I am finally beginning to get the components together to build my dads christmas present. The blank is s 28" Thorne Bros Finesse blank, with that I am going to pair with an Okuma 2/3 fly reel. I am planning on using Recoils double foot snake guides for the simple fact that it will allow me to make this a bit more decorative with an under and an over wrap I just don't know what size guides to use.

What size line are you spooling with? Spinning reel I assume.

.............

Tom,

It will be 2 or 3 lbs test. I will be putting an Okuma 2/3 fly reel on it not a spinning reel.

Scott I use a #12 spinning (Minimas or Recoil) and run with #6 singly foot fly guides for running. you can probably get away with a little smaller since you are doing recoils and snake. my thoughts, good luck!

Scott,
If the rod only going to be used in a shelter?
If so, you don't have to worry about ice on the line.
If that is the case, and with the reel that you are running I would run one size 8 and the rest #6s, including the tip.

However, If the rod is going to be used out of doors, where freezing is a problem, then I go no smaller than size 8 and if really severe weather is going to be generally encountered, will only go with size 10 guides and tip.

Ice in the guides is no fun.

By the way, if you are going to be only indoors, you can even go down to a size 4 with the light line that you are using.
But, due to the light line and generally dim conditions when ice fishing in a shelter, I never like to go less than size 6 guides, simply because of the hassle of threading line through a very fine guide.

With a 28 inch rod, I assume that you are only going to have two or three guides on the rod, so weight is a 0 issue on this build.

By the way, that blank is a very excellent blank and it will be enjoyed very much for its very sensitive action on the fish that your Dad will catch.

be safe

p.s.
I have built similar rods using standard fly snake guides, or small single foot fly guides. I personally see 0 reason to use recoil guides on builds of this sort. The standard fly guides run about 50 cents each compared to $$ each for the recoil guides.
In my mind, 0 advantage in using the recoil guides for ice fishing and light line. You will never wear a groove in a standard fly guide with the light line and little line run on these guides, so other than that "status" factor of recoil guides, see 0 reasons to use these guides.

roger wilson Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Scott,
> If the rod only going to be used in a shelter?
> If so, you don't have to worry about ice on the
> line.
> If that is the case, and with the reel that you
> are running I would run one size 8 and the rest
> #6s, including the tip.
>
> However, If the rod is going to be used out of
> doors, where freezing is a problem, then I go no
> smaller than size 8 and if really severe weather
> is going to be generally encountered, will only go
> with size 10 guides and tip.
>
> Ice in the guides is no fun.
>
> By the way, if you are going to be only indoors,
> you can even go down to a size 4 with the light
> line that you are using.
> But, due to the light line and generally dim
> conditions when ice fishing in a shelter, I never
> like to go less than size 6 guides, simply because
> of the hassle of threading line through a very
> fine guide.
>
> With a 28 inch rod, I assume that you are only
> going to have two or three guides on the rod, so
> weight is a 0 issue on this build.
>
> By the way, that blank is a very excellent blank
> and it will be enjoyed very much for its very
> sensitive action on the fish that your Dad will
> catch.
>
> be safe
>
> p.s.
> I have built similar rods using standard fly
> snake guides, or small single foot fly guides. I
> personally see 0 reason to use recoil guides on
> builds of this sort. The standard fly guides run
> about 50 cents each compared to $$ each for the
> recoil guides.
> In my mind, 0 advantage in using the recoil guides
> for ice fishing and light line. You will never
> wear a groove in a standard fly guide with the
> light line and little line run on these guides, so
> other than that "status" factor of recoil guides,
> see 0 reasons to use these guides.

Roger,

Thank you. You are right I decided against the recoils and am going to go with the American Tackle snake guides. When I was looking around on Mudhole I didn't click on the different categories right away so I didn't see the AT guides. I ended up going with size 6 guides, he will be in his shack 99% of the time so icing shouldn't be a problem. I only hope that I can do this blank justice, I have a very complex and taxing build planned for this with quite a few techniques in play, if I don't screw this up a few times it will be a miracle.