I am wanting to build up a SP600 for the lightest setup I can build, to cast the lightest of weights to fish holding deep into overhanging cover from my kayak. Looking through the Batson catalogue I saw that they have PVD TiCH coated single foot fly guides. How will they hold up to 1lb fireline being used over them?

Would probably use BMLG16, BMLG16, XTCSFGP1 x3 then TCFT4 tip.

Any thoughts?

Ben

The ceramics will hold up just fine. The high frame match guides coule be a little prone to bending if the rod gets knocked around (2nd one whould be a 10 maybe?). The wire guides are the newer TiCH plated single foot guides without the chrome. I suspect with 1 lb Fireline you will not be running enough drag pressure to put enough tension to groove them. TiCH on 316 stainless would be quite hard. I take it you are trying to keep it as light as possible, hence the wire tip guides and tip top. If you are concerned with abrasion and possible grooving, then full ceramics would be better, but heavier.

Ben, I use the VS single foot guides, in the zirconium, they are excellent, and if I am not mistaken a file will not scuff them. So they make a good fireline setup. The VS zirconium are my go to guides as they come in tich/ blue ring, tich/ gold ring/, tich /shiney grey ring, black frame/gold ring, and tich/ chamelion ring. Just a whole lot of selections for colors and extremely tough. I use 16, 10, 8 high frame , 7 fly and then 6 fly to 6 tip, these are all zirconium ring, If I want to go cheaper, I use alconites also a good ring, and cheaper, but only two colors, black / black ring and chrome and black ring. The weight of the different guides is basically not an issue. I doubt that there is more than a dozen grams difference in weight when completed. just my 2 cents. Galen

Hi thanks guys, yes, the second guide would be a 10 not 16 as I put above. Galen, you mention a dozen grams in weight difference, that would be a substantial weight difference when the blank itself weighs in at only 15 grams. I'll go with the wire TiCH guides, worse case scenario I strip the rod down in a few months! Will probably use the VS rather than Match, or even Fuji Cermets for the 16 and 10.

Ben

Mate, 15 grams is just over 1/2 oz. Batson list the SP 600 at 0.8 oz, which is 22.4 grams. It's not the blank weight, just the recovery, but it seems you are also looking at overall weight. Remember you haven't even considered the weight of the grip yet too. Seriously, the fly ceramics will not hurt the rod very much at all. Depending on the reel you will be using, to get the same height at the Match 16, you may have to go a VS 20. In which case 20, 12, 8, then fly 6's out to the tip sounds probable.

Anyone know which is lighter - VS or Alconites?

Mo

Ben,

I build many spinning rod (10'-13')on fly blanks (W4,W5,W6.W8.W9)using BMLG16,BMLG12, BMLG10 ,BMLG08, BMLG07. BMLG06,BMLG05,MBLG04, BMLT04.0 and i was catching many fish(the bigest over 40lb. ) fishing with FIRELINE 4lb..
Use this type of guides (model "M") because work very good for your rod.

Try to call Bill Batson and ask for model "M'guides with PVD TiN GOLD COATED ZIRCONIUM RING(you can't find this guides in catalog ,but i receive as a gift from Bill one swich blank 10' and this type of guides and the rod what i build on this blank is beautiful and very light).

Jean

That's great to hear Jean. Mo, the Alconites are slightly lighter.

Ben, my mistake, I meant to say less than .12 percent per guide on the large guides, 25, 16, 10, as compared to the alconites, when weighed on my scale.! I weighed some of my ultra lite rods last night, most of them have the VS guides, and are between 5'9" and 6' and they average about 5 ounces when complete. The 6'6" 2 weight fly rod built into a spinning blank with alconites weighs 4.8 ounces. I also have a few with wood handles, and they are all less than 6 ounces. Just to put this in perspective, all my finished rods have stabilized wood reel seats and butt wraps about 4" long, feather inlay and the decal all covered with LS Supreme finish. So in defense of the Forecast guides I hope this sheds a little lite on the subject. Galen. A footnote, I have a gram scale I got from harbor freight for 10.00 and it will weight up to 1 pound. I checked it against the postal meter at work and it is very close, in comparison. The scale will weigh in ounces or in grams. It is the size of a small transitor radio.

Thanks Ted.

Mo

Ted Morgan Wrote:
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> Mate, 15 grams is just over 1/2 oz. Batson list
> the SP 600 at 0.8 oz, which is 22.4 grams.


Ted, I am looking at the '08 catalogue that lists the SP600 (RX6) at 0.51oz, and the IS600 (RX7) as 0.59oz. Is this incorrect?

I intend to use a Pinnacle Tiny20 UL (5.6oz) on cork hoods so grip weight will be only a few grams. (Unless someone can suggest a lighter still reel? Daiwa Sweepfire 1000 is 6oz...)

Ben