Just wondering if many of you have had a chance to fish spinning rods with the Minima guides, and how you like them on the water?

Thanks,

Marc

i built a 6" ultra lite for a customer and used 5 4s to finish the rod. He says it casts great and the guides don' hurt at all.

Paul@soonercustomrod.com

Marc,
I just finished another spinning rod with minima guides this week. It works wonderfully well, looks great and fishes even beter.

Take care
Roger

They work very well. I used the high frame M series for transitions and then the #4 fly guides for running guides.

They work great and are a lot tougher than they look, which is a pleasant surprise. You can't beat the price either.

Jason Cosby
Cos Rods

Marc,
Carefully check the minima guides that you want to purchase.
Also very carefully check the construction notes for each of the mima guides and their differences.

If you have not used these guides before, you might purchase one guide of each type that pac bay makes in a sice you want to consider using,

Now, use high powered magnification to carefully check how each guide looks when magnified.

Based on your research, on the Pac Bay marketing information and your optical examination, use the guide that works best to meet your needs.

Take care
Roger

Are you guys using them with braid or mono? do you like them with braid? thx Jay

Minima 4

Minima 3

Both these guides are like Roger stated.....they are DESIGNED DIFFERENTLY.

The 3 has an edge on the outside of one side of the ring that is rather sharp. I wouldn't use these on anything, but that's just me. Something about a sharp edge and fishing line just never made much sense to me. The edge is on the incoming side of the guide rings.

DR

Under tension, the line could never get against that edge. But for me, that fact that the 3's are single swaged versus the 4's double swaged rings, is enough reason to stick with the 4's. The only downside is you don't have the multitude of color combinations in the 4's. But I never worry much about guide color - that's why we have so many colors of thread.

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

I'm not so sure about that point Tom, you may be correct..... but with braids, a BIG hard fighting fish, and a twisted rod....it would be darn close to rubbing the edge of the single swag. Wouldn't take much for that edge to rub braid ragged.

If I was interested in using Minima's, like stated : the double swag is enough reason to stick to the 4's

DR

I expected that 3's were on the way out, but I can see where it would important to check. My comments only apply to 4's, as that's all I've used. I think the M's are fantastic for braid. They allow you to get the needed height in a smaller ring. The verdict is still out as to how they'll wear over the years, but so far so good. We do know that they don't groove right away, as they have been out for a little while with no known issues. They're also harder to bend than just about any single foot I've encountered.

Jason Cosby
Cos Rods

Had no problems with them so far.
I have been using them on UK plugging & Lure rods for about a year now.
Saltwater wise, I just make sure my customers wash the guides down after use. The lip of the frame can have a tendency to catch all the saltwater diposites if not washed.
Use with braid has been good and the extra savings on weight at the tip have kept the blanks actions perfectly.