I am thinking about building a set of trolling rods.

I have never used microwave guides and was thinking about trying them for a spiral wrap.

Thought this might help keep line centered for the reel.

I will only be using these rods for trolling, coho, steelhead and walleye.

Looking at a 9'0" MHX steelhead fast action mag medium, levelwind reel and 12-20 lb test.

Is it a waste to use the microwave guides for this?

Looking for your thoughts of this idea.

See you on the water, Doug
Captain Paddlefoot

I think any advantage in using Micro-wave guides would be on the cast, not the retrieval.

Doug,
If you want to keep the line centered on the reel using a spiral wrap, adjust the angular rotation of the butt guide.

Just because the butt guide is the first guide does not mean that a rotary angle of 0 degrees with respect to the reel is the best orientation.

If you build a spiral wrapped rod, strip off a hundred feet of line or so, and then under light to medium pressure, reel the line back onto the rod. If you find that the line is not centering on the reel, either rotate the butt guide in the clock wise or counter clockwise direction a few degrees and try again.

It is interesting to find that many spiral wrapped rods will center the line much better if the butt guide is rotated to be off center by about 5 - 10 degrees, either to the clockwise or counter clockwise direction.

Give it a try, when you have a guide taped on, but not wrapped and see what you find with your next build.

I also agree with the previous post that microwave guides primarily help line handling on the cast, and not on the retrieve. The cast is a loose or semi loose line. The retrieve is on a tight or semi tight line.

Also, if you are primarily using the rod for trolling, then there is really no casting with the rod at all. Normally when trolling, the lure is dropped into the water, the lock released on the reel and line is let off the reel as the boat moves forward through the water. So, in this case, the line release is again done on a relatively tight line, compared to the line tension of a cast.


Good luck

Why use the microwave guides for a casting reel The line comes off the reel STREIGHT and there is no pigtails to controll Plus it is probably cheaper to use casting guides for the first three and then singlefoot for the 180 guides
Compair the prices

Also to make sure the line does not stack to one side pull line out add weight to it and retreve the line and watch how the line goes onto the reel If no line controller on the reel it is usually easier to have the line stack to the left Just A Little Off Center so the user can ( PUSH ) the line over which is easier then trying to pull it

Bill - willierods.com



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 02/17/2015 01:02PM by bill boettcher.

It is a HUGE misconception that the line comes off a casting reel straight.

The microwave casting guides are a perfect hybrid between a traditional guide train and a micro guide train. This gives us the best of both worlds. A micro guide train can restrict distance by creating drastic angles from the spool to the first running guide.

Let me explain that further, when the line leaves the spool the line creates a sharp downward trajectory towards the first micro guide (stripper guide) once it leaves the stripper guide another angle is formed to meet the first running guide. During this process, a couple of things can happen.

1st - the line leaving the spool rides to high and overcomes the top of the stripper guide causing the line to decrease speed and bunch at the first guide (this may be only for a split second) which will cause increases in back-lashing.
2nd- decreasing line speed will result in less distance from your casting and increasing energy will only make this matter worse.

The benefits of the microwave casting guides are as follows:

1: While not as noticeable as the spinning guides, the line leaving a casting reel does not (I know I am going to get slammed for saying this), I repeat, it does not come off the spool straight. If you video this process and slow it down you will see that the line comes of the spool in waves, up and down side to side. (Note: One of our competitors made a great video showing this and proves this point but I will not share it here b/c I cannot promote a competitor). These waves, just like oscillating line coming off a spinning reel, must be captured and controlled to allow for added distance and increased accuracy by eliminating friction throughout the rest of the guide train.

2: Ring height. Using the microwave stripper guide elevates the smaller ring off the blank allowing for a smooth and straight transition from the spool to the running guides. This elevation eliminates the angles one sees from a micro guide train. By eliminating these angles and capturing the waves leaving the spool we can decrease our chances of back-lashing and increase our casting distance by allowing for a straight transition to the rest of the guide train and decreasing the possibility of the line overrunning the stripper guide.

Sorry for the long response. I hope this helps. If all else fails, just give it a cast and try for yourself.

_______________________________
God Bless, Don Morse

800-516-1750 ext. 1207 / don@americantackle.us

Rod Building..... It's What We Do.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 02/17/2015 02:41PM by Don @ American Tackle.

Since it is a trolling rod I would think a high frame, double foot guide of the smaller ring diameter would give the same results.

Don

Why do you not sell just the butt guide

And don't tell me I can change the running guides But I have to buy a SET first and now have extra guides that I may not use ??

Bill - willierods.com

Agree with Don on how the line comes off on a casting rod/reel. Fuji also agrees, but has a slightly different solution. These are for casting efficiency, so don't really apply to a trolling rod.

I see no advantage to micros on a trolling rod, and they have the disadvantage of not passing knots as well as larger guides, like 6's. Still not big and can be single foot from my experience. I also think they are less durable as a guide system than slightly bigger guides with generally larger feet.