REC nickel-titanium alloy guides are absolutely 100% corrosion free and dang near indestructible, but they are flexible - especially the "light" snake guides. This can cause a problem with a snake guide foot slipping out from under its thread wrapping when the guide flexes from a strong blow or shove. The guide will return to its original shape undamaged, but the loose foot can not be slipped back under its wrappings and stay there. If you use REC recoil snake guides I suggest you put a couple of Forhan wraps on both legs of every snake guide before you epoxy your wraps. You can look up how to apply the Forhan wrap on this website.

REC nickel-titanium alloy guides are absolutely 100% corrosion free and dang near indestructible, but they are flexible - especially the "light" snake guides. This can cause a problem with a snake guide foot slipping out from under its thread wrapping when the guide flexes from a strong blow or shove. The guide will return to its original shape undamaged, but the loose foot can not be slipped back under its wrappings and stay there. If you use REC recoil snake guides I suggest you put a couple of Forhan wraps on both legs of every snake guide before you epoxy your wraps. You can look up how to apply the Forhan wrap on this website.

Drew Pollock Wrote:
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> 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


Hi DrewYou would use 11 guides and a tip top instead of 10 guides and a tip top?
Bruce

Bruce Tomaselli Wrote:

> Hi DrewYou would use 11 guides and a tip top
> instead of 10 guides and a tip top?
> Bruce


Yep-I like 11 on a 9 foot 8wt. I know it isn't standard, but the line flows better and doesn't sag between guides. I'm almost always fishing with a 24 foot sink tip, and 11 guides vs 10 just works better for me. On a 9ft 5wt, I'd use the more standard 10 guides.

Drew