Hi:

First off, I just started this hobby and this forum has been a great resource. Thanks to all who participate.

My situation is this: I'm going to try building a spinning rod (8'6" salmon blank) using Fuji's rapid choke design. The reel I'm using is a 2500-sized reel. (shimano sustain) If I use the stripper guide that's apprx half the spool diameter, that would be a size 20. Using the GPS software and confirming that the choke point is relatively accurate by using the straight edge/table method, the size 20 guide ends up being about 11.5" from the tip of the spool shaft. Everything I've read here states that the stripper guide is usually placed around 20" away. Using the software, the closest guide size in that area would end up being a size 8 guide, which I think would be way too small for a stripper.

My question is:

What's the harm in placing a stripper guide 12" away if I go with the size 20 guide?

thanks.

Sonny

You will probably see the line bunching up between the reel and stripper. The method I have been using is placing my stripper at 20" off the reel face and tie line to the spool shaft, tape it off on the blank where it just touches the bottom of your stripper. Place the 5.5 on that line then replace it with your running guide. Then I I tape my line, loop it through the stripper, then the choke point(first running guide) and tape it off again. Place the rest of your reduction train on that line and static test for placement of the running guides. I have built a half dozen bass blanks this way using the same size reel and usually end up with 20-12-5.5-size 4 runners. There is really no wrong way to do it as long as it performs the way you want it to, if you have an idea in your head, run with it and test cast before you settle on a guide placement. Good luck and have fun!!

I have a Shimano Saros 2500 spinning reel, and is building a 7ft med light spinning rod,I'm using the Fuji Rapid choke method also. I find using the GPS software mine also comes out to 11.5", and with the 27x method it came out to 14.60", so with the KL-H design spinning guides I am thinking with the higher frame and the smaller ring guides like the 12 and the 5.5. and the size 4 KB's, would be ok at 11.5" or at 12", because of the fast choke from the 20 to the 12 and then to the 5.5 to the 4's, I think thats what its all meant to do, thats just my thoughts on this Rapid Choke from reading and watching the video on teh Fuji Rapid Choke concept..But it all comes down to the staic test and the try outs, I guess its what makes you feel what is right for you that counts, its your custom built, not factory made. Tight wraps!

I think the issue lies with the fact that Shimano 2500 reels have a lot of upsweep. I switched the reel to one of my Daiwa Certates in the same 2500 size. Same thing. Too much upsweep. This size is really designed for medium sized freshwater fish and the correspondingly shorter rods. But with the rising popularity of braided or fused super lines, I find that there is no longer a need to use the bigger models of spinning reels. A good quality reel has more than enough drag to stop what I'm targeting.

So what I've decide is to go with a reel with less upsweep, the Pfleuger Patriarch in the 35 size. The capacities are pretty close to the JDM 2500 sized models. I purchased a Pflueger Supreme in the 35 size for my father, and using those measurements (and assuming the Patriarch is the same frame size) the choke point is about 30" further than the Shimano/Daiwa (61" vs 35") This seems more reasonable for the rod length I'm using.

I don't have a choke point measurement for a 2500 Sustain but the Stradic is at 34 inches. Using the Stradic info, the reduction train for a KR Rapid Choke would move it in to 26.81 inches. That puts a size 12 at 17 inches. I would prefer that over the 11.5.

The KR concept says nothing about the stripper being half the diameter of the spool, you are "mixing concepts". I suspect the 12 will be more than adequate as a stripper for this reel throwing braid.