Hello All,

I am looking for suggestions on the following situation, please.

I am looking for a casting guide with a suitable insert that is extremely strong and durable enough to survive getting banged on the rocks of the surf. The insert has to be hard enough to handle large diameter, heavy braid and able to handle hard fast runs of big fish. These guides are going on a 13 foot surf blank for Ulua fishing.

What guides would you suggest?

Thanks,
Tony

American tackle has a new line of 4 brace casting guides that I feel are the best on the market for the money.

If you can find a set of carboloy guides - they'd be your best bet for what you're planning to do. Any ceramic guide is going to be at risk if you "bang" them on rocks.

Not sure if anyone makes or sells the Carboloys guides anymore, but they're about the most bulletproof type you could employ for that type fishing. And you can't groove them with anything.

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

Tom is right on the money. You might need to check some of the @#$%& sites...I bought some Mildrum carboloy boat guides there a year ago to repair an old boat rod. Be advised though, a good hard rap on the rocks can still break the frame.

maybe this will help: [www.google.com]

Bill - willierods.com

Tom,
I believe Pac Bay now sells Tungsten Carbide guides (CSB and CSBB) for saltwater use.

Mike Blomme

Hi Tony,

I love this question! In my biased opinion going to Carbide, Carbaloy, Carmet, or any wire frame guides would be like going back in time and taking the family vacation across the country in a covered wagon. (however folks might like this -depends on the “family“)

Please consider our Virtus Ring Lock guides. There are no better guides for Ulua rods and they will be sure to perform and hold up to that style of fishing. They have already been used for a couple of years with great success and I am told that they will replace every guide of choice for Ulua rods making them the standard. They are totally designed for performance and durabilty. Correct ring sizing with thick rings perfect for heavy lines, braids, knot to knot connections and protection from impact. Here are some of their attributes:

- Quad-Leg design adding structural stability
- Ring Lock frame system eliminating ring loss
- Press-fit frame encapsulating ring and protecting it from impact
- Strong braid proof Nanolite and Duralite rings
- Stripping guide sizes in 25mm or 30mm
- Extremely thick gauge material frame preventing crushing or deformation
- Available in stainless or solid titanium frames

Hope you will consider them. Don from Don’s Tackle who frequents this board can tell you more about them. Good luck with your build.

Best Regards,

Darrin Heim
American Tackle Company

Hi Tony,

I'm a little pushed for time and can not answer your question (right now) to the level it deserves.

Darrin is correct regarding the covered wagon era. I did build my last Ulua pole with boat guides in 1980. Those days are gone.

Here's a link to an Ulua centered message board to help you along. I'll try to give you additional insight later.

[www.ulua-fishing.com]

Don

Don Becker

Hands down the most durable guides have been the old "foul proof" guides. Little more than a piece of stainless wire rolled into shape. Not much to break. The boat style guides always break at the welds.

Russ in Hollywood, FL.

The problem with the old foulproof guides is that they are stainless. Fishing braid near a jetty will inevitably pick up setiment and saw through them over time. Probably the last guide I'd recommend in this case.

Let me ask a question of all you experts, Just because we have a guide such as Virtus Ring Lock guides with a different and/or better method to hold a CERAMIC ring you eliminate the possibility of cracking the ceramic ring by banging the guide on the rocks like the origionator of this topic asked?
Kerry

Hi Kerry,

No, I doubt you could ever completely protect a ceramic ring from breaking whether it be from slamming it into a rock or running it over with a truck (hope he’s not casting from a highway). It’s really his choice and wire frame guides are fine however they too have weak areas such as welds and even a Carbaloy ring can crack. I just wanted to throw another option out there for a “durable” guide.

We tried to consider everything possible to focus on durability prior to introducing the Virtus guides. We feel that a stronger, thicker material for the ring and use of a frame style that is more naturally protective will improve longevity. Long sustained battles, casting huge weight/bait rigs, knot to knot connections etc., and fishing braid or heavy mono is the ideal situation for the Virtus guides and ceramic rings. Many Ulua rods have gone to ceramics for performance and the Virtus guides are the next step in the evolution of line guides for that type of fishing adding durability to performance. The titanium versions would be the ultimate for me and they are gaining popularity in HI as well.

Best Regards,

Darrin Heim
American Tackle Company

Darrin

Thank you for answering my toungue in cheek question. I appreciate you stepping up and clearly stating what I believe and how it really is.

Kerry

A big MAHALO (thank you). Thank you for the suggestion. I was hoping for an option besides the wire guides. I have more confidence in something that is strong but lighter. Plus when I saw that you had a LIFETIME GUARANTEE on the VIRTUS ring lock guides, that sold me on trying them out. My friend owns a local tackle shop and can order me the guides. I'm ordering them from him.

Thanks,
Tony

Since you anticipate guides being broken by getting whacked against rocks you should probably steer clear of a graphite blank also. With all the speculation about smashing rings and breaking welds a solid glass blank looks like the right ticket.

Hi Tony,

It looks like you are on the right track. Your concern will need to be to determine the size main line and rub line to be used. 60 to 100# main line and 125 to 300# rub line are common. The guide size may need to pass the associated knots (bimini twist, albright). I'm not sure as to the capabilities of the blank you purchased. So, you will need to size your components appropriately.

Darrin,
I received your samples after my last post. The USPS severely mangled the box. Enclosed were 4 guides, NBRLVL 30 & 40, NBRLVH 30 & 40. Although the frames on the 40s were badly bent, the rings on all 4 guides were in good condition. If the USPS didn't break the rings, well .... Would you consider these to be a replacement for Alconites? Braid friendly?

Phil,
One piece fiberglass rods are still desired on the islands of Kauai and Maui. The Lamiglas L6M is still sought after.

Don

Don Becker

Stay tuned...there is discussion among some component providers to encourage the design of a thicker ring material. Maybe the same materials we have now, just more of it. The theory is that there will be less friction, or more evenly distributed friction through the ring. Some people have reported that the braided line, and some monos, have actually burned thru when under load from BIG fish, BIG and FAST fish. Hmmmm...I'd like to try one of those fish! Don't know about the science, but it is in the works.

I doubt a tubular fiberglass rod could stand the rough treatment this rod will apparently face. When welds and silver solder unions can't stand the strain the rod blank should probably be fiberglass - solid fibergass all the way through. It would be a shame to invest the time and money building a rod with bomb-proof guides only to have the rod blank shatter.

If you slam a guide against any hard substance, a rock, a boats railing, EXPECT failure. It's common sense. Dont blame the guide.
Darrin did a great job of explaining the 4 brace guide that I was referring to. You would be hard pressed to find a better guide in a casting style frame. As for carboloy, I disagree. It actually is, as Tom said, a very good and durable design. I only use them on wire line rods, but they would be a great boat rod guide as well. Amtack,Batson and Pac bay all have them. Pac Bay has a unique casting frame carboloy as well.

Nothing is going to be indestructible on the rocks, but, as Tom said, carbaloy guides would be close. I would also consider double foot Mimima's, as there's no ring to break. So far, I have seen no grooving whatsoever on them and there's also no weld to break.

Jason Cosby
Cos Rods