I am building an offshore spinning rod using the new concept guide system as shown in the library on this site. The rod will be used for casting poppers and the reel is filled with 60# spectra and a short 6 ft topshot. The reel that I am using is a Shimano Twinpower 8000 which is comparable to the Shimano Sustain. The reel puts out up to 30#s of drag and I am matching this reel to a Phenix 7' blank that is rated for 30#- 60# line. The blank is moderately parabolic and is of a boron/graphite composition. The reel spool is 63.5" from the tip when the reel is mounted on the rod. I am using Fuji Alconite BMNAG's for guides and I have sizes 40, 30, 25, 16,12,10 and 8 available for use. The tip is a size 8 ring. The diameter of the spool is approx. 2.5" diameter. I am thinking that my stripper guide will be a size 40. Using the new concept guide system, I have mounted the reel, removed the spool and placed the rod along the table edge with the spindle of the reel in alignment with the table edge. My problem is that the table edge does not intersect the blank at any point. If the blank was a few inches longer, it would intersect at the tip. If I assume that the point of intersection is the tip, then the size 40 guide will be placed at 26.25" from the face of the spool. This placement appears to be within the specifications of the article that I am following. However, the next guide would have to be another size 40 if I was to follow the placement along the table edge that the article refers to. In fact, I would not get down to a size 25 guide until the placement is 45" from the spool face and that would be a mere 18.5" from the tip.

So, what am I missing?

I do have some thoughts but would appreciate any help. Thanks.

Something is off - no way you could use two identical guides at different points on the rod. That wouldn't work no matter where your intersection point might fall.

Pick an arbitrary location on the blank for the intersection point. I'd suggest about 55 to 56 inches past the spool face. Now try setting up it from there and see how things fall.

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Thanks Tom, I was thinking something along the lines of what you suggest. What I did not know is about how far down the blank should I arbitrarily pick. Much of the placement under the New Concept system depends on the angle of the spindle coming off the reel. In my case, I have a rather large reel mounted on a relatively short blank with a long handle. The lenght from the face of the spool to the tip is a short 63". Did you take this into consideration in arbitrarily selecting 55-56" as the intersecting point? I would also imagine that not all reels have the same spindle angle with other reels of the same size. My next build will be an even shorter blank using the same reel ( 5'9" total lenght) and the same handle configuration. Obviously, I won't be able to use that same arbitrary intersect point. That rod will be used for vertical jigging so casting is not important. Thanks for your comments.

Rod length makes no difference in intersection distance from the reel. Spool upsweep makes little difference, in terms of actual casting performance, since the reel doesn't "shoot" line - the line is pulled off the spool and not at the angle that the spool is aimed at.

55 to 56 inches should be about right for the larger reels. If you have the time, try a few different set ups. You are working with very little effective rod length by having such a long handle, so there's only so much you can do.

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thanks Tom. I will give it a try this evening after work.

MEL,

I don't think you are going to get a very good casting rod with your build.

Maybe you should just set the rod up to it's load curve instead.

I do not know the blank you are working with so I hope I am not speaking out of line.

Good Luck

Paul

I fish therefore I am.
www.hookeduprods.com

Tom, thanks for the intersect point. Incredibly the 40 guide is placed at 21.5, the 25 guide is 11" further, the 16 guide is 9.5' further and the 8's are spaced 6.5, 5.5, 5, and 5. I did the test casting and got good distance and no obvious slapping of the stripper guide nor the blank. The static testing looked good as well. Btw, how did you come up with 55" intersect? What would I do with my next build which will be a 5'9" blank? Thanks again.

This system, as I have evolved it over the years, is so simple and works so well that once you set it up on the table, you hardly ever need to do any further tweaking or reworking.

I would suggest that you try one more thing, just to make sure you're getting the best performance possible. Replace all the size 8 guides with size 10's and try it again. It will be "quieter" but you may or may not get any more distance. If you do, stick with the 10's. If not, go back to the 8's. Then you're all set.

The intersect point can be found through a ratio of spool diameter to length and this will be included in one of the installments of the current series in RodMaker on guide placement. It should eliminate any confusion encountered when folks find that the standard straight line method puts the intersect point off the end of the rod.

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Thanks Tom. Sorry for the late response but I was fishing with the family this weekend. I do have some 10's on order and will give it a try. Can't wait for my Rodmaker magazine to come. I hope it is soon. Thanks again.

Best of luck.

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