Hello. I'm building an 8' 3" bait casting rod, mainly for trolling, using the spiral wrap Equal-Angle system. If I read Don Morton's article correctly, the spiral wrap starts at the choke guide and ends at the intersect point. My intersect point is 27 1/2" from the tip. My question is this: Is 27 1/2" of line under the rod enough to have a satisfactorily stable rod? Or should I add a guide or two in back of the intersect point to make sure the rod would be more stable?
Thanks. Bob Bogard

Bob,

I use the same 'system' on my spiral wrap rods. As I understand the system:

The FIRST guide from the reel should be at or close to 'upright' in front of the reel (some folks offset it one way or the other for differing reasons, I keep mine straight up).

The next few guides (I use three for this) make the spiral. The first 180 degree guide (directly under the blank, opposite the reel) should be the 'index' guide for the Equal Angle System (at the 120 degree line on your PGT).

No 'choke' guide or 'intersect' point on a casting rod. Those terms usually apply to spinning rods. (the 'choke' guide on a casting reel, if you are using a levelwind reel, is ON the reel itself as the line guide hole on the levelwind).

Good Luck!

Buddy

Bob and Buddy, maybe I can help with you problem. First, the equal angle or progressive angle system is to place guides around the curve of the rod or down to the point where the rod begins it's bend. this point is usually determined by placing the rod in a vertical position and pressing on the tip until it is bent to 90 degrees. With the rod flexed at 90 degrees find the point where the rod starts it's bend, about 1/2 of an inch from the vertical. With most rods this will be the set-up point, or the place where the rod is placed at the 120 degree line. With very fast or very slow rods an adjustment must be made to get the spacing correct. (before going into that let me finish the spiral set-up)

The spiral wrap should get around the rod before the bend to utilize the flex to provide the stability you are looking for. I look at getting the spiral around the rod as quick as I can and at the same time keep the line running as straight as possible. When working with a fast or very fast action rod the curve will start close to the tip meaning that you may add one to several guides before you get to the first guide at the 180 degree point. Again you are trying to keep the line running as straight as possible from the reel to the tip and not forming much of an angle with any guide, in any fishing position. In addition you want to get the line to the bottom of the rod as quickly as possible. A rod with a slow or progressive action will bend closer to the butt or handle, and it maybe necessary to add guides to the tip or curved section if the bend extends into the butt part of the rod. Again, keep the line as straight as possible and get the spiral around the rod as quickly as possible. Each rod is different and will require some adjustments for maximum set-up. For "most rods" the 120 degree set-up point works fine but for the ones at each end of the continuum some adjustments must be made. As stated eariler, if the rod does not look quite right on the plexiglass, take a string and place one end at the center of your ray and hold a radius with the other end at the tip of your rod. Now move the radius around the curve of the rod. If it is correct the rod will move slowly away from the radius ( the string). Adjust the rod up or down on the ray until the rod does move slowly away from the radius. If the radius crosses the rod the guides will be placed closer together as you move down the rod. If the rod moves away from the radius quickly, the guides will be spaced too far apart. Again, some adjustment may need to be made for some rods.

Most of the set-up problems can be corrected by drawing 1/4 circles (from 0 to 90 degrees) one inch apart (at the peg holes) on the plexiglass. Once the arc's are drawn just bend the rod to 90 degrees and move it up or down the plexiglas until the bend of the rod matches one of the arcs. You are correct if you move up one inch (arc line) and the rod goes below the line on the curve or down one inch (arc line) and the line moves across several arc lines quickly. The set -up line is correct if the rod will move around the arc line gradually getting further away from it as you approach the 90 degree line. In most cases the rod will cross one or two arc lines as you get close to the 90 degree line. It appears that this technique will correctly place the rod for guide placement on any rod that you can bend to 90 degrees. This is a little long, but maybe it will help in your set-up.