Does anyone have an idea of what the weight advantages are using the BSVAG guides using a cone of flight setup vs a wire guide setup using the same con of flight? What would be advantages if using braid only?
Wire would be 60,40,25,16,10, 8 and 8 tip
BSVAG would be 50,40,25,16,10,8 and 8 tip
It would be going on a SW1089 AMERICAN TACKLE Blank

You would never need guides that large for braid. That's just a lot of unnecessary weight to hang on the rod. No advantages either way, only disadvantages.

If you still intend to go that route you'd have to just weigh a couple guides - one BSVAG versus one wire guide of the same size and note the percentage difference. That would give you a rough idea of the total difference between two complete sets.

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Tom Kirkman Wrote:
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> You would never need guides that large for braid.
> That's just a lot of unnecessary weight to hang on
> the rod. No advantages either way, only
> disadvantages.
>
>> Tom, I appreciate your input. What size guide would you start and finish with. I will be using the rod with 50# Power pro and fishing for Cobia off the piers in Fla. The jigs range between 3-4 ounces. Thanks.
> ...............

I'd need your reel to set it up, but I'd go with the New Guide Concept. I doubt you'd need more than a 40, most likely a 30, to start. I'd quickly reduce the guides to the choker guide and then then run the same sizes the rest of the way out.

I can't give you exact sizes without being able to plot the line path from your reel to the choker guide, but I'd guess you'd end up with something along the lines of 40 - 20 - 12 - 8 - 8 - 8 - 8 - 8 (maybe) and a tiptop.

The smallest guides would be determined by what connections you may have to pass. If you don't have any shock leader knots or anything else you need to accommodate, you should be able to get by with size 8's. I'd use high frame spinning guides for the 40, 20 and 12, and low frame casting guides for the 8's.

Again, you need to plot the line path and size the guides accordingly. What I gave above is a just an example.

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The reel I will be using will be a Zeebaas 27. I think the spool diameter is close to 2.5". The front of the reel seat will be 22" from the butt. If the rod is a total 108" where would the choker guide be placed? Thanks again for your insight and realize it is just an estimated guess. I will go and test cast when i get a good starting point.

I'll assume you haven't read the article on the system as it appeared last year in RodMaker.

Put the choker guide, your first #8 (or whatever your smallest guide is) about 67 to 68 inches beyond the reel spool face. The rest of the small guide go between there and the tiptop. The larger guides are distributed between the reel and the choker guide.

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You might want to take a look at Titanium frames. They will hold up considerably better to the corrosive effects of saltwater. A particularly interesting guide series would be the new "tangle-free" TK series by Fuji. BTW, I would recommend no smaller than #10 running guides since you mentioned 50# braid ... once you tie on a 60-80# leader, you will appreciate the larger opening for knots to pass easily.

[www.rodbuilding.org]

Jim, I have been looking at those guides. I was thinking since the Knots between my braid and the leader will never pass thru my guides I should be OK with the size 8. I noticed there is a difference in the height of the T-KWAG 12.3mm and the T-KTAG 11.1mm. That might line up better with the tip. Plus I will have 300yds of the 50# braid on the spool before a knot will pass again.