Hello to all,
New to posting here. I'm build a convertinal vertical jigging rod and I would like to spiral wrap it. Can I get a few opinion on using a simple 0-90-180 spiral vs the slow 0-10-45-135-180 spiral. With so much bent in the rods I'm not sure if getting line under as fast as possible is better then the slow spiral. Thanks in advance.

Phil

THe best one is the one that the line touches all teh guide under full load. Use what you feel gives you the best results, they all work. Unless you are a total hack and use 5 transition guides and only have the last 2 or 3 at teh 180 position, which I've seen one "prominant" builder do.

The "bumper method" is intended to not have any side load on that 90 degree guide. That might be impossible to accomplish if the rod flexs all the way down. In short you are going to have to tape up some guides, load up the blank, and see. I used a fly rod guide one size larger than the first 180 guide and was able to make it work but I was using a fast action live bait blank. The blank was light in power though and did have some flex back towards the handle FWIW.

Phil,
With a vertical jigging rod, you may find it to your advantage to go to smaller guides - pretty much all of the way through the rod.
In particular, as the line wraps around the rod, it is generally to your advantage to have the "bumper guide sit quite close to the rod. Hence the use of the shorter height guide.

Also, play with the rotation of the first guide.
I have heard of 0, 90 and 180spacing. However, I find that in general, it works better to offset the first guide 5 to 10 degrees in the direction of guide spiral direction.
The reason that I offset the first guide a bit, is to have the line pile evenly on the rod during retrieve.

Do some experiments after you have taped the guides on the rod. Let out 50 feet of line or so, and retrieve line under slight tension. Check to see that the guides put the line where you want it, that the guides keep the line off the blank, and finally, that the first guide allows the line to stack evenly on the reel as you retrieve the line.

I have found that if I leave the first guide centered at 0 degrees with respect to the reel seat, that the line tends to stack up on one side of the reel, even with a good line guide on the reel. But, as soon as the first guide is offset the correct number of degrees, I find that the line lays perfectly on the reel.

I generally use 3 guides to get from the top to the bottom of the rod. i.e. 5, 50, 125 and 180 degrees.

Take care

Roger

As others are saying do plenty of load testing. Test how it drops, under jig retrieve load and all the way up to full load (remember the first two are 90% of the time).

Simple Spiral for me:
9"-11" transition with lowest profile bumper possible usually a little forward of center.
355-90-180
Butt guide 10"-12" from reel face with enough height to keep the braid from cutting your fingers off when a fish starts pulling drag. A 16 when possible otherwise a 20.
300g blanks and under and/or less than 100lb leader, I run all 8's. Over that 10's.
Usually a 10 tip because that is what is available for the most part with 9+ tubes.

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I do it a little different. I have used the Mudhole CBVJ blanks and they flex a LOT! I use a tall stripper, like a LRSG 25mm or the 20mm lowrider, just past the foregrip and then usually a mnsg or bmnag for the running guides and "bumper". The tall guide keeps the foregrip and your hand from getting sliced up from the line usually. I set up all of my guides except the bumper guide and run line through it. I then take the blank to the max drag it's rated for and mark where the line crosses at the 90 degree mark. I put the bumper guide there and tweak it until at max load, that bumper guide does not load and the line is pushing the guide back at the blank. With the rod unloaded, occasionally there is a little top loading of the guide, but not much. I use size 12 running guides usually, and a 12 or 16 (if there is too much top load at rest, or if the 12 bottom loads) bumper. I know it's not the definition of the Bumper Spiral, but it works for me! It is a very quick transition, but in casting and jigging with the rods, I haven't noticed any issues with it compared to a 2 or 3 guide transition. The bumper guide doesn't load, it just keeps the line from hitting the blank. I test the left, middle and far right side of the spools, under the max drag and lesser drags, as well as to the sides slightly, like if the fish takes a sudden run to one side and you can't follow it quick enough. It's different than other methods, but it works well.

Thanks guys, this is what I am looking for - what other folks have tried.