How is the sizing of the new single footed inserted fly guides (ex. Amer. Tackles Titan guides) relative to the sizing of double footed snake guides? I don't see their sizes going down as small as the snakes. I'm sure I'm missing something.

Todd,

I have no idea how the sizing of snake guides ever came about, but it bears no relation to the size of single foot guides, ceramic or not. Snake guide sizes commonly used on trout fly rods are 1, 2, 3, and 4 (mostly ones and twos), plus a stripper guide. The stripper guide and single foot guides measurements are the diameter in millimeters of the outside of the ring. When an insert of ceramic is added, either to the stripper guide or single foot ceramic guides, the inside diameter is significantly reduced. Size 5 is very small; I use size 6 as standard on my trout rods. (Size 6 even works well up to eight-weight. See the thread about Guides theory going south.)

Jim

Like Jim said, the two SF & DF snakes are on a totally different standard than ceramic-insert guides. Most of the "pros" on this bb recommend that you use the smallest guides possible that will allow the knots to pass through them. If you are wondering about a particular line weight for a rod you are building, feel free to ask for suggestions.