I'm looking for information, help or opinions for guide one diameter and length off the blank in relation to the reel spool diameter and length from the seat. Also the taper to the tip.

My common sense tells me the best setup for guide sizes would be a straight taper from guide one to the tip. It should give the least amount of resistance while casting provided the first guide has the proper diameter and length off the blank in relation to the reel spool. What I see on many rods is a swooping taper to the tip or a straight taper on guide 1, 2 and 3, the next 3 guides of equal size with the next reduced one size then the tip. Both of these designs would increase drag with the latter putting unequal pressure on the blank possibly flattening the shaft.

Any information would be appreciated.

Phil

Phil,

The most efficient/effective guide set up for a spinning rod would be using the New Guide Concept System described in an article in the Library above. I would start with a guide about half the size of the reel spool diameter followed by 2 progressively smaller ones and then go with the smallest that will handle any connections that need to pass. An example would be on a 6 1/2' spinnining rod, I would start with a 20 or 25 followed by a 12, a 10 and size 6 fly type ceramics the rest of the way to the tip. The size and spacing would be determined/tweaked with the static test outlined in the library at the top of this page

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!!

Phil,

What you're proposing isn't actually a very good guide set up. It would be heavy and really not at all necessary. You need to bring the line under control quickly. A large straight taper all the way out to the tip is terribly inefficient and will reduce casting distance due to the excess weight it adds to the rod - weight that must be recovered each time you cast.

Surely you've used spincast reels like the Zebco 33 or similar. As you know, they cast pretty darn well for such simple mechanisms. And, they take the line from a large spool down to a #10 or #12 ring in the space of about a half inch.

You want to get the line gathered and reduced quickly, and then run on out to the tip via the smallest, lowest and lightest guides possible. The New Guide Concept does just that.

......

I'm gonna suggest you start one the other end. If it's a 2000 to 4000-size reel, start at the stripper guide with something in the 30mm range, or even 40mm if the reel is on the 4000 end of the scale. place it so that it's at least 18" from the face of the reel, maybe further, but the way you tell how far it should be is that you run the line from the reel (with the line coming off of the bottom) through the stripper and then through the tip. What you're looking for is that the line sort of parallels the rod, i.e., the angle from the reel to the stripper isn't reall sharp and leads smoothly into the angle to the tip. Now flex the tip and the angle shouldn't change much. Fle it "up" and the same thing should be true.

Then start reducing the sizes one by one, as you progress toward the tip. The progression in size can be anything you like as long as it produces the shape you want in the line when the rod is both at rest, and flexed. The angle shouldn't be real sharp between each guide and of course should produce no "flat spots" where the line touches the rod between the guides. The angle between the guides when the rod is flexed should be progressive, and it can be so even from the next-to-top to the tip itself. It doesn't have to be parallel to the rod at that point. We genrally space our second guide from the stripper at about 8-10" further along the rod but you can mess with the spacing to produce a line curve you like.

That's just some ideas. Hope they help.

Uncle Russ

Thanks for the information. I will use it in the next week or so.

Phil