Hey everyone, this is my first post on here and I'm new to rod building so be prepared for a lot of questions from me! I'm going to build a 4'6" ultralight rod for stream trout on a St Croix 3S46ULF blank, I've never built a rod before (although I have done some minor repairs and modifications) but I'll be doing a cheaper build to practice before I start on this one. The one thing that is puzzling me is the guide sizing, at the moment I'm thinking of having this sizing:

TATSG 16
TATSG 10
TATSG 8
TLSG 5.5
TLSG 4.5
TLSG 4.5
tip-top (TFST 4.5)

Is this ok for such a short light rod? Should I be changing the size 8 TATSG to a TLSG? Should the butt guide be a TATSG 20 instead of a 16? What other changes? I'm trying to keep the rod as lightweight and responsive as I can, casting distance isn't too much of an issue but accuracy will be very important.

Many thanks in advance,

Hugo.

for all rods, and in particular for very light rods, any unecessary weight on the upper 1/3 is a big mistake, at least imho.
for your project, I think 16/8/4/4/4/4 is what you want in order to retain as much as possible of the bare blank speed and to maximize sensitivity.
it's not really a matter of distance, but a matter of well tuned instrument.

_______________________________________________
If I'm not going to catch anything, then I'd rather not catch anything on flies.

Prostaff Rodhouse
[www.rodhouse.fr]

Keeping what Laurent said in mind, theoretically, the rod doesn't set the guide sizes, the reel and line/knots do. With an ultralight I expect you are going to use a small reel with light line, so you can cheat down on size on the reduction guides. I would check out the guide placment software on the Fuji site and see what you come up with there. But with the stated expectations of mine about reel and line, I think Laurent's lineup will work fine. But keep in mind, the 4's probably will not pass knots well (again, probably not an issue for ultralight).

Are you sure you want a rod that short? My experience with short ultralights has not been good.

hi Michael.
I don't think there will be any trouble with the knots on the kind of line you expect on an UL rig. Plus, on these very delicate things, I wouldn't recommend the use of leaders. spool your reel with 2 pounds test, and directly put a 00 mepps at the end, and you're good to go explore small streams under heavy cover.
4-5 feet UL are a standard in France for that kind of sport. we call them foils.

_______________________________________________
If I'm not going to catch anything, then I'd rather not catch anything on flies.

Prostaff Rodhouse
[www.rodhouse.fr]

Thanks very much for the input guys, I think I'll go with the layout Laurent has advised (I just need to source a size 4 titanium tip-top, can anyone recommend a source?)

Michael, I do have plenty of ultralights in lengths from about 6'8" upwards, but most of the streams I fish are very narrow and overgrown, which makes casting a longer rod very difficult, it probably wont be my main rod but I'm sure it will come in handy at some point.

Thanks again,

Hugo.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 09/23/2013 12:12PM by Hugo Kodesh.

A 16, 8 and 4's as runners, set up to fit your reel, with a very light reel seat that perhaps you can even cut shorter to accommodate your reel foot...... will be unbelievably sweet, unique and custom. Wrap it in your favorite two color theme, one of those colors simply being short metallic trims wraps. Will be beautiful!

That's what I'm hoping! I plan to use a Fuji SK2 seat and perhaps trim the tube to cut down on unnecessary weight.

hidden behind a rock, with a clear pool just a couple of yard away... take a grasshopper, put it on a simple hook. your rig is perfectly at ease with throwing 1 gram. the grasshopper falls right along the deep side of the pool, immediately a trout darts and takes it. the fight is on, and the fish has a chance...
well, I certainly hope you'll experience this kind of pleasure with this rod.
cheers!

_______________________________________________
If I'm not going to catch anything, then I'd rather not catch anything on flies.

Prostaff Rodhouse
[www.rodhouse.fr]

That gives me shivers just thinking about it!

One other question, can I use a 4.5 tip-top with size 4 running guides? what effect will this have on performance? Or should I match the tip with 4.5 runners instead?

Hugo,

The slightly larger tip top won't have an impact. I usually find that due to the angle of many tip tops, a slightly large tip top matches the line path of the running guides a bit better. You will be just fine either way. And with only a half mm difference in diameter, few will notice the difference without looking closely.

Joe

I agree with Joe. It's often even better.

_______________________________________________
If I'm not going to catch anything, then I'd rather not catch anything on flies.

Prostaff Rodhouse
[www.rodhouse.fr]

Thanks Joe, I'll go with the 4s then.

Hugo.

Thanks Joe, I'll go with the 4s then.

Hugo.