All,

I've looked through the archives and couldn't find (maybe I missed it:-)) anything about when to use two-foot guides instead of one-foot. I am getting ready to rebuild an 8'6" fiberglass spinning rod that had an old set of foulproof guides. The rod is used on a pier and in a boat. The reel is a Penn 750 with 15 - 20 lb test mono. Are one-foot guides too light for this application? I've caught tarpon, kingfish, cobia, grouper & snapper to name a few of the fish on this rod.

Thanks,

Steve

For me, the big issue is getting banged around. For fishing, SF guides are plenty strong enough to handle even very heavy fishing applications. The issue is that they are unarguably are more prone to being bent or damaged if you bang one against a pier piling, a gunwale, or your girlfriend's forehead - double-foots hold up much better to this kind of thing.

For rods where this type of abuse is not an issue, and where weight is a big consideration, I use single-foots; where the weight matters less, and when rods will get abused (I put just about all surf rods in this category), I tend to stick to double-foots.

Just my 2 cents.

Single foor guides are strong enough. However on such a rod you may like the looks of a double foot guide (with underwraps even) better. An older fiberglass rod typically weighs even that the weight penality isn't noticed so much.

Russ in Hollywood, FL.

Steve,
Lots of folks will use the first one or two guides as double feet guides for these applications.
The principle reason is to help to keep the first two larger guides from getting bent while the rod is being knocked around.

If handling is not an issue, than the single foot guides are fine.

Be safe

Thanks folks. It helps having all of your input.
Steve