I am trying to get a rough idea for guide spacing and number of guides for a 16ft. CTS Spey rod. I have built several shorter Spey rods but can't seem to find the guide number and spaceing that I like. Your help in tnis matter will be put to good use. Thank you

Keep your fly in the water

I would think you'd need about 14 to 17 guides total and would find them by a static distribution test as outlined on the library page.

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Thank you for the info, The problem is room for the static distribution test. I live in centrail WA. and we have a lot of snow and cold and I hve to go outside for this test on a 16ft. rod.
thank you. Has anyone built a 16ft spey rod and if so do you remember the spaceing that you used? This will be a starting point for my guides. I am sure that some will have to be moved for this blank.

Right, I understand.

Here's an idea - take a photograph from one of the commercial rod maker's catalogs of their 16 footer (if they show their rods full length or in sections). Plot the guides from tip to but by measuring and recording those measurements.

Now find something on that rod, the seat perhaps, that you have a known ful size length for. Work up a ratio from the length in the photo to the known full size length. Say the seat in the photo is 1/2 inch long and you know the full size length of that seat is 5 inches. That gives you a ratio of photo size to actual size that you can now use to figure out the guide spacing used by that maker. Should be a decent starting point.

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I would suggest two big, husky guides at least to carry your 16' rod to the river.

Thanks guys I have a two wheel trailer that I think will work great or I will call you to help me get it to the river. You can underhand spey cast it if you like.

James,
Don't make this too complicated.
I assume that the rod is a multi section rod.
You can easily disassemble the rod, and load each section individually to get a good feel for the overall loaded shape of each section.

Really, the only thing one has to do, when figuring guide location and spacing is to put a guide where the rod bend and just enough of them so that the line will follow the curve of the loaded rod.
I have built quite a few longer rods of the type that you are making.
Too many folks make the mistake of putting too many guides on the rod.
On most of these spay rods, one only needs a guide about every 1 1/2 feet or so for the first several guides to have the line follow the heavier butt section.
Then, as the tip lightens, the guide spacing will follow the more common closer spacing.
It is likely in the first 8 feet - with 2 feet of reel seat and handle you will only have about 3 guides. Then, put on the right number of guides for the last 8 feet.

Tape the guides in place, have someone sit on the floor in a room long enough to have the rod full length, run the line through the guides, have someone put the rod to the ceiling and then you can pull the end of the line down to the floor to load the rod and insure that your spaciing is correct and you have the right number of guides on the rod.

Most houses and shops have some area that is 16 feet long.

Take care
Roger

If it is an Affinity or DH series <> 4 pc try this:

From the tip top with the sections assembled.

In inches

4.25
9.25
15.25
22.00
29.25
38.25
48.50
60.25
74.00
89.25
107.50
127.25
151.75

Bob Meiser