I am getting ready to build some rods for going after some world record fish.

On the 50 lb rod would you use roller guides or conventional, same rod will be used both fresh and salt water.

On the 130 lb rod all salt water, all stand up no chair, straight or curved butt?

I would most likely use rollers on all of them.

A 130lb stand up rod could be deadly on the fisherman. I trust you understand the limitations of stand-up gear and the danger it can present to the angler when line that heavy is used.

Whether or not you need a straight or curved butt depends on the harness type you'll be using. This was covered in great depth in RodMaker Volume 5 #6.

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World record fishing is very serious business. You may be quite surprised to find that there are rules that pertain to rods as well as many many other things. Take a look at the following link and click on the IGFA Rules PDF which is the top link on the page.

[www.google.com]

I'm neither an engineer, physicist, or math whiz.. I'm just a simple fishin pole builder. However, I've always wondered about the advantage of using all roller guides on a rod VS a rod with all conventional guides + a roller guide on the tip. I would think most of the pressure would be on the tip, with very little pressure on each guide. Makes me wonder if roller guides expose the line to the possibility of being tangled in the roller or having a roller pinch the line causing the line to fray and break. With this reasonong in mind, makes me wonder just how necessary roller guides are to actually bringing the fish to the boat. . . . or are roller guides just a "marketing" gimmick. . . . sure makes me wonder???

I have used ceramic guides on rods up to 80lb with no ill effects. In fact, they've worked very well. But I have some hard handed deck persons drop or hit rods on things and crack the occassional ceramic ring. Rollers are generally a bit more durable and provided they are kept in good working order (cleaned and lubed on a regular basis) they're hard to beat in the harshest and most demanding situations. Absolutely necessary? Not at all. Nice to have on the really big rods? Absolutely.

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Send Mark Griffen a email. If you are going after a record fish I would use the best parts avalible
Good Wraps Bob

If it's a stand up then I would definanatly go with the rollers especially if you are after a line class record.

On a side note, the pending sand tile all-tackle record was caught last week on one of my sticks. It was a bycatch on a commercial grouper trip so not being targeted.

all i have to say is this: if you are indeed fighting these types of fish, take all safety precautions available. last year i caught 2 near-state record fish (53 lb. jack crevalle, 300 lb. swordfish). i tell you what....if that swordfish would have been caught on standup tackle i think it would have dragged me overboard. this swordie pulled harder than a 500 lb. marlin.

safety, safety, safety.

Definitely use the rollers. It's not manufacturer's hype. If there will be any casting done with the rod I'd use the AFTCO "wind on" guides for knot clearance. With the size line your using there is no problem with the line catching between the frame and roller (in fact, that never a problem with quality roller guides). The San Diego long range fishermen invented stand-up fishing for 300# tuna from an anchored boat. They all use roller guides these days.