Just wondering when you would NOT use them.

tuna rods

Assuming diligent care of the rod, how heavy a line would you use w/ the "match" guides?

It'd be more of a matter of line diameter with relation to the ring sizes. I'd say on the light float rods that normally carry match guides, 8 lb would be as high as you'd wanna go.

The high standoff and finer wire means they can't take as much of a beating as regular single foot guides, so I probably wouldn't use them on a rod that may see hard knocks and rough treatment.

We build an 11' surf rod based on the Predator series. We generally use a double-foot for the stripper and the next two guides (50mm, 40mm, and either another 40mm or a 30mm) and everything else are single-foot guides. We use underwraps on the dbl-foot guides and extended (locking) wraps on the single-foot ones. So, we break a matched set.

We came up with this design to provide a more flexible rod that still has the strength in the butt area, and a bit more flexibility at the top, plus a reduction in weight in the top half. This design has landed some nice big fish, including a five-ft blacktip.

We will also mix guide styles on other designs depending on what the customer wants. No harm done. It works.

Uncle Russ
Calico Creek Rods

High frame "match guides" on float rods is used to keep the line off the blank. Generally the rings are smaller because of the small diameter lines used by match men. They are also used to keep the a wet line from sticking to a blank. Thanks to all of the replys I got about the fuji match guides I found a set of Hopkins & Holloway SENYO match guides that I'd like to use on a future rod.

As for heavy duty use they can be used (is steelhead fishing considered heav duty???). On one float rod that I use for steelhead I have size 5 ringed Pac Bay high frames and I haven't broken one yet. I have however broken those same guides on other float rods and friends I know have too. Especially if they are wrapped as a tip top.

Depending on your application I would say it all depends. Great Lakes steel I would say yes.

Hope this hepls

Randy

Match guides are pretty high so I rarely use one larger than a 20 ring, but I also use 2500 and smaller reels with them usually. I think exceeding 10 lb limp line would be a problem. Haven't really experimented with heavier lines, bigger guides, or how the small tip guides would work.