I'm getting ready to wrap a couple of 2 weight fly rods built on a Batson RX7 6' 6", 2 piece and St. Croix Imperial 6', 2 piece blanks. These are common/readily available blanks and I have the suggested guide placement recommendations from the manufacturers. My question is for you perfectionists out there: If I truly want to optimize my guide placement, should I go ahead and perform the static guide placement procedure (this would be the first time I tried it) and use those results, or should I use the manufacturers recommendations and trust they have done enough testing and analysis to optimize their own blanks? Should there be a a noticeable difference between what I might come up with versus the manufacturers guidelines, especially on shorter rods? Is there any other guide placement system that works really well? Thanks!

Many manufacturers have never actually done any guide system test of their own. I know several that are still working off placement charts that were published in 1980's Fenwick rod blank catalogs. No kidding.

If you want to truly optimize your rod, learn how to place guides and then do so. It's worth the effort - once you learn how to do it, you're set from then on.

Having said that, using the manufacturer's suggested spacing will certainly be adequate. Not perfect, perhaps, but easily adequate.

...........

My experience with the Batson 2wt, was that their suggested placements were almost "spot on!" During my static tests I rarely needed to move a guide and when I did it was no more than a quarter inch. Have never built the St Croix blank.



Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 06/12/2011 12:00AM by Phil Erickson.

Tom, as always, is giving sound advice. I have built one rod only according to Baton's layout advice. I used the same size guides they suggested and did a static test prior to wrapping. I didn't feel the need to adjust anything. So I do get the feeling that they actually do a static test themselves.

These days I wouldn't use the size guides they suggested. This in turn would almost certainly end up with the guides being placed differently.

I love St. Croix rods but think it would be easy to improve on their guide layout. On the inshore models at least, they seem inclined to stay with what fishermen are accustomed to seeing.

The biggest reason, IMHO, to go with a static guide placement method, is that once you do so you will never find yourself doubting your work or in need of guide layout information. The more you push things the more you notice the difference. The angler looking to catch the biggest fish on the lightest possible tackle will see the most gains IMHO.

Russ in Hollywood, FL.

The manufacturers have a vested intrest in their recommendations.
They've done the testing and are prepared to warranty the results.
I'm not sure the same can be stated for distributors as I'm not sure of their level of testing and quality control.


Eugene Moore

Eugene,

I agree with your statement, but, don`t forget each blank of the same number differ amongst themselves. The spacing should be tweaked with each build.

Bill

Ohio Rod Builders

Canton, Ohio