I am building a 10' Med action spinning steelhead rod, fast taper. I have never built one before. My question is: can someone help me with the number of guides, type of guides and the spacing needed. Also how much length for the handle, reel seat and foregrip.
Thanks,
Dave

Hi Dave. As far as the guides, read up on the following article: [www.rodbuilding.org] In short, the guide size and spacing is a product of the reel you use. Ever since I started using this method, I feel my rods are lighter. It's also much faster to set up. I don't have personal experience building such a rod yet but if all else fails, look to see what production rods are using. At least that would give you some idea.

Kevin

Dave,
Handle length is dependent on your stature, how you hold the rod during presentation/type of presentation, and the clothing you wear while fishing. You need to give yourself a little more room to fish the rod while winter fishing for instance because of the rain gear you will be wearing if you live on the west coast..
Rear grip length is also dependent on where you fish. The midwest people use a little different design than the Pacific Northwewst anglers. The mid west design uses a longer foregrip with a shorter rear grip which allows the reel to become a counterweight balance. The Pacific Northwest people fish a rear grip that is usually somewhere in the 12 to 14 inch range with a small 2 to 3 inch foregrip. A little more info would help us help you. Where you fish? Boat or shore? Blank line weight? Time of year your fishing? Reel size? etc. Welcome to the fold of addicted rod builders. or at least you will be.

Dave,

I am in the process of building a 9'6" med-light med-fast action steelhead/salmon rod. I went with a 11.5" rear grip and a 3.5" front grip. I went with a DNPSD20 Fuji reel seat. I mounted it with the threads to the front and trimmed the seat to fit the reel foot. Altogether a VERY comfortable seat and handle. I am using 11 Fuji alconite guides using the New Concept method. The running guides are size 6s.

Hope that's some help!

Ryan

This rod will be used for 2 applications. First for steelhead fishing (now and next 2 months) in Michigan rivers, Manistee, Muskegon, etc. wading. The second application is for Dale Hollow smallmouth fishing, Nov-Jan., float n fly method , from a boat. Spinning reel will be medium size, using 8-14 lb. test depending on conditions and application.
Thanks,
Dave

If used for drifting spawn for Steelie. I like a Michigan grip, short (often added on) 4-5" fighting butt and longer (up t0 10") fore grip. The idea is to have a fore arms length worth of Cork. That's Foregrip+Reel seat+fighting butt = your forearm length. This way you can use only one arm to leverage the fish while you move when wading and with the lengtherned fore grip you never choke up onto the hook keeper to fight a fish

As for guide numbers a good starting point is One guide per foot of blank length +1 not including the tip. So with a 10 foot rod I would start the Static test with 11 guides. I like to get 4 guides on the butt section, (and will carry the extra weight of one extra guide to engineer in this feature) but for me, and how I concept guide, 10 ft.is a transition lenght, as lengthened 9'-6" blanks I build that become 9'-10-1/2" have 11 guides and three on the butt section. So I would lengthen your 10 footer to 10'-5" and try and get 4 guides on the butt section for increased load distribution.(also reducing the mean average between all guides) My way of concept guideing uses the bottom edge of the guide ring and the perfectly fine and reliable on site instructions indicate that you use the top edge of the guide , the difference being my 1st guide up is 25-27" in front of the reel spool (normal concept guiding 19-23") once you get to your choke guide size 6 SF guides would be light as they run out to the tip.