I use minima 4 fly and spinning guides for most my spinning and casting rod builds.
Now i am venturing into an area i seldom go: light fly rods. I want to build a small 8 ft 4 wt fly rod to use this winter.
First question: Using a 4 wt line and nail knots for leader and backing what size guides would i use? Would 4 or 5's be too small?
Second Q: For my stripping guides i was tossing around the idea of also minima 4 single foots but an 8 and 10.
I know most fly fishermen like ceramic/agate insert type double foot guides as stripping guides but what are the down sides of doing what i am thinking?
Third Question. I have loop type tip tops, unbraced micro tip tops, Alps and Fuji braced ones etc. I was thinking about adding an extra fly guide as tip top just because its a fraction of the weight of regular fly tips. Again, i know its not traditional, but does it make the rod worse or better or just look odd?

Not sure what you use now on such lines and connections, but the opening on a Minima 4 is about the same as most ceramic size 6's. So if you've been using 6's with no problem, the M4 should be okay for you.

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

Tom,
Thanks. But my whole problem is no frame of reference: My lightest current fly rod is a 9 weight.
I have no idea if a 6 ceramic will pass a 4 wt fly line and nail knot to backing.

Yes it certainly will, but not entirely smoothly. But then you only need to pass it when rigging up - I never bring the nail knot back inside the tiptop once I begin fishing. It never goes back on the reel until I'm done for the day.

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

Thanks Tom!

I would think ceramics would just add to the swing weight of a fly rod that small. Why not wire if youre concerned with weight?

Hi:I`m new.Trying to cipher all this out-Lrfty Kreh`s advise is the polar opposite of this "Minima" concept-I`m speaking of flyrods here-He like to use size 20 as the butt stripper to cut friction,I think,maybe wrap-around too.I`m gping to build some switch rode for trout in the Truckee River and a heavier stick for Pyramid Lake [Those Cuts get pretty big]
Anyway,I`m trying to determine what`s best for my "Truckee River Styx"
Advice is always welcomed.
Regards,Otis

A Fuji Blag5 Alconite .114" ID (I'm going to try these on a five weight by advice of a couple builders who have done so) is big enough for a seven weight line and a nail knot, and also the welded loop to perfection loop of a seven weight, I just checked. Nine weight loop to loop I had to pull it through. So the four weight is no problem. I don't have any Minima 4 guides or I would measure them. Pretty sure a Minima 4 size 5 will be fine since they have even thinner ring material.

Greg

Lefty isn't a rod builder. A great fisherman no doubt, but not a rod builder. Just keep that in mind.

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

I use Minima 4's in a size 4 for fly rods casting up to a 6 weight line. I will NEVER use snake guides again. Minima's are NOT ceramic and weigh no more than wire guides. I use nail knot connections for flyline to leader. I always wind on a size 5 minima, rather than use a tubed tip top. Lefty's concept is a bit "out-dated". A larger butt guide does not "cut friction" any more than a conventionally sized guide does. It merely allows your "birdsnest" to travel further up into the guide train where it will eventually "hang up" in a smaller opening.

Pk.Lefty i`sn`t a rod builder-granted,but that doesn`t mean he doesn`t know wha the likes,does it?
Can you tell me the main advantages of us ing these tiny guides?Low weight?,What?
Pleas enlighten me?
Tx,Otis

I guess its true what my wife says: I am getting senile. I was filing some new build specifications away last night and found the build sheet for a 9 wt TFO that i made with a reversible butt so it can be used as a spinning rod. That pilot still raves about it.
It used Minima 4's in size 4 with 9 wt line. The butt guide setup cut spinning cast distance a little(maybe 10 to 15 ft with nylon, less with braid) i see from my notes.
My 4 wt will be tested tomorrow.

Any time you add unnecessary weight, say in the form of guides that are larger than necessary, you reduce the rod's Speed (reaction and recovery times). Tape up a set of large guides on any rod and cast it a bit. Then move to much smaller guides and repeat. You'll easily notice the difference in rod response.

Always use the smallest guides that will pass your line and any required connections and hold up to the task at hand.

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