I am building an 8' bucktail rod for a customer. I have always used double foot guides on musky rods, but was thinking of using SF fly guides for the running guides on this one - probably 10's.

Anyone have any experience with the durability of SF fly guides on musky rods?

Thanks and happy 4th!
Marc

I use them on musky rods with no problems ( I use a Forhan locking wrap on all SF guides though) I usually use #8 unless someone is using gigantic knots

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!!

the factory rod i currently use for musky has single foot guides and hasn't been a problem.

the one I'm building will have two double foot guides (and the bumper) and the rest will be single foot fly guides, size 8.

I've built several Musky rods and use them myself REGULARLY.

Mine are: double foot: 10/8 bumper/8 then finish with single foot Fly's in sz 6 ring. VERY light and handles Musky like no tomorrow. A single foot Fly Forhan wraped will hold until the rod breaks, no need to go "big", it's just added weight for nothing. Sometimes you have to go to an 8 ring for the tip because the sz6 may not be available in the tube size you need for the tip top. But if I can get a sz6 ring tip top, I DO.

The fishing itself won't hurt the guides - they can take it. But pulling rods out of rod boxes or other rough handling is usually what does the single foot guides in. The Forhan Locking Wrap will pretty much make them as bulletproof as they can possibly be.

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Single foots are fine on Muskie rods.

I typically use 8's for running guides. 80 and 100 pound lines need a little more room in the guides.

I've not had to step up to 10's. But I can see it if you had to pass knots in some of these heavier lines.

I'll also echo Tom's comment...It's not the Muskie I'm concerned about, it's the Muskie angler. Forhan wrap those single foots.




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Better to have and not need than to need and not have.

If ring pop out may be a concern then try our new Forecast RRD “Recessed Ring Design” single foot F guides. Contact one of our many stocking distributors.

Karry Batson
Batson Enterprises Inc.
Ph: (877) 875-2381
Fax: (360) 683-3579
karry@batsonenterprises.com
www.batsonenterprises.com