I'm building a steelhead spinning rod utilizing the Fuji NGC system
While looking through the archives, I often see recommendations to do some test casting to find the optimum guide placement
I have already done the static test

What should I be looking for while making the test casts?
I'm thinking that it's the way the line flows through the guides but what other details should I be paying attention to?

Thanks for sharing your expertise.

if you like the way it feels. plus arrange it for optimal cast distance.

Look for distance, and, possibly, accuracy...everything else is just guessing.

George Forster
Fort Collins, CO

I should have searched the archives before posting this question
Wow, there's a lot of useful info there

This should help me while doing the test casts.
Tom Kirkman wrote: "The idea is stop the circular coils from traveling up the rod. You'd like to have the line straightened by the butt guide or at least the 2nd guide and then traveling flat on out. The longer the coils are allowed to persist, the less distance you can achieve. You want the line to hit that bottom edge of the butt guide, which flattens and controls it, and leads to better casting distance. "

Scott,
In addition to the other comments, I also like to check to see how the line is being retreived. I reel back slowly, with the line under light tension to see if all of the guides are being loaded equally, and that the full diameter of the stripper guide is being used if reeling in a spinning rod.

Good luck
Roger

You will find that performance is better if the line only uses the bottom edge of the butt guide. If the line is rotating around the entire circumference of the ring, you need to reposition it or use a smaller ring.

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

Tom,
I agree with your statement, if you speak only of casting.
But I have several clients who pitch heavy plugs for hours on end, that DEMAND a butt guide that is placed and sized so that the line essentially runs the full circumfurance of the guide during RETREIVES.

Apparently, when the rod and guide set do this, there is less total energy expended during the hundreds of retreives done on a given day.

Also, for the bulk of these fishermen, they are not distance casting. Rather they are casting for accuracy for relative short distances.

I have done some actual tests on retreival effort and I do have to confirm the fishermens requests with the test results.

I also agree with your comment about the use of the smaller butt guide so that the line is generally on the bottom of the guide for distance casting.

What ever a client wants, I will certainly be happy to build.

Take care
Roger

Tom and Roger, thank you for your helpful replies
I did a search and found a ton of info on this subject

I went and did some test casting and was satisfied with where the guides are set at
During a slow retrieve, on the stripper, the line looks to fill around 3/4 of the stripper guide and touching the bottom
However, if I reeled fast, the line appeared to hit the full circumference.
I'm going for maximum distance on this rod

Roger, in regards to placing the stripper guide to match the line circumference during a slow retrieve, would I leave the 2nd and 3rd guides so the line still touches the bottom or center them also?