Was wondering what guides any of you builders would use on a Sage 4 piece 16 wt fly rod for heavy fish marlin and the like. owner was told Recoils that a friend has on his. The friend has won some contests ?

Would they hold up ?

Thanks

Bill - willierods.com

Most like to incorporate additional stripping guides (SiC or nanolite) then either go ringed fly guides or double foot snakes for the remaining guides. The reel is the most important piece of the equation for big fish so either way you go on the guides should be ok. Sage uses 3 strippers on that rod then double footed snakes the rest of the way up.

But would not single foot be better ?

Bill - willierods.com

If you want to use doubled foot ceramics for the running guides, stick with a casting type guide. These are usually about the same height as the single foot fly guides.

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Thanks Tom

He wants to keep it close to a factory Sage as he can I just don't care for snake guides
The recoils ( he is trying to be cheap ) will be a little costly.

I am going to call Sage and see what they are using But I still like the ceramics. But it is his rod.

Since I am probably going to buy from Mud Hole would you know who is a heavy salt water guy there

Now he tells me some one told him that these ( under 8' ) blanks are prone to breakage ?? ???

Plus I just found out he will be using a shock leader on it Larger guides

Thanks

Bill - willierods.com



Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 05/15/2011 02:39PM by bill boettcher.

Ask Todd. I think Lamiglas built some 13 to 15 weight bluewater fly rods while he was still there.

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I don't know very much about fly rods this heavy, but It would seem to me that one of the primary concerns with most other fly rods -- weight -- wouldn't be quite so important, and that, to me anyway, would seem to be a factor in favor of ceramic guides.

When you're fishing for billfish on the fly, the method that I've read about most often is that the fish is brought near the back of the boat with hookless teasers, and then a fly is cast when a fish is thrashing in the wash. When doing this, long casts are evidently not all that important -- it's always seemed to me to be a kind of chuck-and-duck fly fishing, and one where gear strength is much more important than keeping things as light as possible.

When weight is not crucial, and fish can make colon-clearing runs against the reel's drag, using guides that dissipate heat the best (i.e. Silicon Carbide) makes a lot of sense to me, as does using double-foots guides the entire length of the rod. But then again, I don't know that much about this type of fishing (though I'd like to learn!).

We have built many big game fly rods over the years and our guides of choice are single footed titanium ceramic for the running guides and doubled footed titanium high framed guides for the strippers.
The first stripper guide is the most important one of the whole set and the one most builders over look. The fly reels used for bluewater angling are huge compared to what is commonly used for inshore work so the first stripper guide should also be bigger than what you see on "factory" built rods. It has been our experience that a reel that is 41/2 inches in diameter you may get by with a size 20 high frame guide as the fist stripper but a reel that is 5 inches or more in diameter may take a size 25 or in some cases a size 30 high frame to reduce the angle of the backing coming off of the reel to the first stripper.

Do not use snake guides!!! They will groove...repeat they will groove. Snake guides have their place and I use them on freshwater fly rods but not here, learned my leason years ago. Think of it this way a freshwater fly rod very seldom if ever will the guides see the backing. On the other hand one run of a billfish on a fly rod will put more stress and friction on the guides than they would receive on a freshwater rod in a lifetime of use.

Michael A Taylor
Bluewater Fly Tackle

TFO bluewater blanks are really nice as well. I would use ceramic doublefoot guides for a rod this heavy. Make sure you have a plan for a really nice reel. maybe even get the reel while you build the rod for. Help to work some balance if you need.


Regards,

Michael
What size for the runners and tip on the guides.

Bill - willierods.com



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 05/17/2011 05:54PM by bill boettcher.