Hello all,

I am putting together a finesse casting rod for stream smallmouth and cannot decide between Minima or Fuji Alconite micro guides. I would be using a 6'6" rod with 8-10 pound mono, and casting small spinner baits and minnow crank-baits.

I usually use the Fuji guides and haven't tried the Minimas yet (but have read a lot of good reviews). Does one guide style work better for mono lines?

I am also curious about reel choices. So far the Quantum Smoke 150 or BassPro Carbonlite are the two front runners. Does anyone know of other small/light casting reels which work well with 1/8-1/4 baits?

thanks,
Tom.

Tom,

Finesse casting rods are why I stated building rods. What blank do you have in mind? In my opinion the blank is a far more critical choice when looking at a finesse casting outfit than the reel. Virtually all of the typical bass sized reels today are capable casting the stuff I use on the river.

Guide brand really boils down to personal preference. I haven't heard anything negative about the minimas. They may be able to save you a bit of weight in the tip section, and that is always a good thing. Personally I'm fond of the Batson and Alps designs, but I've never met a guide available to custom builders that I didn't like.

The reels I'm using offered a lot of bang for the buck when I bought them, and have served me well for years now. I reels I use on my finesse rods are older Shimanos, specifically the Curado 100b, and Citica 100DSV (essentially the same reel with a couple minor differences). The only real requirements that I have when choosing a finesse reel are a line capacity of roughly 100 yds. of 12lb. mono and a weight under 8oz. Extra line capacity just serves as a source of inertia, and inertia is a bad thing when casting light lures. I also prefer reels with a deep spool (another inertia related argument) for finesse casting, unless the reel has a magnesium spool, but my pockets aren't that deep. The Carbonlite looks like a steal, but I haven't got to handle one yet. It is high on my list of reels to look at when I need a new one.

Joe

Hi Joe,

The blank is a SJ782-2-MHX. The specs are two-piece, 6'6" 6-12 line, fast action +medium light. The listed uses include twitch baits, rattle baits, drop shot and live bait. I'll be using it out of a Poke Boat (a canoe/kayak hybrid) or when wading.

Also thanks for the advice about the reels. I was considering the 2011 Curado 50e - always been a Shimano fan - but it looks as though it would be lob-sided with the size of the handle section in comparison to the rest of the reel body. That being said, I have only seen them on-line and have yet to handle one.

thanks,
Tom.

personally, I'd go w/ the SJ781 for the 1/8-1/4 oz. baits and small streams. It has more power than my St Croix SCV s66MLF, also built as a caster. I built one as a finesse casting rod for river smallies and love this rod. I like it enough that I think I'll be building another on their HM SJ781 blank in the future.

I wouldn't consider the smoke a finesse reel. The carbonlite w/ the dual breaking would be my choice of the 2 but I've never handle it. The 50e would work too I'm sure as would the older 100 sized curado b's and d's. From holding the 50e it palms better than the older 100 b's and d's too IMO. If you have the extra cash to drop get a Daiwa pixy, SWEET finesse casters.

I'm doing 2 rods right now 1 w/ fuji alconite's and 1 w/ minimas. I haven't used the minimas yet so the jurys still out for me, but they are light. They are actually nicer than I thought they'd be. JFYI I'm using size 5 alconites and size 4 minimas and they are real close in size. Seems like you can drop down in size w/ the minimas b/c of the thinner metal ring.

As Joe said these rods are why I started building my own too, you just are to limited in the light to ML of the rack casting rod category.

Matt

I would go with the ceramic alconite guides... I tested a metal guide years ago by sawing a piece of mono back and forth through the guide ring by hand... with just a few passes, the eight pound mono melted to flat ribbon. The same test on a Fuji Hardloy guide had no noticeable effect on the line. Ceramic guides replaced metal guides in popularity decades ago, and I can see why.

I prefer Daiwa and Quantum casting reels. I like the Quantum Smoke. It's light weight and price makes it a winner, especially for finesse fishing.

Tom,
My favorite inexpensive guide is by far the minima guide. I have built many rods using these series of guides and have had 0 complaints either with the guides or line issues with the rods using these guides.
My 2nd choice for a guide would be the alconite guide as you have pointed out in your post. Again, 0 issues with these guides either. i.e. no guide or line issues with the alconite guides.


The minima guides do not have the same wear factor as the stainless guides of years ago had. But, it is really your choice.

Normally, when I think Finesse - I think spinning rod; rather than a casting rod. But if you want to build it as a casting rod - go ahead. When you are running line of this size on this blank it is pretty tough to beat any of the blanks mentioned above when built up as a spinning rod for doing the things that you want to do with the rod. But again, it is your choice.

Good fishing.
Roger

Tom,

That should make a nice rod for what you have in mind. My finesse casting rods are all Batson blanks, an ISJ781, RX8+822.5, and RX8+823. The 1 power spin jig blank is just a tad short power for anything but open hook lures. I've used it with some success for weightless plastics, but I found myself wanting a bit more in the mid and butt sections to set the hook. Perhaps the MHX spin jig blanks have a bit more in the butt section, and by looking at the specs, that may well be the case. While the action of the one power spin jig is fast, the mid section of the blank is still pretty soft, resulting in a blank that works surprisingly well for light cranks.

The 822.5 and 823 are incredible blanks. The tips are limber enough to throw virtually all of the light stuff, but they have a impressive amount of power in the mid and butt sections. They are the two most versatile blanks I use. They aren't the best crank bait blanks, but the 822.5 will work in a pinch when I'm wading or walking the bank with one rod. For similar blanks in the MHX line, take a look at the drop shot and spinner bait blanks. I use the 822.5 and 823 for swimming grubs and tubes, top waters (including super spook jrs.), spinnerbaits, light Texas rigs and skirted jigs (usually 1/8oz. weight plus plastics), drop shot, shaky head, 1/8-1/4oz. buzz baits, and weightless plastics. There isn't much that I do that these blanks couldn't handle short of large plastics with heavier weights and flipping or pitching nasty cover.

The Curado 50 sounds like a real winner, but I haven't handled one of the newer revisions where the HEG gear box sits so far below the reel foot either. Good luck with the build, and be sure to let us know what you think of your finesse casting rod after you've fished it a few times.

Joe

While I don't know much about finesse fishing, I do know Shimano reels. You'll really like that Curado 50 but you might like the Chronarch 50E even better. I'd check both out before I bought one.

Curado is Sweet and Alconite would be my choice by far.

Tight Lines and Bull's-eyes,

Get Bit Outdoors
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Thanks for all of the input and suggestions in terms of guides, blanks and reels. I'll update you with the results of the build once I have the rod completed.

best,
Tom.

Alconite by FAR

DR

Take a close look and do a google search, the curado 50E and the "new" chronarch 50E are just about the same reel. Curado can be had for much cheaper. As for the dropped down gear case, they are very comfortable and lower palming profile , so much that the older reels feel funny.

Joe Van.
My first thought when the MHX SJ781 blank arrived was that it was a little more powerful than I expected, but I never ran any numbers on a blank before. Maybe its time I learned LOL. For the record I use it for small light jerks and cranks like you mentioned.

Matt

Duane,
You use the verbage:
"Alconite by far."

Have you had any issues with any minima guides that you have wrapped on rods? I never have, that is why I am asking.

Roger

Roger,
Gary's line friction test is still viable with the Minima guides, done it many times myself. When Berkeley built their heavy salmon rods on these guides, I changed many a rod back to ceramics due to grooving.

Roger,

There is a difference in the Minima 3 and the 4. I cant remember which, but one of them carry's a rather semi-sharp edge on one side of the guide that I didn't care for at all.

To me it just makes sense to go with the slickest and better material. I have never liked a steel ring, why use steel when you know there are better materials? And, even though spectra lines may? or may not? wear the guide ring, the stainless steel is still very hard on the line itself abrasion wise.

DR

Duane,
I agree that I will NOT use a Minima 3 guides due to the sharp edge. But I have found no issue with the Minima 4.

From a theoretical standpoint, the argument about using a slicker guide makes sense.

But, from a usage standpoint, I am not so sure that you can see an actual performance or handling issue, or for that matter - a wear issue.

I suppose that the guides can wear, but I personally have not seen that happen with any guide that I have used- including the minima's.

Roger

Roger,

The wear will happen to your LINE, and with expensive braids it's not a good thing! :-) Guide wear may never happen.

DR

I beleave the 3's are the ones with the sharp edge

better be right I have just ordered a bunch of 4's

Bill - willierods.com

Whoa....what sharp edge on the 3s?

Mo