Any load causes the line to pull directly between any pair of guides. If you put too few guides on the blank, the blank will be put into a flex/shape that would not happen if the line was simply tied to the tip and the load applied there.

The article in RodMaker used photos to show the difference in flex patterns the same blank took on when different guide spacings and numbers of guide were used. It is actually possible to put a blank into a flex well beyond 90 degrees just by loading the line straight down under a horizontally held blank by the addition of too few or very badly spaced guides. With too few guides, or guides just behind the tiptop that are spaced too far back, you can actually have the tip fold back on itself even though the load is simply hanging straight down from the line exiting the tiptop.

This has been a good topic, but much of what is being said here is coming from folks that I'm afraid don't have much practical experience with how guides and guide placement affect rod flex.

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Andy, I'm coming to this discussion late, as usual.

If I understand your post correctly, about a year ago, I posted the same observation and question. You received many more responses than I did. In short, I also noticed that the 1st guide from the tip top seem to be spaced much further than the 2nd from the 1st if I just went with deflection. So I built a rod with that added spacing and had no problem so far. But then I'm very gentle on my rods even when fighting fish. However, I realize that by doing this, I'm going against convention which is nothing to sneeze at since convention arises from a great many people's experiences.

So is the jury still out on this?

Mo

I think the jury came in on this about 50 years ago.

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