Hello all. I am putting together a 8'6" four weight and was hoping to get some recommendations regarding guide size selection. What type of guide sequence do you typically use in terms of alconite and TiCH single foot guides?
thanks,
Tom

Go to the St. Croix web site,,, they give you guide layout and sizes on just about every size and type of rod.

For Alconites, I would go with BLAG8, BLAG8 (4" from the first), BLAG7, then BLAG6s the rest of the way to the tip. 8s are plenty large enough to be butt guides when using a 4 wt. line. You could also go up to a 10, if the 8 seems to small. A sz. 10 might help a little, if the rod needed to cast a really long ways. But, in my experience, the 8s do just as well as the 10s.

Don't know anything about the wire guides.

I like BLNAG 12, TiCH 4, 3, 2, 2, 2, 2, 2, 2, BFAT6 top. Add a BLNAG 10 if you want a tamer.

My St. Croix 4F864 has BLNAG 10, then 8 x BLAG6, then BFAT6 tip top. I used the St. Croix guide spacing for this blank model and the checked for stress distribution. It was perfect so I made no tweaks. It's my favorite and most used fly rod.

Hi Tom,
I would second the St. Croix spacing. Sometimes, I chage the spacing during a stress test but their spacing is typically right on. IT at least gives you a place to start. I like their guide suggestions too but usually downsize quicker than they suggest. They roccomend starting with a 12 stripper and I like a 10 and I get down to sz. 2 wire giudes as quickly as I can. If I want a rod to cast distance, I put a large loop tip on and finish with sz. 3 wire guides.Have you decided what kind of giudes you will use? This will make a difference but the general rule of thumb is get down to a smallest size you can to make a continuous "tunnel" to the tip top. Hope this helps!
Andrew