going to build a 8' 4wt fly for my self 1st time for me. do i use snake or single foot guides for this thanks

It is MOSTLY a cosmetic choice. There is a slight difference in effective weight when you take into account two wraps + epoxy per guide (with the snake guide). This extra weight, no matter how slight, WILL dampen the blank a bit. Whether it is enough to affect the way your blank casts depends on the blank. If it is a very fast blank you won't notice it much, and in fact you might like the slightly slower action. If, however, it is already a mid-flex blank, you will notice it more and might be better served with the single-foot guides.

Hope that helps,

Walt Natzke
Ripon, CA

If it is your first build, I recommend single foot, as it entails 1/2 the number of wraps. As mentioned above this save some weight and is also less wrapping work. build only fly rods and only use single foot guides regardless of the rod weight.

Wes,

If you are going to use this in the winter, you may notice single foot guides freeze up quicker then snake guides. (If you're in that type of area that experiences the seasons) At least, that has been my experience.

However, I still use them......less wraps, as Phil has pointed out.

Chris

snake guides are also more durable so if you are a guy who bangs on the equipment hard or busts lots of brush when finhing snakes would be the way to go.

Not all single foot guides are equal, nor are all snake guides, and price is not necessarily a reliable indicator of materials or workmanship. Furthermore, some snake guides are significantly lighter than most single-foot guides, along with being significantly more durable - light Recoil NiTi snakes, for instance. A self-built rod provides personal satisfaction, and researching materials and techniques increases satisfaction. Have fun.

I've built several fly rods using lightweight single foot guides. The upside is that they hold the line away from the rod, so there's less drag on the line, especially once it's wet. The downside is that they can get bent (see Eric's note above), so you'll need to check them occasionally.

thanks guys for the input going to start on it here soon

Even though there are double the wraps, double foot snakes are probably easier than singles for the new builder. They are more durable, as pointed out and unless you use REC single foots, they can be bent and broken more easily.

Having said that, I use single foot guides on all my 5 wt rods and lower. Be sure to use the security wrap on these or they will pull out over time. (article in the library).

Terry

Some are using Minima single foots on fly rods
Check them out

Bill - willierods.com

Some believe that snakes pass the line better, especially the line to backing knot on salt applications. My son and I used both side by side on bones and found no difference in function. Keep in mind that single foot guides may be either wire or ceramic, the wire being lighter. Also, the material matters, especially in salt. Just because it is stated that the guide is stainless steel isn't enough description to tell whether it is the best for salt. My current rod is using the same wire single foot guides that were on a previous rod for years and I've never had one bend. It depends on how you treat your rod.

thanks guy for the replies and thanks for the info terry