Was hoping some of you more experienced guys could lend a hand. I am building a 9ft 8wt fly rod for a friends father. He is looking to use it on trips. He will be fishing cold weather (Alaska) to warm weather (local saltwater). I was thinking of using oversized guides so they would be less resistant to freezing.

I am using double foot strippers and double foot snake guides for the build.

After looking at some other resources I have calculated that the normal sized guides for this rod should be 20-16-4-4-4-2-2-2-1-1 with a 4 or 4.5 tip top. (He wants to two larger stripping guides so it is similar to the TFO rods)

Will I see any benefit from increasing the guide sizes? If so what sizes should I use.

Any help would be greatly appreciated

Okay, for starters you do not need all those guide sizes. They create a stair-step line path and add slight additional weight that helps nothing.

If you already know that your line and required connections will pass through a #1 guide, then just go 20 - 12 and then all 1's to the tiptop. This provides a much straighter and smoother line path.

If freezing is a consideration you'll want to go larger than the 1's most likely. I'd stay at least with #2's as the smallest size. Snake guides are also a bit less resistant to freezing up due to their shape.

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for my steelhead (winter rod) I use 16, 12, 6, 5's up to the xl top. should work for you as well.

Eric

Tom Kirkman Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Okay, for starters you do not need all those guide
> sizes. They create a stair-step line path and add
> slight additional weight that helps nothing.
>
> If you already know that your line and required
> connections will pass through a #1 guide, then
> just go 20 - 12 and then all 1's to the tiptop.
> This provides a much straighter and smoother line
> path.
>
> If freezing is a consideration you'll want to go
> larger than the 1's most likely. I'd stay at least
> with #2's as the smallest size. Snake guides are
> also a bit less resistant to freezing up due to
> their shape.
>
> ...................

I was originally going to go 20-16-6 then 4's to the tip. Anyone think this would be ok? If so would the spacing be the same as if I was using the smaller diameter guides?

Bill Hansen Wrote:

>
> I was originally going to go 20-16-6 then 4's to
> the tip. Anyone think this would be ok? If so
> would the spacing be the same as if I was using
> the smaller diameter guides?

Should work but it will look funny. How about 16,12, 4s or 20, 16,12, 4s? Keep the running guides all the same, 4s are big but maybe appropriate for icing conditions. The guide spacing would not be changed by the physical size of the guides.

I have a TFO 8wt factory rod and it's 20, 16, 12, + runners, ie there are 3 stripping guides on the rod. Not really needed but not harmful either.

Drew

Yup, I'd go 20, 16, 12 if I needed the 20. In any case I'd be more comfortable making all the rest of the guides # 4's, or # 3's at the smallest. A flexible guide like the Rec recoils might be smart depending on how he clears the guides of ice.

Other half, and perhaps the larger half, is his local salt water use. Tell us more about that.

Russ in Hollywood, FL.

What time of year is he going to be fishing in Alaska? Icing up may not be an issue...

The saltwater fishing is in Long Island Sound for Blues and Stripers. He wants the rod to be versatile so he can use it on trips all over, the main reason it is a 4 piece. The icing may not be an issue in Alaska but it may be for steelhead depending on when and where he goes. I appreciate all of the help. I havent built many rods and am still getting a grasp on the guide sizing and spacing.

This might be of some help:

[www.rodbuilding.org]

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16, 12, 10, then 4's to the tip. You could even drop the 10 and replace it with another 4. No real advantage with the 3rd stripper. Use an extra large loop for the tip top. 4's should give you ample spacing for icing issues. I use 4's as running guides for all my spey rods. Since salt use is expected, I would use recoil double foot snake guides (heavier size). Should work great.

Terry

16, 12, 10, then 4's to the tip. You could even drop the 10 and replace it with another 4. No real advantage with the 3rd stripper. Use an extra large loop for the tip top. 4's should give you ample spacing for icing issues. I use 4's as running guides for all my spey rods. Since salt use is expected, I would use recoil double foot snake guides (heavier size). Should work great.

Terry