I just read the thread about adding a "toe" to single foot guides. The important point made (to me) was about picking a guide suitable for the rod being built. Still not sure what I should do differently as the fisherman though:)

So, before I make a mistake, are single foot guides suitable for an acid wrapped salt water rod and if so, up to what pound class? Which guide series would be best? IIRC Fuji no longer offers the ones I would have thought were best.

Regarding the other thread, would an underwrap ever be a good idea with a single foot guide? Could it be possible to have the normal locking wrap around one leg and the underwrap or a trim band around the other leg? Also, if a "toe" isn't practical would a wing or a notch be? If the guides are being pulled straight out (slipping through the locking wraps without cutting them) one could conclude the locking wraps need something to grap hold of. Maybe the foot could be a bit narrower at the guide end? Maybe a hole could be made for the locking wraps to go through? I certainly don't see it as a "micro" only problem (not that I have a clue when a guide becomes a micro).

Really it seems like we need a foulproof single foot guide. I can see a concept "if" the diameter of the guide is smaller than the blank. Anyhow, if the line gets wrapped around the guide I'd sure rather have guide(s) pulled out than the whole nine yards going overboard! Get snagged on the bottom with 80+ braid in a drifting boat I could see that happening. Wow I'm getting morbid in my old age....must be thinking too much.



Russ

Single foot guides were originally designed and intended to be used on spinning and fly rods - rods where the guides are underneath the blank. So a spiral wrapped casting rod puts you into roughly the same category.

You can damage any guide if you bump and bang it enough. And even double foot guides can be ripped from their mooring. I'm not sure there are really any failings with single guides when used as intended. The key is to use the right guide for the particular application.

It might be more feasible to build a foulproof single foot guide than to add another aspect to the foot of the guide to keep it on the rod if it is fouled. It would require a different frame style but could certainly be done. If, of course, this is really enough of a problem to warrant the effort to create such a thing.

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What size and type rod are you building?

Richard Kuhne Wrote:
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> What size and type rod are you building?

Along the lines of 7 foot, 30-40# class, for live bait and some bottom fishing. Always fished mono in the past but curious to try braid. Reel is an Avet LX and I'll be fishing in SE Florida.


Russ

"one could conclude the locking wraps need something to grap hold of."

The locking wraps completely encircle the guide leg. Be hard to get much more secure than that. But anything can be damaged or made to fail if enough force is brought to bear.

I just field tested a new blank from Swampland, the Big Show, spiral wrapped with size 8s single foot fly guides. on the bottom, 6 man limit of mangrove snappers and one angery 65 lb Cobia, worked great.

Larry Pickering

It depends on the guides. My goto tuna stick is acid wrapped CalStar GF765ML and it sports the no longer available Fuji LBSG Single Foot Heavy Duty SIC Boat guides. Too bad they are discontinued, I fish the rod with 80# test line, 27# of drag at strike and almost 35# at full. It has taken way too many tuna to count. I've fought more than a few fish on that rod with the drag at full and the fish still taking drag. No guide problems what so ever. No wrap issues either. My conclusion is that so long as the frames of the guides can handle the amounts of drag expected there is no reason why single foot guides can't be used for acid wrapped salt water rods.

I built a 10' conventional plugging rod, Used O'quinn spiral, and my guides were tnsg 14 for the spiral and tsg 10 for the running. It casts like a dream and has taken 12lb bluefish. I am currently using 50lb stealth braid with 10lb drag.