I've been out of the loop for awhile (too much working and not enough fishing). Looking to build up a few fly rods for this spring. Rebuilding my 9'6" 6wt and then maybe a 10'0" 5wt too.

I've seen the Minima guides and like the idea. Can't tell the difference between the Minima 3s and Minima 4s. I like the look of the Minima 3 with gold ring.

Can someone let me know what a good guide setup would be using the Minima 3 gold ring? I have had good luck with Alconites as 16,12,8,7,6s on rods like these.
Also,what's corresponding tip model?

Thanks!

Scott Kinney
The Longest Cast Fly Rods
[www.thelongestcast.com]

Well, you certainly don't need all those sizes, and will have a straighter line path and less weight cutting out all the intermediate sizes. The line neither needs nor wants them - that sort of thing is for the human eye only.

I use the 4's because they're swaged on both sides, although I doubt you're going to lose any rings in the 3 series. On rods such as you mentioned, I'm most likely use a 12 stripping guide in a high frame spinning model, then drop to the same style in a size 8, then use size 5's or 6's from there on out, as many as needed for adequate stress distribution. They're very light, by the way.

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Thanks for the quick reply, Tom!

Yeah, I've always tapered them like that for aesthetics. I've got a few rods I've built up with as few as 7 guides, going 16 - 10 - 6's, they cast great, but honestly, they just look wonky. Same reason I don't fish flourescent colored fly lines...

It seems like I could get away with the Minima 3 #5s as I am not running any multitip lines on these rods.

What do you suggest for a tip?

Scott Kinney
The Longest Cast Fly Rods
[www.thelongestcast.com]

You can use the same Minima style or add a titanium SIC top from the company of your choice.

By the way, the Minima's due to their very thin ring, are about a half mm larger in ID than similar ceramic guides.

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Okay, so a #5 Minima 3 would be a good match for a #6 SIC or whatnot tip. Got it.

Next thing you know, a fly rod labeled as a 5wt fly rod won't be a 5wt fly rod at all... :)

Scott Kinney
The Longest Cast Fly Rods
[www.thelongestcast.com]

Thanks Tom!

Next question - who sells these, and might also have PacBay Quickline blanks?

Scott Kinney
The Longest Cast Fly Rods
[www.thelongestcast.com]

There's a host of sponsors to the left - Bingham, Mud Hole, Schneiders, etc. I don't want to leave anybody out, so you might check the Pac Bay website and see if they have a dealer list there. I think they do.

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I just finished a PacBay quickline 10' 4 wt and it feels great casting a 4 wt line. I don't know if the 10' 5 wt behave similarly. I highly recommend it.

Greg
Aptos, CA

Utmost Enterprises who are sponsors here can get you both the minima and quick line blanks. I have built several of the 10' 5wts for pontoon boat fishing.They are great!

For some reason 10 lb. monofilament usually isn't, 5 wt. rods usually aren't, and 3 mm. guides apparently are not either. Marketing, maybe. Anyway, a true 3mm. I.D. ring guide equates to a bit more than twelve hundredths of an inch.
You could save yourself a lot of time, expense, and aggravation by testing how smoothly your favorite line/leader junction passes through the smallest opening in your guide train before you build your rod. I wish I had done so before I built out a Gatti blank. It was sweet to cast but infuriating to fish.

These Minima's look very cool for fly rods. I want to give them a try. Probably rewrap my CTS Affinity 7 wt.
Tom, I see your recommending the high framed 4's for strippers. What's the double swaged thing mean? The 3's look like the same guide other than the gold ring.
Then which for the runners? The 4's look like they're a single foot wire guide and the 3's have their fly guide w/ ring & large foot. Any thoughts?
And what about those crazy tips? Are they meant to take line away from the tip? Not sure about the design.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 04/05/2013 07:36PM by Todd Theodore.

The 3's have the rings pushed into the frame and one side is folded back over the frame. The 4's have both sides pushed back over the frame. I don't believe the 3's are experiencing any problems, but the 4's absolutely can't loose a ring out of the frame. I realize they don't come in all the various colors, but I've never really cared what color the guides are - I get my colors from the thread.

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