I plan to build an ultralight spinning rod to fish for perch and other panfish. I understand the concept system and plan to use it in building this rod. I understand some of you are using single foot fly guides towards the end of the rod, I assume past the location of the intersection guide. As I read the article in this website's library page on the concept system, I almost need an array of guides on hand when I layout the guide sizes and location on the rod.
At this point, I have my eyes on a 6' or 6' 6" Batson Rainshadow Multi-purpose blank, IS721F or IS781F.
I have a Shimano ultralight reel with a spool rim diameter of 38 mm's. How do I go about choosing guides to have on hand when setting this rod up? If the answer is as simple as buying a couple extra guides, that's fine.

Thanks all!

That's about all there is to it. You'd do fine with an intersection guide, and running guides, in a single foot, low frame fly type #6 guide (intersect/choker guide should be same size as running guides). From there, I'd order high frame guides in size 20, 16, 12 and maybe a 10. Between those 4, you'll end up using 2 or maybe 3 of them. You'd have to follow the layout instructions to know for sure which, but you would only have a couple or so guides left and could use them on a future rod.

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I usually end up with a 20, 10, maybe an 8 and 4 or 5 $6 fly guides

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!!

James; The Info above is perfect. Works for me every time. I like to use Fugi BYAG Alconites down to the intersect, then BLAG 6's from the intersect on out to the tip. The tip top I use a Fugi BFAT-6 fly tip in whatever tube size the blank calls for.

I built one like you described. Let an older fellow cast it a few times with 1/16 oz jig tied on. He said, " It would cast that little jig 300 yds and then throw rocks for 10 minutes.",,,,I built him and his fishing buddy one like it !! LOL

Of course , that's the difference in a Wal Mart rod and a correctly set up Custom Rod !!



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 11/04/2007 11:06PM by Jay Hunt.

Your reel has the same spool dimensions as my UL Shimano reel. I have set up my light rod with BYAG 20, 12, 8L, then BLAG 6's out to the tip. Tip is a BFAT 6. The size 6 's will be fine even if you are running heavier leader through. You're pretty much spot on with how you'd set up the New Concept system. The intersect gets set at 27 x spool diameter, and rest of the fly guides spaced out regularly to the tip. The high frame guides between the reel and the intersect get set to give you between 19 and 23 inches from spool to butt guide, and then the concentric "bull's eye" to the intersect.

It is as simple as the extra guides you've suggested. 20, 12, 10, 8L, maybe even a 7 high frame. Then just play around with these till you're happy with how it looks, distributes load, and casts.

Thanks guys! This is a great forum, everyone is very supportive. This gives me much more confidence.

JC Smith
Keuka Lake, NY