Hi,

Was going thru a couple of catalogs today looking at stand up rods. It seems the first guide, the largest, always has the lower roller closest to the reel. The rest of the guides, the small ones, have the roller at the front or at the rear of the guide. Sometimes the same company has the smaller guide facing in opposite directions on different models. Confusing???

I am not an offshore angler so I do not have actual experience to figure this out. Maybe it makes no difference at all. If there is an adequate reason I would be interested in learning it.

Thank you in advance.

Capt Neil Faulkner

The line doesn't care where the frame is in relation to the rollers.

The first or butt guide, generally causes the line to pull down to the rod when the reel is at full spool by virtue of the top roller, This ensures the line is gathered and will begin tracking in the bottom roller well. Putting the top roller a little further forward still gets the job done but doesn't cause as much of a downward angle at full spool.

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Neil,
When building roller rods, I have always placed the butt or first guide, such that the high roller is always facing the reel. The low roller will always be facing the tip of the rod.

The idea, is that the high roller is used to guide the line as it comes off the large reel and doesn't tangle on the roller.

Take care
Roger

Thank you.

But what about the direction of the smaller guides? Roller to the front or roller to the rear?

Capt Neil Faulkner

Most roller guides have the name of the manufacturer stamped on them. All the ones I've spoken to have told me that they designed the roller frame to face so that the name is facing towards the angler.

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Neil,
If you look at this picture of the pac bay roller guides, it will give you the information that you need. For this picture, the reel would be on the right side of the picture:

[www.mudhole.com]

Take care
Roger

Hi Roger,

I looked at the Pac Bay pic. I just looked at a Melton catalog and they show the guide closest to the fore grip with the lower roller nearest the grip. The smaller guides up the blank they have them going both ways.

Since we do not have a definitive scientific answer I have to assume that we can install them in any direction we prefer.

I had hoped that some offshore anglers would respond with reasons that they prefer one direction over another. Usually rod builders have many varied opinions.

Thanks for the replies.

Capt Neil Faulkner

NEIL,
I just saw this and will opine. The guides are bi directional. That said, I always have the aftco fish facing the angler when fighting a fish. If you put the first roller (double roller) with the first guide high, then the high roller will be touching the line all the time which I don't like. If it is oriented 1st roller low, it will run correctly in my mind. I don't want constant line contact with that roller. If those guides get stuck, then line failure will occur from heat buildup.

Kevin

Hi Kevin,

Way to go! That is what I am looking for personal experience. Makes sense to me.

Capt Neil Faulkner