Hello,

Suppose you had three favorite reels in similar sizes but different spool diameters. Is it possible to build a rod that will handle reasonably well with each reel by taking the average of all spool diameters and using that figure to find your choke point?

Or would it be preferable to build three separate rods for each reel. Just wondering how this would work as I sometimes find myself swapping reels on the same rod depending on application. Thanks in advance for your thoughts and consideration.

-chad

Could you build the best rod/reel set up if you built 3 rods...yes
Could you build a good rod that fishes all 3 reels well...probably...if they are not drastically different in there sizes.
maybe build for the middle reel to get best performance out of that one and then get reasonably well performance out of the other two..

i don't know...have some fun with it

Chad,
I am quite curious as well.
Please do some testing catching fish, not just casting and let us know what you find catching your favorite fish.
After all, the single purpose of a rod is to catch fish. If one reel size helps you catch more fish, that would be great to know.

Be safe



Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 12/07/2013 02:37AM by roger wilson.

I think Mike gave you good advice. If the reels are relatively close in size, you should be okay with either an average or building for the middle sized one.

.....

You could build using Microwave guides, since they don't care about spool diameter, and all your reels would work fine.

Chad

I interchange different reels on my smallmouth rods all of the time. The reels spools are all different diameters but are relatively close. I just averaged the diameters and use the reel closest to the average to build from. It seems to work ok for me. (ps - I am a true believer in the "X27" method for setting up guide spacing. A vast improvement over the the "cone of flight" method I used when I first started building rods!)

Rog

Hello,

Appreciate everyone's input. Yes the spool diameters are fairly close, each reel's choke point falls within an inch or two of the others. Roger W, I fish mainly 1/8-1/2 oz swim-baits and jig heads for smaller trevally we have here in the islands. They are quite fun to fish for as the species stalk and ambush prey in a method similar to bass.

Roger T, thanks for that info. Have you ever done a comparison between building for the reel closest to the average vs. using the average itself? I can see how building closest to the average would allow you to always have that one reel for optimum performance. This should be an interesting project and it's encouraging to know interchanging reels with 27x has been done with good results.

-chad

same question if you walk in i fishing shop and look factory rod with NGC or KR concept fuji tag in it
that rod use NGC or KR concept without mentioning specific reel that suitable for it

If you want to get crazy Try building like said The middle reel
Try all the reels on it Then change the size guides and test to find the best

Bill - willierods.com

"Or would it be preferable to build three separate rods for each reel"

Well, I don't know that each reel needs three rods:) But considering this is a rodbuilding forum I'd say each rod having three reels can't be tolerated.

These days I like to have two spools for each reel. I'll fish 200-250 yards of mono on one spool and 200-250 yards of braid on the other. Allows me to cover a lot of ground. St, Croix's have always done a nice job of fishing both ends of their line rating for me. Something like the 2SW76MLF/3SW76MLF sounds about like what you are looking for. Step up to the medium power for your 3/8 to 1/2 ounce offerings. I fish the 2SW70MF with 8# mono and 15# braid and have a blast with trigger fish and snapper yet have taken king mackeral, dolphin, and bonita with it (10# biggest so far).

Russ in Hollywood, FL.

Since you are building NGC, the choke point is one consideration but the first guide is also one as well. If the spool sizes are similar but the spool angles are significantly different, the location of the stripping guide can be critical as well. You can get close but I would follow the suggestion of building for the middle reel, or the one you are likely to use most often.

Terry

On this
You may be better with the Microwave Guides

Bill - willierods.com

Build it with a Tennessee handle, then you can move the reel to suit your choke point.

Dennis J. Danku
(Sayreville,NJ)

Some builders don't like those handles ???

Bill - willierods.com

Hello,

Thanks guys for sharing more thoughts on this. I will be trying out some of your suggestions and hopefully have some solid data to report. Since I will only have one blank, will I be fine test fishing each variation with the guides taped on? Or will temporary wraps in my ugliest thread color be better? I have done test casts with taped-on guides, but never fished that way so not sure if it would work.

Terry T, thanks for bringing up the importance of spool angle and line flow through the butt guide, I'll be sure to check that each reel is within acceptable tolerances of the others before I start.

Bill B, I would probably go the Microwave route if not for already having some extra sets of BYAG and LAG guides laying around.

Dennis D, I would rather not have to tape/un-tape a reel multiple times throughout a months worth of fishing. Just personal preference, but now that you mention it, I believe I saw an adjustable tubular reel seat where you could slide the reel up and down while browsing online a while back.

Russell B, Haha thanks for the laugh! It was a late night post and I must have been closer to sleep than awake. Maybe I need to refurbish one of those older rods with two sets of guides on opposite axis and add a third set? Your set-up though sounds pretty close to what I have been using, just slightly longer rods in a 2-piece for ease of transport. My last rods were ultralights built on St Croix's 42F865.2 trout/panfish blanks. Really liked the action, so will definitely look into those blanks you suggested.

-chad

If you are worring about it that much

Build THREE rods

Just don't tell the wife ?? LOL

Bill - willierods.com

Hello,

Not an option. She knows her way around fishing gear and has a keen eye for any recent purchase. I am, however, hoping to use up these Fuji BYAGs I have laying around so I can make a case for buying a nice new set of guides :)

-chad

Shut the computer off
The wife is looking over your shoulder

Bill - willierods.com



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 12/09/2013 09:17AM by bill boettcher.

LoL