I'm working on a muskie rod to throw the big bucktails.
I't's a 9ft Preditor rod made by St.Croix.I use 80lb braided line,18lb. dia.
My question is how small of guides can i use? I thought about using 5 mm but is that to small.
Or do i use 6mm to stay with the double foot guides?
Thanks i advanced
Tom

I don't put single foot guides on most Muskie rods because the anglers typically are very hard on their equipment. I have no doubt the guides can handle the fishing...its the abuse the angler puts on it. Same with micros.

But...if this a personal rod...and you're "responsible"...no reason you can't do it. You should have no issues with #5's.




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Better to have and not need than to need and not have.

I dont own a Musky rod with all double foot guides. All of mine are single foot runners, the only double foot is the stripping guide.

I really like the 6mm flys on a Musky rod. I dont see any reason why 5's wont work just fine. You can go micro, but I just dont feel like I get enough guide foot contact with a micro to suit me. Musky and musky fisherman are HARD on rods. Considering the weight of lures we throw and the presentations we make, I just dont see much, if any, advantage in going to micro's.

DR

I agree with Matt on the use of only double foot guides for Musky guides. My personal opinion is that these particular rods simply get too much wear and tear to be able to have a single foot guide hold up long term.

Roger

I have used size 6 micros on many saltwater rods which should be similar in power to musky type rods. No problems as along as there were no knots to get thru..

I don't think you'll have any problems with 5's on a muskie rod. I went with 6's on mine and it works great. I'm hard on my rods but I don't abuse them and I haven't had any issues yet.

jeremy

With not knowing anything about fishing for muskies other than the lures are pretty good sized -

how are they harder on equipment than say a 25# redfish or a small tarpon?
how/why are the anglers harder on the equipment? is it fishing conditions?
why would you not be able to use a ring size smaller than 5mm? are there knots, swivels, etc?

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Sam;
Guides in the 6mm + sizes were never considered Micro's.
It's not until you get down to the 4mm and below that you're looking at Micro sizes

Alex,
Picture a 40 - 50 lb barracuda that takes your lure at the side of the boat with almost no line out from the rod tip on a regular basis. than takes off at full tilt boogie. All in or near big weedbeds, wood and/or rocks. That's a muskie.

I use #5s with locking wrap on my musky rods. I had my first repair this past week, the 4th guide from the tip popped an insert during transportation. I don't think a double foot guide would have prevented this.

With musky rods you have to build to guard against the fisherm not the fish. IMHO the smaller guides are less likely to be damaged removing from a locker or stepped on. I'd use #4s but I can't sell them to the musky guys.

From a performance angle will you be able to feel any difference in the few grams saved in guide weight on a 6oz blank throwing 2oz (or heavire) blades? Doubt it.

Brad,
I agree. That is one of the big reasons - along with the durability issue - to not use Micros on these rods.

Every thing has a time and a place. I simply think that there are other rods much better suited to the use of small single foot guides than musky guides.

Take care
Roger

how are they harder on equipment than say a 25# redfish or a small tarpon?

Spencer covered that pretty well.

how/why are the anglers harder on the equipment? is it fishing conditions?

Yes it is conditions and anglers, many times musky waters are river waters, smaller boats, tough waters and weather, and a lot of banging around..... and the gear takes a REAL beating on rivers and even lakes as well throwing 3-15oz lures. I've seen musky jerk rod blanks down onto the gunnel in a split second and break a rod or snap off guides like they were made of crystal. Nothing the anglers could do but TRY and hold on.


why would you not be able to use a ring size smaller than 5mm? are there knots, swivels, etc?

Like said, one whack can dislodge a shorter footed guide easier, the shorter foot does not give you as much to wrap onto and seal down. I've found the micro's to not quite have the foot strength that say I size 6mm fly does, and I believe others are of the same thinking and some "beefed up" micro guide feet are on the drawing board as we type, samples are in hand right now.

Do NOT get me wrong, Micro Guides are WONDERFUL and I wont use anything else where the situation warrants it. You have to use your head and use the right tool for the job. I think a 6mm fly is a pretty tough little guide, but like Matt suggested, anglers can be tough on musky rods and keeping the double footed guides on, could very possibly save you a LOT of grief and work replacing the singles.

DR