What rod guide configuration would you suggest for a 9-foot, 8 Wt., 2-piece fly rod? I'll be using it for bass and steelhead.
Thanks

16 - 10 and as many #6's as you need to round on out to the tip.

Of course, your type of guide and particular line type really come into play. Can you provide a little more information?

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Hi Tom. The butt is 0.44. It is a #5 tip and it weighs 2.48 ounces. Is it okay to say it is a Tradition II blank? I believe they are moderate-fast blanks. I'm not sure of the modulus. I don't want to offend any of our sponsors.

I use a 12-10 and if using single foot guides finish to the tip with 8's. If snakes, make sure they are large enough to pass the knots and be able to shoot line easily.

Here is the recommendations from the Pac Bay web site.


TRADITION II
LINE WT PCS
FLY
FROM TIP DOWN
2TF908
LINE WT PCS 2 Guide Spacing 4'', 9'', 15'', 22'', 29.5'', 37.5'', 46.5'', 56.5'', 67'', 78''
9ft. FLY 8 Guide Size Model SN, 2,2,2,2,3,3,3,4 Model T, 10,12

Gees, I didn't know Pac Bay had a web site and the Tradition II was a Pac Bay blank.

The list too many sizes - you don't need to use that many and will have less weight and a straighter line path by using less sizes.

The PB site is showing snake sizes. My post above would be for single foot ceramics or Minimas.

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Tom, What would you suggest in snake guides; 12, 6, 4, 3, 3, 3, 3, 3, 3, 3, plus a tip top?

Assuming you know that 3's are large enough to easily pass your line and leader knot connection, I'd use 16 - 10 (ringed guides) and then all 3 snakes from there on out.

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For an 8wt I would go with 16, 12 (both ceramics) then 3's the rest of the way. Either snakes or s/f. But my choice would be REC Recoil s/f runners. Definitely an REC Recoil tip top with large ring.

Herb

If I were to build that rod, I'd definitely use All Minimas as follows: 20T, 12T, 7, 6, 6, 6, 6, 6, 6, 6, 6, 7(tip). I know the 7's aren't necessary, but I often find it helps to use an oversized tip. The other 7 is merely to create a visual size reduction between the 12 and the first 6. I tend to use one more guide in the guide train than more conventional layouts but I still have a very well balanced rod.

The butt leader section for an 8 wt. is at least 40 lb. test, so if this rod is going to cast a leader affixed to the fly line with a nail knot then plan ahead for minimum guide diameters. Because of their geometry snake guides have a larger effective opening than ring guides of the same "diameter" - and having two guide feet wrapped to the blank makes snake guides more durable than single-footers for heavier duty rods.

Tom Kirkman Wrote:
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> Assuming you know that 3's are large enough to
> easily pass your line and leader knot connection,
> I'd use 16 - 10 (ringed guides) and then all 3
> snakes from there on out.
>
> ................


How will I know what guides are large enough for the line to pass through? I've never built a rod this weight. I think I'll be using 1X or 2X tippet for bass and steelheads. I don't even think I'll need a tapered leader to nymph, throw streamers or wooly buggers for those fish. I'm guessing 3s will be large enough. Advise please.

I think 3's will suffice. Your line will pass easily through that. What you watch for is your nail knot or any loop to loop connections. But a 3 is generally large enough to easily pass either.

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The first thing that I would ask after all this advice, is how many have actually made this rod, and second how many have actually cast and fished with one. I would ask the same thing with any guide size, spacing, which rod blank they are using, etc. then, I would go out in the yard and test different set ups. Not all blanks are going to require the same set up as another. Just my 2 cents.

Please help me out here as I'm no big fly rodder. Aside from the fly line to backing knot, what other knots need to clear? I mean who casts the leader/tippet through the guides? Granted I'm assuming roughly a nine foot leader and a standard fly line but that doesn't seem too big of an assumption (for a 9' 8 weight rod).

And then I wonder just how many fly fisherman have to worry about getting into the backing often. As a saltwater guy I'd think it common. I'd imagine for salmon and steelhead the same....but few other fish would make such runs (certainly not bass in my experience)....right?

Just trying to understand the concern over the need to pass knots.

Russ in Hollywood, FL.

It's not always the cast - it's when you need to retrieve the line-leader connection through the guides either when landing a fish or putting up or setting up for the day.

There is also the possibility that a person might be using loop to loop connections, particularly if they're employing a shooting line which means you'd definitely have to get two loops back through the guides both on the preparation for the cast and upon the retrieve.

Sometimes one larger guide size sets the rod up to do nearly everything well, while one smaller size creates a situation where it could wind up a one trick pony.

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Also, when using loop to loop connections and shooting heads, the connections pass through snake guides much better than single foot wire guides. I have not used ceramic guides so i cannot compare those. If you are going to be swinging flies for steelhead or dredging for bass with shooting heads I recommend snake guides.

The general rule for number of guides, if not using Static Guide Placement, which I like, is a guide for each foot of the rod, plus one. So, a 9 foot rod will use 10 guides and a tip top. Does that standard still apply?

I have built a bunch of 8wt 9 foot rods. Mostly for me and friends fishing coho salmon in Alaska.

I have a strong preference for snake type guides. The minimas and even the single foot ceramics tend to hang up on brush and get bent. Ditto the Fuji titanium single foot guides. Double foot snake guides on the other hand are very robust and hard to damage, plus they don't tend to hang on brush or tree branches.

If you fish in perfect conditions, the ceramic fly guides do make a nice rod, that is especially nice with a big fish in play.

For real world conditions, though, a double foot snake is almost impossible to damage, and of the available guides, the REC titaniums are my favorites.

If I were building this rod, it would have 2 strippers-a 16 and a 12 Fuji Titanium Alconite, and 9 REC #3 double foot snake guides.

Good luck

Drew