I am building my first fly rod (8wt - 9ft rainforest by Pacific Bay). I purchased a kit from Cabela's. I initially used my Temple Fork rod as a guide and wrapped the guides accordingly. I then read the article re: static guide placement and cut the guides off and started over. I have followed the instructions on this site and seem to have the fly line, the same curve as the fly rod using the 2-string method ( if I use one more guide!). I have 2 double foot and 8 single foot guides. Is it o.k. to add another guide to keep curve of the fly line better? Have I done something wrong?

Ten guides should do it. I ran across the same thing on a forcast 9' flyrod that I am building now. Using one guide for each foot of blank plus one more is enough. I would'nt worry about it. There are some charts that add two guides to the nine but when you set them up it just seems like they are to close and to many and heavy. Find a chart that starts you off with ten and static test from there and just go with it. I think you will be happy with the results. When I took a guide off and reset them using 10 it made much more sence. Do a google search on guide spacing and you will find quite alot of spacings to choose from. Just my opinion. Tom

Sydney,

It's fine to add or delete guides as needed per your static guide placement tests. It's 'normal' to have one too few or one too many guides in a 'kit'.

You have actually done this correctly.

On your next fly rod, consider using all single foot ceramic insert guides and really up your fly rod's performance....

Good Luck!

Buddy Sanders