Building a Quickline FASW11074 I cant make up my mind what size running guides to use? Using TICH Minima guides Thanks for your help

The smallest that will easily pass your line and any required connections.

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Is this a fly rod? I think you should stick to nothing smaller than a size 6. Just MHO unless you have more information on the type connections, LTL or whatever.

Maryann:

I am just finishing a 9' 5wt. QuickLine. I did it all in Minima 4 Guides. I used the black frame and chrome ring. wrapped it in black with silver metallic trim. Used the polished aluminum Pac-Bay reel seat with black woven graphite insert. It is very nice. I used the Minima F guides in size 6 for the running guides. We talked about Pac-Bay not making a fly type tip top larger than a size 4 ring. I talked to Pac-Bay about this, and was told that they were working on larger ring size fly tip tops. I used a light spinning rod tip top in size 6, and will replace it with a fly rod tip top when the new guides come out. The size 6 guides are a little large for a 5wt, but the size 4's would be a little small. Size 5's would have been perfect, but Pac-Bay doesn't have a size 5 light tip top. I don't know how they would work for a 7wt line. I would go with the size 6 Minima 4 running guides. What is really strange; When I talked to Pac-Bay, I was talking to their tech guys that build rods. I asked about going to a size 4 guide for this build? The guy I was talking to said he would do some consulting and call me back. When he called back, He said that they wouldn't use smaller than size 5 running guides for a 5wt line. When you go to the guide spacing and size chart for the QuickLine blanks, they call for a Minima F in size 4 for their running guides for both the 9', and 11 foot rods. I think someone needs to re-evaluate this chart.

Mike Bradfrod
R.M.B. Fishing Rods
Nampa, Idaho

Maryann:

i sent an email to Pac-Bay about their recommendations for running guides. They recommend size 4 Minima "F" guides for rods up to 10 Wt. I recieved this reply from them today: "I would agree with you that in my personal preference, I would likely use a size 5 Minima guide on a 10 wt single handed rod. However, I did test a 650 grain 10 wt spey line at the large taper and nail knot (far larger OD than any 10 wt single handed line) and it fits nicely through Minima size 4 F guides.". I know that I am just a duffer when it comes to casting a fly rod, but I tried a 6 wt. line with soft loop connection through the Minima F guides in size 4. It will work, but it looked really small to me. I wish I had thought things out a little farther before I used the Minima size 6 running guides on my 5 wt. build. I would have gone with the Minima size 5 guides, and used a different tip top. Then replace the tip top with the Minima size 5 tip top when it comes out I may go back and change this. I used the Minima 4 black with chrome guides, and they don't make a Minima size 5 tip top (yet). Since this is my rod, I will simply change the running guides, and use a black loop fly rod tip top, and replace it when the build a Minima 4 size 5 tip top to match the guides. If I was building a rod with chrome Minima 4 guides, I would have used the small loop tip top and forgotten about it.

Mike Bradfrod
R.M.B. Fishing Rods
Nampa, Idaho