16". Good luck.

Check out these articals from the Library page, they may answer your questions:
[www.rodbuilding.org]
[www.rodbuilding.org]

Using the Forecast M guides on that blank I think might help, for your size reel I start with a 20 which I think would also hold the line a little further away from your hand as the 20 is about the same height as your 30 guide. With that reel you should be able to decrease the size and height of your guides far faster also, saving a lot of weight. In the guides you used I'm betting you could have been able to maybe use a 25-16-12 or 10 than 6s to the tip.

I myself like the Fuji Concept guides for spinning rods, because they to me are easyer to set up and give a nice ring size for the line path. " M " guides always made me afraid they would hit some thing and get broken . Forecast also has a new guide they just came out with that seems to be a similar height ?
The VSIII

Steve,

Out of curiousity, does it only do this when you are reeling slack or loose line?, and how high up the foregrip are you holding your rod?

Chris

Thanks to all for your help.

Bill I am going to read those articles in the library right after I send this reply. I too have a similar fear of the "M" guides getting a hold of something and being pulled out or at the very least getting bent out of shape. Especially when I am going down overgrown paths to the rivers edges it seems I am always getting hung up on bushes/branches and etc.


Tim in a way its nice to know I am not the only one with a problem similair to this and a larger diameter reel seat might just have been the ticket. I could cut down the length if I felt it was too long for the reel foot and moved the bail retrieve outward.

Spencer you may be right but as I mentioned above I am not comfortable with the high match style frame design.

Chris come to think of it I have never really felt the line touch the back of my fingers when I am fighting a fish. So I guess when the line is tight it does not seem to be a problem but when I am bringing in loose drifting line then yes it slaps the back of my fingers. The full wells foregrip is 7" long and I have tendency to hold the more or less in the center but perhaps favouring the front well a little. After just applying a force against the line and gripping the handle where I usually grip it there is approx 7/16th to a 1/2 space between the back of my fingers gripping the pole and the line at its closest winding point.

Thanks all