I'm building up a new old stock Fisher Fiberglas 8ft - 4wt fly blank.
I'd like to optimize casting distance.

Forum searches have leaning toward Minima running guides in Size 5 in TiCh.
I like a high stripper guide so I'm looking at the Minima CTV4CG in size 12 or 16.

The top will be a Fuji TFST 8 ring / 6Tube.


I'd appreciate input from experienced minima users and any other fly guys who have good ideas.

Are my size choices on target?

I'm open to use all Fuji single foot titanium single foot guides if that offers any advantage.

Thanks,

Dave

Dave,
I'd recommend for the top 3-4 guides #1 single foot light wire Recoil titanium for the best rod response.
Much lighter than the Minimas with a larger opening.
Also change the tip top to a standard fly loop or a Recoil tip top.
No need for a braced inserted tip top on a 4 weight.

Thanks for the tips Eugene.

If the #1 single foot Recoil guides are better than the minima's I'd rather use them all the way.
And if going with Recoils I could use their light weight double foot casting guide for a stripper.
I don't mind the fact that it has a different finish.

The Minimas are so light you'd be hard pressed to find anything lighter, or that could amount to any real weight savings.

A #5 fly Minima weighs just .0045 ounces.

................

Tom,
Am I right with the size 5 minima guides and a 16 stripper?
Any suggestion for the top?

The REC #1 or #2 single foot fly guides will be lighter than minimas, as you can use the smaller size and achieve the same opening. They are also more durable, and for a 4 Wt, the light wire model would be perfect. A 16 stripper is fine, although you could go with a 12 no problem. All the old glass rods had very small stripper guides originally.

Personally, I don't see any advantage using minimas over single foot wire guides, especially REC Titaniums which recover if bent. Be sure to use a security wrap if you go this route.

Terry

Minima's have no ring so you get the true opening size, or very, very close to it. The #5's will have an opening of 4.5mm+.

I still use a titanium with SIC ring for the tiptop, due to the greater wear that occurs in that position due to angle and line wipe. I don't think you'll need an 8 ring, a 6 should be enough and will better match the opening in the guides.

Most likely I would use a size 12 stripping guide, as Terry mentioned, and then go the rest of the way out with the #5's.

.............

Thank you for the info. Will do.

I've actually broken a recoil. If you bend it enough times, it will break like any other guide - but this is extremely unlikely in any practical sense. I wanted to "cycle" the recoil guide that I tested to see if it was possible. Also, with recoils - or any wire fly guides for that matter - after enough use in dirty waters, the flyline contact with the guide wraps will start wear or create "rubbing" spots on the finish - usually on the uppermost couple of guides. This is generally avoided with the use of ceramics or minimas - guides with a closed ring which almost eliminate flyline to guide wrap contact. This is another positive feature surrounding these guides that is almost never discussed. I have recently rebuilt a rod that had snake guides fished in consistently dirty waters that showed a rather pronounced "rubbing" after years of use. The standard wire tip top on this rod had extensive wear. None of the Minima guide rods I use have any signs of this rubbing. I suppose that you could use the "spinning" recoils - which have a closed uniform circle that would prevent any of the flyline to guide wrap contact, but I doubt they're measurably lighter in weight than the Minimas.

Just something else to chew on when considering guide selection for fly rods.

Roger



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 01/15/2013 07:02PM by roger wilson.

I happened to run across this document with Recoil specifications:

[www.rodbuildingtutorials.com]