I can't believe I am asking this question after building (5) fly rods, but I've had some long plane rides lately and brought along Tom Kirkman's book on rod building and on another trip Schenk's? book on building fly rods.

The first thing I ever learned about rod building was when Don Morton showed me how to find the spine. Since then I have read or learned to place guides on a fly rod opposite the spine, on the spine, and my personal favorite, but most difficult to find --- on the "hard spine" aka point where rod is least stable.

So, here goes....where should I place the guides on a FLY ROD in relation to the spine? I would not even make this post, but all I could find were posts on casting rods.

Thanks,

Tony

Ignore it altogether and build on the straightest axis with the belly of the curve down.

It makes no difference. The spine does not create nor inhibit rod twist and has nothing to do with casting accuracy. Stability comes from guide location. On a fly rod, the guides are on the bottom of the rod so it is going to be inherently stable under fish fighting conditions. So too, will a spinning rod.

In the upcoming issue of RodMaker, we have now provided some hard data indicating that building on the spine also results in less deadlift capacity on that axis (the reason the rod is easier to bend that way is because that's the weakest axis).

Of course, that fact that spine makes no difference means that there is no right nor wrong way to orient it. I build on the straightest axis and do others, while some continue to building on the spine. Do whatever you prefer and have fun building and fishing your rod.

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I build on the straightest axis first, but if the blank is straight, I place the guides opposite of the spline. I think this gives slightly more power on the cast but a little less lifting power.

Keep in mind that the softest (spine) axis and stiffest axis, are not 180 degrees apart.

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straightest axis over spline for me too.....

Tony,
I build all my rods with the stiffest axis facing the fish.
My thought is that when playing a fish the stiffest axis is in compression when the loading is highest. Since failure is mostly of a compressive nature this should place the strongest rod axis where it will accomplish the most good.


Eugene Moore

"In the upcoming issue of RodMaker, we have now provided some hard data indicating that building on the spine also results in less deadlift capacity on that axis (the reason the rod is easier to bend that way is because that's the weakest axis)."

Tom- Is the article you're referring to in above issue available on this site somewhere or what issue are you referring to that I might find a copy of that issue.
I am building a 11' 6wt fly rod and to take advantage of the highest lifting power of the blank.