Hi guys!

I would build a 7 ft spinning rod St. Croix XS70MLF 7'( ML FAST 4-10 LB line rating and 1/8-3/8 oz rated) on which I will use a Shimano Stradic C14 2500 (only 7 oz weight!!!) with braided line PP 4LB (0.08 mm).
I will jigging 3/16-1/4 oz lures looking for yellow perch.
I would like a recommendation on the type and number of guides for this rod to obtain the minimum weight . The reel is really light , so I need to use the lighest combination of guides to balance the combo.
I am thinking about Fuji Sic with Titanium frame but what model is ligher???
TATSG,TYSG or TKLSG?
How many guides 7+1 or 8+1?
I would use a 25 as first , after 16, 10, 6 to the tip.

Thanks for your time.

Michele

Don't know if this is a good compaison, but a fishing friend and I have "developed" a rod we use for smallmouth fishing primarily using weightless, nose hooked Super Fluke Jrs twitched around smallie habitat. This same set up works well with small plastics such as 4" worms.

They are built on either St. Croix AVID or Extreme S66MLF blanks and the the guide lineup is as you have listed except it's 7+ tip top. However, on the reel side, we use nothing larger than a 1500 size, preferably 1000s , ex. Stradics. The rods have enough backbone to manage 3lb + smallies very well. Our line test usually doesn't exceed 6lb mono. During our annual Maine fishing trip this spring, I managed 49 smallies in a 5 1/2 hour fishing session using this set up.

I currenty have a build that I will substitute the Fuji Alconites I have been using with PacBay Minima guides, probably dropping down to #4 for the running guides. I'll be able to do good test cast comparisons against my personal rods with the Alconites. I know it is a personal preference, but these rods work well with short butt grips in the 5" range and we also cut off the excess screw downs on the reel seat and shorten the foregrip further reducing overall weight.

Measure the diameter of the reel spool and divide by two, if the result is 20 or less you may be able to use a 20 mm as the stripper, buy both a 20 and 25 when you pruchase the guides and give them both test casts.

determine your choke guide location and go from there. take a look at the pacbay minimas. they are very light and durable. you can also get them in M frame for the butt guide(they are taller). using braid you can use small guides and depending on your set up as small as a size 12 for a butt guide(thus reducing weight).

I just built a 7' spinning rod using a 20 for the butt guide and 4's for the runners. It's super light and casts great. It all depends on how tall the guides are, not necessarily how big the hole is. Check out the library here and use the guide placement in the NGC article for spinning rods.

David Dosser
Coshocton, OH

In the "Library" top of the page.
[www.rodbuilding.org]

thanks to all....really interesting answer for a newbie like me!

article for spinning rods ' ll give me answers about number, spacing and dimensions of guides.
i prefer to use fuji guides but.... what series is better for spinning rod (lighter) between TATSG,TYSG or TKLSG ????

thanks

Mike

Michele,
There is NO better or no Worse guides.

There are just guides that work wonderfully well for particular purposes. Select the right guide for a particular rod, doing a particular job and it will be great.

Take care
REW

Have to agree with Roger,
If you like the guides and the setup, then it's just right.
I don't have any firsthand knowledge of the titanium guides that you're asking about. However, I just finished a ML 7' rod similar to what you're building. I used high frame fuji alconites and fly/concept guides. In particular they were a #25 Fuji BYAG alconite, #12 BYAG alconite, and the rest were 4.5 BLAG alconite fly/concept guides. I like the high frame guides. Even with the stainless frames, the rod as a whole is very light and fishes wonderfully. I don't know what the weight savings of using the titanium guides would be, and it really might not make a huge difference since the biggest / heaviest guide will be fairly close to the handle. I could be wrong though, let us know what you go with and how the build turns out. Good luck,
Matt

I built a personal pompano jigging rod for that same Stradic C14 2500 reel. all day jigging from the Naples pier demands the lightest weight setup to avoid fatigue. I used a 6'6" MHX blank and Recoil guides for an overall rod weight of just about 3 ounces. I think the Recoils are by far the lightest guides available and they perform very well, and the are virtually indestructible.

Michele

I have built many 6 1/2' & 7' spinning rods using Fuji BYAG's, BLAG's, and BFAT's (alconite) and I am completely satisfied with their performance and light weight.

Rog

thanks to everyone for your time and answers....now i think to have enough informations to reflex and start building!

thanks!!!!

mike

my Shimano rarenium 2500 spool diameter is 45,9 mm ....so half diameter is 22,95 mm.
Could i start with a 20 mm butt guide or better a 25? i have decided to use fuji TATSG guides.
thanks

my Shimano rarenium 2500 spool diameter is 45,9 mm ....so half diameter is 22,95 mm.
Could i start with a 20 mm butt guide or better a 25? i have decided to use fuji TATSG guides.
thanks