Investigating snook and light tackle saltwater rods, I found a builder that claims to do an under wrap and two layers over the guide foot. Is this necessary or suggested? Thanks.

Two layers is over kill. A underwrap with B over should be plenty. Especially if you are using double footed guides. I'm sure you will get other responses. Just my .02

What's he's doing is not at all necessary. One overwrap is all that's necessary and in this case I'm not sure I'd even bother with an underwrap.

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My specialty is inshore spinning rods ... speckled trout to tarpon. Not an underwrap in the bunch, unless specifically requested. In addition, not a single double overwrap. My rods see max line ratings of 50-65# with heavier leaders ... not a problem.

Prep the feet properly, pick the right blank for the purpose and use locking wraps if using SF guides in applications over 20#.

I use A thread for all the lighter stuff ... SF spinning guides and D thread for all the heavier stuff ... DF spinning guides.

The only time I do underwraps on my saltwater rods is the rare occasion I use Dble foot guides.
Inshore cobia, trout, redfish and snook if they came this far North don't really need those kind of wraps. That's just added weight.

I used to double wrap everything because it's stronger, but do you really need stronger? I've never had or heard of a guide being ripped off a rod by a fish. When doing my static tests I use 1/4" masking tape to hold the guides on and rarely get a guide to rip the tape. For offshore applications I will double wrap, not because I think the guide will be ripped off, only because I wanted two layers of thread (and epoxy) at the end of the guide foot because I was having issues with the epoxy cracking at the end of the guide foot and eventually the guide will corrode under the wrap.

Underwraps for double foot guides for aesthetics, proper guide prep and no underwraps for single foots.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 04/16/2009 10:23AM by Scott Youschak.

I have built a few snook rods for buddies of mine and they have NEVER pulled out a guide, and I have only built them with Single Foot Guides. Some guys like the double foots for Strength, but I havent seen the need with the Snook we catch in the Titusville/Mims area of the State. I have personally landed 25+ pound fish with single foot's.
The only problem my guys have had is busting a couple rings out of rods that they dropped ( or threw) on the rocks because they heard one of their cut-bait rods screaming at the reel. I just switched one of those rods over to our NCRLA A-Frame RingLock Guides for 2 reasons. 1) Because we Just got them in 2) Because they are the toughest Spinning Guides I have ever seen, and they are perfect for this type of application when you have Guys fishing from Rocky Jetties or who are just plain rough on their stuff. They really did not add any weight to the rod, or atleast none that I could notice. Give them a try if you have not seen them.

Chase Foster
American Tackle
www.americantackle.us

I have used all flavors, tho my experience is to the south of you in Sebastian Inlet area and also the St Lucie inlet areas.

For rods you will cast with:

Underwrap - not really needed for most but the heaviest applications

Overwrap - just one layer needed, even with doublefoot guides. I use size D mostly.

For trolling:

When bridge trolling especially, and you use a rod rated for 50 - 80 lb line or so, for the short, brutish, battle for the first few feet. That's when I bulk up on the blank, thread and guides. And nothing is out of bounds there.

Whit

Great feedback guys. Thank you very much!