Hello all,

About 15 years ago I took a rod building class at E. Hilles in Williamsport, Pennsylvania. At the time, we were building what was considered to be somewhat fast trout fly rods. Our instructor was sold on using over sized guides on the rods and typically adding one more line guide than normal. If a build called for 8 guides and a tip, we were using 9. (II think that the guides were 1 or 2 sizes larger than what would be considered standard.)

I havent seen or heard anyone using these methods on rod building these days.

Is this a valid idea, or, is it just a passing idea that just didnt work out? It seems to me the thoughts were it gave more distance with less line slap on the blank.

Thanks, I always enjoy your answers to my questions...

Jesse Shipe

You're going to get the best performance by using the correct size and number of guides, whatever that might be in any particular case.

Undersized guides will most likely cause some sort of line restriction or fail to pass the required knots and connections. Oversized guides will add weight, slow rod speed and reduce distance and performance. Using more guides than necessary will do the same. Using too few can result in over-stressing the blank, or too much sag or "belly" between guides, depending on the line used.

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There is no benefit to oversize guides on a fly rod, in fact there is a current movement to using smaller guides than were traditional. As Tom Mentioned one critical issue is to be sure your knots will pass thru them without binding! Keeping the rods weight down is quite beneficial, and is one of the reasons for using single foot guides.

I use oversized guides all the time on fly rods WHEN they are for cold weather use IE: steelhead where we are fishing under 32 deg and ice is always a factor. In that case I will always upsize to pass ice/loop to loop aside from that singular use I do not see a benefit.

x10 on Eric's comments.

Always guide up in size when ice is a consideration.

Be safe

Theory is that extra size guides will pass knots and snarles. Personally I would rather deal with the knots at the stripper or closer.

Other theory is that too large guides allow line to "clatter" around and not engender smooth line flow.

Again - personally - in normal weather conditions I would rather have the smaller guide as long as it doesn't constrict line and leader to fly line connection and fly line to backing connection.
Herb

About time for a fly rod Microwave system.

Why would one want to use a microwave system on a rod that has line with no loops or twists in it?

Be safe

Roger playing devils advocate here, what's the need for microwave casting guides?

I am with Roger on this one. For the same reason that one does not need to consider ring size for the first guide in a centerpin rod, just the height of said guide.

So am I

Bill - willierods.com