Greetings. I have a fast-actioned 6 weight blank I want to build on. It came with single foot guides but I have decided that I would like to snake guides. Can anyone recommend some numbers and sizes? For example can I go with size 1 or 2 snakes towards the tip? I did search the forum but most of the discussion revolved around single foot guides. I am mainly interested in what is the smallest sized snake guide that I can use torwards the tip. This rod will be primarily be used for trout fishing in bigger rivers. It will get its first use on a some float trips in Montana this summer. Right now I use a loop-to-loop connection with my fly line and leader. Any advice would be greatly appreciated. Thanks. Tom

You only need 3 guides sizes. Perhaps a size 12 stripping guide, an 8 intermediate and then all size 2 or size 1 snakes. Most likely you can use size 1 snakes, but you'll want to tape them up and try casting the rig with your current line and leader just to make sure everything passes smoothly.

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Tom C, why snakes ??

Bill - willierods.com

(3) #2 Recoil titanium
(2) #3 H&H chrome
(2) #4 H&H chrome
#10 double foot alox
#12 double foot alox
If you need spacing I'll need the blank tip dia, butt dia, no pieces, and material.

The reason for snakes is reduced weight, longer distance, better accuracy with less fatigue.

Good fishing

Tom K's set up will get you a straighter line path and reduced weight. He is correct, you only need two or three sizes at the very most. Your line will easily pass through #1 snakes. A good loop to loop will too.

Bill - I wanted to go with snakes for more durability. I have some rods with single foot wires but i did not really notice a real difference with them casting-wise.
Eugene, why the switch from the recoils to H&H? and what is an "alox"?. My thanks to everyone for the advice. I am leaning to going with the three guide-size approach. I am going to buy a bunch of snakes guides and experiment. Thanks. Tom

The titanium Recoils are expensive so I place them where they get the most bang for the buck.
The Recoils being the lightest are placed on the tip where the velocity is the greatest and the effects of mass are the most noticable. The further away from the tip the lower the velocity and mass effects, so I change to hard chrome steel. Alox is slang for aluminum oxide which is a common insert material. The reason for the size changes is that material flows more readily through a funnel then a pipe. The two alox guides keep the fly line away from the blank until after the ferrule in the event you are stripping streamers onto the ground or deck when shooting the line back out the grit your line picked up won't slap the blank or the ferrule wraps as easily. Most expensive rods used to be made that way and I prefer to think some old rules should be kept.
My preference is to direct the line, rather than attempt control, with large diameter guides which decrease in size and weight as they approach the tip. If the line is going the correct direction don't touch it but if it starts to deviate suggest rather than dictate a more appropriate direction. The smallest I go on a 6 weight is a #2 guide. Smaller guides are better on line weights of 3 or less.
Double foots are still my favorite except for the extra wrap. They are durable and don't easily catch onto objects like the hole on a single foot is prone to.

Guides are neither funnels nor pipe - they are some distance from each other and the smoother line flow and straighter line path is actually accomplished with fewer guide size changes. We've done articles accompanies by the photos and illustrations proving this. The reason so many sizes are often used is only because the manufacturers offer them - not because their is any advantage to doing so. You never need more than 3 sizes on any rod and quite often, just 2 will do.

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