I am hoping a few of you with simple spiral experience can help me. Keep in mind, I am very new to rodbuilding and just looking to satisfy my own curiosity. And if it matters, my question is pertaining to bass casting rods only, medium through x-heavy, in the 6' 6" - 7' range. And as far as butt guides go, I only use narrow spool casting reels. (Abu 4600's)

Is there a reason that the first guide after the bumper is sized as if it were not a spiral? I keep thinking that the bumper acts much like a choke guide on a spinning rod. If that is the case, would it not make sense from both a weight saving and practicle stand point to use something smaller? (#12 casting guides are pretty huge for 14-20 lb test mono, especially when compared to 9 or 10 weight fly line) The only possible reason I see right now is that the larger ring sizes help to relieve line flow angles on the butt, bumper and second guides. I have not had the opportunity to tape up a rod to test the performance of one vs. the other. (probably won't for a while) I have not seen any info on this in searches here or in magazines but had one person email me about a similar set up.

I'm thinking that instead of using something like this:
# 12 casting, (7 or 8 fly bumper) 10casting, 8 fly, 7fly, 7fly,6fly,6fly

using:
10 fly, (7 fly bumper) 7 fly, 6 fly,6 fly,6 fly,6 fly,6 fly

I bet some of you have tried this already... how was it? I realize that the weight saved is not in the tip and not much but every little bit helps, right? I guess the other advantage would be a few dollars saved per rod. I'm not looking to reinvent the wheel but if the performance is as good, why not save the weight and money.

Thanks for any input,

Keith

The bumper guide is not a choke guide, in fact you don't even have to use a guide - some guys are using rings slid over the blank. It's only there to keep the line off the blank, not to transition or control the line.

What you propose will likely work. The only possible problem is that due to the second guide being much smaller, you increase the chance of the line rubbing the blank even with the bumper guide on place.

Your very best bet is just to tape up a set and compare. We're talking what amounts to a couple minutes to do this, so I'd think it would be well worth your time on a rod that you plan to use for many years.

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I use the following on most of my casting rods for bass and it seems to work fine with 8 to 17lb test mono:

Dbl foot casting - sz 10 & sz 8, single foot fly sz 6 to the tip and for the bumper.

I do plan to tape up one blank (to ensure an apples to apples comp.) both ways and test it sometime soon, likely for a few hours to get a true representation of what may differ in performance and feel. I figured that I'd ask the question since I don't have the guides on hand to test both ways. I do realize that the bumper is different than a choke guide but still, the line still must pass through it on the way to the 2nd guide... so regardless of it's purpose, it appears that the line is still controlled to some degree (even if just a very little) by passing through the bumper, which is what brought the question on in the first place.

I am in no way questioning the system, I love it as. And if this is as good as it gets, great... I'll be happy knowing that. But since I'm new and haven't tested the alternative yet, I don't know for sure, in my own mind. Call me a treasure hunter, always looking for a new "find."

Thanks for taking the time to respond,

Keith

I don't know that it really controls the line - the only place the line should even touch it would be at the very bottom of the ring. In fact, you really don't even need a ring there - just something to keep the line off the blank. Generally on a casting rod like this your first two guides would be close enough together and with the use of a baitcasting or conventional reel, the butt guide has things pretty well under control.

Of course it's always a good idea to try different set ups, just to see if one works better than another.

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