I'm building a Sage SLT 8'-6", 5 weight, and want to keep it light. The blank is small diameter and the blank's weight is very light. I prefer snake guides and am considering Hopkins & Holloway or REC Recoil guides. The stripping guide will be Fuji titanium (TLNSG). I'm planning to use a 12 (stripper), 4,2,1,1,1,1,1,1, tip top. Do you think the Recoil snakes and top are the way to go?

I'd go more like 12, 3, 1, 2/0 to the tip unless you have some big knots or something to pass. 1/0 max. The H & H guides are used by Sage and are nice, either way I'd used the small wire guides.

Spencer,
I do use a loop-to-loop connector so I think 2/0 might be too small. I'm using a standard loop tip top so I'd like to keep the snakes nearest it about the same size. I've read some don't like the light wire Recoil guides, something about them being too springy under the wraps, and the heavier Recoil snake (RSNX) only goes down to size 1. I'd have to go with the H&H snakes to get the smaller guides, but maybe the 1/0 would work. I like your recommeded guide sizing also, thanks for your suggestions.

are H&H snakes known for lightness? perhaps you could compare them with the pacific bay lite wire snakes...

eric
fresno, ca.

John,

If you want light I would recommend single foot guides over snakes....the big savings is in the weight you save to make the extra wrap and epoxy it on snakes.

I read that you prefer snakes....wondering why? Other than clearing ice easier on a rod to be fished in the winter I don't see any advantage to snakes???

I second Joe's thoughts... I bet the weight of the wrap and epoxy on the second foot of the snake is far more of a factor than actual guide weight.

I use to go all recoil guides for really light fly rods, but after several years, I have gone with a Titanium/SiC stipper instead (no humming noise like Recoil) and a standard tip. The Recoil tip catches knots easily.

yup, i agree with joe and daniel, i'd go with single foot wire guides, but john said he wanted snakes. interested in using single foot wire guides john? you could save even more weight by using a size 10 stripper, and a flex coat arbor for your reel seat if you weren't considering them before now.

eric
fresno, ca.

I echo with Eric....who echo's with Joe and Daniel..LOl

Paul

it's like those water rings, widening... ever widening....

eric
fresno, ca.

Thank you all for the suggestions. I'll think about using the single foot guides, and I'm already planning to use the Fuji titanium/Sic stripper. What makes the Recoil top catch a knot compared to a standard tip top? regarding my preference for snake guides, it's purely looks, I just like the traditional appearance. I know I'd be giving up some performance using them, that's why I want to keep them as light as possible. I may rethink using them however. What do you think about using a Fuji titanium/Sic tip top to match the stripper, but staying with Recoil snake or single foot guides?

well, there are others more knowledgeable than me and they have digital scales. it would seem to me that a tip top with ceramic insert would be heavier than a recoil or standard loop tip top but i could be wrong. and even though the stripper and the tip top are the best places to have a ceramic guide from what i've read, the tip top is not the best place for a ceramic top if you're trying to go as light as possible. i think. the weight difference may not be much unlike if located at the butt section or handle area, the tip top can affect the swing weight or the tip's action because of its position at the extreme forward end. not much, and since we're talking about a 5wt, it's not as critical i'm guessing as if you were building anything from a 00 through 3wt.

just musing without any factual information... :-)

eric
fresno, ca.

The heaviest guide on the worst place for weight in a light rod will be the standard loop tiptop that is generally used with snake guides. The SIC and cerment tiptops are generally lighter than the standard wire loop. The lightest top top is the REC, with the fine wire and the aluminum tube. By all means use a light tip top. The top of a rod bends easily so there is not a lot of loading on the guides. I think you can get away with thin, light guides at the top. I would try the REC snakes. I have used the single foots and they seem to work pretty well. I personally like 2 ceramic strippers. Weight does not matter a lot down there at the butt but line flow does.

Bill,
Would you use two Fuji titanium/sic strippers with Recoil snakes and top on the Sage SLT 5 weight? If so, would this set up seem good: 12 (stripper), 8 (stripper), 3,1,1,1,1,1,1 (Recoil snakes), tip top (Recoil std loop top). I think this would be very nice. It's a little different than what I usually do, but that's the fun part. All said and done, this would still be lighter than the Hopkins & Holloway guides Sage uses on the factory rod.

I have built two Sage TXL 00 weights, one with H&H TiCH single foots and the other with REC Recoil single foots. The Recoils are by far lighter and I like the results of the Recoils much more. Unfortunately I put the H&H guides on my personal one, but I still love it.

Brant Widness

fledgling database of guide weight/specs, including all of the REC guides can be found at [www.wideopenwest.com]

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!!