I am working on my first fly rod for my brother in ny...I am not an avid flyfisherman...I got a nice handcrafted handlemade thanks to a recent issue of RM that detailed this quite nicely. The reel seat is on there too....Only problem is these wire guides I cant seem to figure out if there is an upside down or rightside up. Does it matter? Is there a front and a back to them? Thanks,

Snake guides? No, they end up orienting the same no matter which way you face them. Wrap away.

................

Tom-

Thanks I was staring at one I wrapped tilting my head 360....Much appreciated...

Jeffrey, Have you considered using ceramics instead of snakes???

Mike (Southgate, MI)
If I don't want to, I don't have to and nobody can make me (except my wife) cuz I'm RETIRED!!

Jeff,

I have used Struble on occasion, but I don’t like the look of their reel seats and think they are a bit over priced. If you want to have a more upscale reel seat, I would look at Bellinger’s. I think the reel seats from Batson, Pacific Bay, and American Tackle are all very well made and very reasonably priced. For a larger rod, I would probably use either an A8 or A9 series (I use the A7 series for most of my personal fly rods, but some like a larger reel seat for saltwater). I also use wood inserts and have never had any trouble with corrosion,. However, to be safe you might want to use an all metal reel seat with a channel if you are going to get into big fish. I prefer the flush mounted reel seats, but if you wish to used a reel seat with a recessed upper hood, you can use a Dremel tool to “carve” out the space for the hood in the grip.

For guides I would use two stripping guides, but the second stripper should be in the normal place based on the static distribution test. I typically use a 12 and a 10, but you could go a size larger. I would look at 6 and 8 for the running guides. Try each one to determine which will work with your size fly line. I tend to like to go as small as possible towards the tip of the rod so I always test to see if a 6 will work. I use single foot ceramics for the running guides and two-foot V framed guides for the stripping guides. The American Tackle Titans are a good guide, which offers good corrosion protection, but you could also use American tackle, Batson, or Pac Bay guides utilizing Titanium Carbide (TiCh) frames with Titanium Nitride (TiN) coated zirconia rings. They also offer good corrosion protection as well as a bit lower prices. NOTE: WHEN FISHING IN SALT, YOUR BEST PROTECTION IS WASHING, RINSING, AND DRYING YOUR ROD AFTER EACH USE.

I would use a Forhan locking wrap for all of my single foot guides. It is just good insurance against any kind of failure. When you use the Forhan lock, I would be sure to pack the wraps as you are doing the lock. I use a fly tying bodkin ( a needle with a handle) to pack the loops around the guide. Be sure to use the bodkin or a toothpick to drop some CP or finish in the tunnel of each wrap. I usually hold the rod vertically while filling the tunnel.

I use size A thread for all of my rods—even the big surf rods. The strength of the wrap comes from the number of threads covering the guide. The CP and finish is used to protect the wraps rather than being the main strength of the wrap. I have never had a guide fail because the thread broke. The heavier the thread and the more finish you use, the more impact you will have on reducing the efficiency of the rod—particularly at the tip of the rod.
Since color is an aesthetic quality, you should choose what appeals to you.

I hope this helps—I also apologize for the length and being preachy above..

Mike Blomme