Hello,

I am quite the rookie at building a rod. I am experimenting because I had an economical 10' three wt blank. So I do not want to get into arguments about line weight. I just want to have fun building and experimenting with it. I have had a professional rod repairman install a 12" cork grip with an added extension of another 12". So I have a 24" reel seat...or I think....but don't reall know....that this is called a Tennessee handle. I will use slip rings to move a reel up and down. I have no clue what guide sizes or spacing to use for this wee trout spey rod. I would very much appreciate any kind of help at all. Maybe even specific guides (brand name and order numbers).

It is now time to purchase and install guides...but I don't know what to do.

Jim
oh...I was told the blank was a full flex. I don't know that that is true. It is the Global Dorber 10' 3wt blank.

Your best bet is to do a bit of easy research. Go to the library page here and read the article on static guide spacing. You can also do a search under "spey rod" or "guide slizing" to get a better feel for what you need to do.

If you intend to build more rods in the future, a little time spent learning now will pay big dividends in the future.

............

Is it a spey blank or a single hand blank? BIG difference as a spey rod will run 2 line sizes heavier (on average, a 3wt spey would be around a 5wt single hand) The lightest spey blank I have seen is a 4/5. If you are looking at using shooting heads I would look to 16,12,6,5,4 with an large loop top. The number of guides is up to you based on a static test. I would use single foot guides for sure. There are many types out there it is all YOUR prefernce. I like H&H but that is just me the REC are nice so are the basic wire in chrome TiCh.

It is a single hand blank. NOT a spey blank. Probably not the wisest choice..but I already had the blank with no great need for it. So....decided to build it into a two hander....to have something extremely economical to play with......at trying to learn to spey cast, and two hand cast.
Its' usefullness "may" be ok....or it may be a noodle for hanging on the wall only. I am ok with that. I just want to build it for the fun of it. BTW I have no big rivers to fish. Just inland trout, one little stream I like to fish and lakes. But I am intriques with the two handed casting. Thus the thought of a wee trout rod. I was told before I decided to build it that spey casting needs a lot of flex and the full flex 3wt might work out fine for inland trout. Thus the decision to go for it. Perhaps this advice given to me was wrong. I dunno. I am too much of a rookie to KNOW in advance. So I have to try it out to find out.

I strictly prefer single foot guides..but wasn't sure if they were suitable to two handed casting and how the line flows. Also, I haven't built many rods. But I would use very small single foot guides on my single hand rods. Thus no experience with a two hander, how the lines carries out, or shoots. Pretty sure I need a bigger guide set up and channel the energy with the proper sized stripping guides, and then changing guide sizes down to the tip. On my single hand rods I don't bother with channel the energy. I just use same guide size all the way.

I am quite sure this method would totally not work as a two hander. Two handes I am sure needs bigger stripper guides, and bigger guides overall.....of which I have no clue how to set up. I had forgotten the static guide placement woud work for spey rods just as well as on single hand rods. So that answers guide placement.

Now it is only sizes and type, ceramic...? Whatever. I dunno.

Jim
oh BTW Tom, thanks for reminding me the static guide placement will work on the two handed rod.....and the tip I could search for spey rods on here. Wasn't aware of either.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 04/01/2010 11:08PM by Jim Williams.

Eric,
Thank you very much for you help also. I re-read and see that you not only gave me guide sizes but some recommendations as well. Thanks a lot for that. Helps me out emensely. What are H&H guides? Hook and Hackle?
Jim
oh....in searching for guides...I have discovered what must be H&H. Hopkins and Holloway I think it was.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 04/01/2010 11:41AM by Jim Williams.

I would say that building a 3wt single hander as a "spey rod" will not work well, that being said you can "spey cast" with anything and I often do so with my 4wt when fishing tight areas. I would just not expect much out of it the way of power. Knowing it is a single hand 3 you could build it as such as you will not be using shooting heads with that rod. A spey rod is just a BIG fly rod that is all.

A typical spey has stipper and tamming guides of size 16, 12 unless it is a monster but this will work for everything I have done (14' 7wt and under) you can then work your way down to a guide that will pass the line you are using. I use a skagit shooting head with sink tips so I have lots of loop to loop conections to pass so I try to not go less than a #4 and normally use a large or extra large loop.

The casting power in a spey rod comes from one of a few areas change of direction, sustained water anchor or a touch and go anchor. The rod stores this 'power' until the forward stroke where it is let loose. A 'whippy' rod will not do a good job at this. A rod with a full flex or traditional action is fine but not whippy.

A normal grip for the front is approx 1" for every foot of rod. This is of course based on YOUR comfort grip. I am a tall guy and always have my hand at the far front of every factory rods grip but it is a start. Rear grip could be 3-4" for a switch and 5-6 on a full spey rod but again it is YOUR comfort. You really want that back hand comfortable as casting is 80% rear 20% front hand.

Good luck feel free to email me with any further questions.

Eric

Since this is an experimental play rod, not expecting distance, just something to play with, I might go ahead and use my normal guide set up, just to see how it works on the 3wt. I normally use Fuji Alconite BLAGj #8 for first stripper guide, then a 7, then a 7 tammer, then all 6's the rest of the way, Including the tip top......the tip would be the same single foot #6 as all the last running guides. After all it only has to pass a three weight line, or some line that might be bigger, but would surely pass the guides. I don't build rods for competition or distance anyway. I just build rods that are fun for me to fish with and to play with. I deserve the handle "tinker bell" because I am always wanting to alter or tinker with something and make it a different way. But I would certainly not enjoy having the "handle" of Tinker Bell....ugh
Jim