Always used ceramics on fly rods, might need to use snakes on my next job and don't know anything about sizes, just wondering what sizes are right for a 7wt 9-footer?
Thanks,
Tom White

Tom White
Rod & Reel Restoration

Tom -
You'll still likely start off with a ceramic stripper (10 or 12mm) or single foot wire fly guide at 10mm. The largest snake guide opening size 6 is around 8.5mm. Since wire line (twist) snake guides are fairly inexpensive you probably ought to buy something like
3 size 1 (opening 5.1mm)
3 size 2 (opening 5.7mm)
2 size 3 (opening 6.3mm)
1 size 4 (opening 7mm)
1 size 5 (opening 7.7mm)
1 size 6 (opening 8.5mm)

That should give you plenty of setup / layout or spacing options. You;ll likely have 3 or 4 left over after this build.

Write down the size openings Ken gave you - you're going to want them again at some point. Everybody reading this should copy them down for future reference.

If you're just going to run a regular WF fly line I'd do this - #16, #10 (ceramics) and then move right to #2 snakes the rest of the way out. You don't need more than 3 guide sizes on any rod.

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Awesome, guys, just the info I needed. Thanks so much!

Tom White
Rod & Reel Restoration

there are several search engines that will list sizes needed and you can print them out

Since Tom W. initiated this topic about snake guides for a 7wt. 9' rod what are the advantages or disadvantages of using ceramic guides comparred to snake guides.

Bill -
This was a 'debated topic' a month or so ago... If you want to re-open you may want to consider a new post / new topic header

Ken
Good point---jumped the gun and should have done a search and possibly opened a new topic rather than move from guide sizing to guide comparison.
Bill

Hi,

I am trying to find the guide spacing and sizes for a 4 wt, 9ft fast 4 piece flyrod.

But as a newbie, after finding this thread in my search, I am very confused!

Is guide spacing and guide size subjective to one's opinion, on where they should put the guides and what size, or is there a tried and proven formula.

I am only confused because Ken P and Tom K, both recommended different size guides, from how I read it.

Thanks,

Richard