On my 7' spinning rod with the reel mounted but no lure tied on the balance point for the rod is just above the reel face. Does this seem about right? The reel foot is 10" from the rod butt and the 25MM 1st guide is 23.5" from the reel face or spool lip.

The reel is going to be the heaviest item on the rod, the rod should blance comfortably (and naturally has for me) with the handle between your index and pointer finger if that is how you normally hold a rod while fishing.

Strong wraps, calm seas
Derek

Dave,
Right.
Roger

For some anglers, it may depend on whether the rod will be used in a "tip up" or "tip down" application. A couple guys who taught me a lot about fishing (one a guide, another an ex-tourney angler) persuaded me that, for a jigging rod that will be held at around 10 o'clock while slowly working a jig, a rod balanced to sit balanced in the hand comfortably tip-up will induce less wrist strain and, consequently, better sensitivity. A rod used mainly for swimbaits or other tip-down applications may be balanced more tip heavy. It works for me. I had to try a variety of setups to decide. It makes a huge difference in long days of late fall smallie fishing when the bite is light and you may not move the jig for 30 seconds at a time. Aside from reel location, achieving this may involve weighting the butt, which I believe has been adressed here before by those pro & con.