Built a 10ft steelhead spinning rod (MHX st1204) using Microwave guides for personal use. A Penn Fierce 4000 reel with 20lb Sufix 832 braid completed the package. As a life long skeptic in all things new I had very low expectations when heading to the river yesterday - but after 5 hours of casting for chrome on the Skeena - I am a believer. The line and the guides combined to give amazingly smooth casts and excellent distance with several lure weights. Certainly 'guides' cannot effect accuracy but something in the rod/reel/line/guide equation gave excellent directional control all day. No frustrating 'braid wraps' around the tip top. Quiet casts? yes. Braid always returned to the reel as expected, no spool loops or slack loops. A wonderful day on the river.

I own a zillion (wife took inventory) spinning and casting rods of various price levels - this is my new favorite by far. Placed an order with Andy at RBS for the 9'6" version of the same blank and another set of Microwave guides.

That is a great review. I have put them on well over 100 rods and get the same kind of feedback from every single person. As I have always said...try them for yourself, you will not be disappointed.

Thanks for the review Mr. Hart!

______________________________________
Super Tight Lines......Don

Oops!



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 04/02/2014 10:14PM by Garry Thornton.

My experience is at the other end of the spectrum.
The dozen Micro-wave rods I have build were 6 to 7 foot models and used 8 and 10 pound braid.
Friends and clients who have borrowed my samples, are sold once they try them.
No doubt other guide trains can be tweaked to preform just as well.
However, from a production point of view, I like the fact that the end user is not committed to one specific reel for optimum results.

Garry......easy on the post button brother....LOL.


on a side note... are you gonna make it the the Round Up Saturday?

______________________________________
Super Tight Lines......Don

Due to the extreme winter, there are still feet of snow at my summer place.
I will be in Yuma until after the first of May.

i built a ten ft steelhead rod with microwaves i changed the runners to size six minimums, on testing i was very impressed. the rod is done now and i cant wait to use it. the bigger runners were for passing bobber stops

my blanks from Andy should be here today I hope.This will be my first rod with the microwaves.I have a question about using the guide spacing charts that come with them.The rod is a 7' St. Croix casting blank.I will test cast but was just wondering if you that have used them have found the spacing charts.? thanks

The first three guides from the reel seat are the important ones. Follow the recommendation for these. Place the rest as per static testing. Then test cast with your reel and line. You may get slightly better performance, tweaking the spacing on the first three.

Chris Richer
Iroquois ON

thanks for the advice.thats what ive read and been told.just thought Id askand see what I got back.I did get my parts today,wish the two feet of snow would melt.

How well do these guides hold up to longer (9'6" +) steelhead rods while fishing in the colder weather? I heard they are terrible for ice removal.

I know this is an old thread, but I'm considering the microwave guides for my first rod build and had a few questions.

1. How many guides did you use on a 10' rod?

2. If I was advised to use sizes 17-7mm conventional guides, should I also aim to use the same size microwave guides?

3. Does anyone know of a UK supplier?

Thanks
Dave