Hello out there,

intend to use the ICMNSG in size 20 and 16 as stripping guides on a 9ft class 9 saltwater flyrod.

Are these guides suitable for that task (bcse called Medium Heavy Casting guide). Intend to complete this with a tip top of the same type, ICFST and in between stand out snakes from H&H.

Your 2 cents please.

RGDS,
Ole

Jan - I'm looking at these FUJI Line Guides (ICMNSG) and Tip-Tops (ICFST) on page 8 & 9 (respectively) of the 2004-2005 Angler's Resource Catalog.

"Superb" choices, it seems to me, for a 9-foot 9-weight salt-water FLY rod. Silicon Carbide Rings. Titanium Finish. Best guide ring. Best frame finish. Minimal amount of metal in the frame.

Maybe consider some ICYSG (Y-frame "Concept" J-Series) guides between the double-footed, 3-Leg Stripper Guide(s) and the Tip-Tip. The use of the traditional low-frame FLY Guides (ICLSG, Single-Foot, Single-Leg) nearest the rod-tip may be obviated by the use of the smallest ring size Single-Foot, 2-Leg, the ICYSG-7J (7MM).

Selecting the SIZES of these expensive Silicon Carbide Ring Guides can be done in several ways. It is useful to note that the ICMNSG and ICYSG Series are exactly the same physical dimensions (with respect to Ring Height and Foot-Print) as the much less expensive Alconite "Concept" J-Series (CLNAG or BLNAG) and the (CYAG or BYAG), respectively. Also, the Alconite FLY Guides (CLAG or BLAG) are the same dimensions as the ICLSG SiC-ring Ti-frame FLY Guides. ...

In other words, if you have a complete set of the Alconite Rings in the Concept-frame J-Style Series, you can use these less expensive array of Alconite Guides to select exactly the correct sizes of the analogous SiC-ring Guides for a project like this.

It may take two catalog mailing orders and two Shipping & Handling fees. And you may have to wait longer to finish the rod project. But on some rod projects, you may save enough money to make the extra inconvenience worth your while.

Whether you want to use a 20mm as your Stripper Guide; then a 16mm double-foot (or a 16mm, then a 12 or 10mm); ... or whatever, ...You will get a fix on that by ordering the less expensive Alconite Series and then sizing-out your guide lay-out accordingly using these stand-ins (substitutes) for the real SiC guides in your final installation.

One last experimental thought: Consider installing the first double-footed, 3-leg Stripper Guide "backwards" - with the one-leg facing the fly reel, and the 2-legs facing the rod-tip. It may keep the fly line from getting stuck around the stripper guide on a wild running fish, if that has ever been a problem. It may also keep a knot or connection from jamming in the armpit of the guide frame. Opinions vary on this suggestion, but you asked for our "2 cents", and now you have mine.

Best Wishes, Jan. -Cliff Hall+++, FL-USA*****

Jan said: "I Intend to complete this [rod] with ... stand out snakes from H&H."

Where on the Hook & Hackle website are the pictures and descriptions of the these "stand out snakes from H&H"? I went to H&H at [www.hookhack.com] and found no photos. So, I'm not really sure what you are talking about.

If these guides are like other brands of single-wire, double-footed snake guides, then maybe you should consider using closed-ring, ceramic-ring line guides instead of the old traditional wire snake guides.

If you are trying to use these Single-Foot Snake Guides (***?) because they are so very inexpensive (less than $1 USD), then maybe you should take some of your money out of the SIC-rings and the Titanium finish frames and distribute it over all the line guides.

If you like Fuji Line Guides, then use ALCONITE RINGS for ALL the Line Guides on this 9-foot 9-weight salt-water FLY rod. Use a B/CLNAG for the Stripper. Use B/CYAG's for the mid-section's Running guides. Use some B/CLAG's for the tip-section's Running guides. And the Tip-Top ring & frame of your choice.

IMO, you'll get a better overall-performing rod this way, rather than a great stripper and a great rod tip and mediocre running guides. The "S4" Stainless Steel frame of the Alconite-ring Concept J-Series is up to the task of providing very good corrosion resistance to salt-water and smooth line delivery on casting and running fish.

The benefits of using a SIC-Ti Stripper and Tip-Top will be diminished by using chromed wire running guides. Better to go all Alconites, money and performance wise, IMO. ...

That's my second 2 cents. ... -Cliff Hall+++

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Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 05/18/2006 09:21AM by Cliff Hall.

The color of the ICMNSG is a good match for the Hopkins and Holloway snakes in titanium finish, and I assume the color of the single foot guides would be the same, if those are what you inend to use. I am using ICMNSG #12 and #16 guides on a 9 weight I am building, using Hopkins and Holloway snakes. The ICMNSG is a stronger and somewhat heavier guide series. The #20 is a taller guide than standard #20 stripping guides, and you might find it too big for a 9. I suggest you also order a #12, just in case.