Hello all,

I just got my order in from Get Bit, and I'm a little concerned about the size of the guides I chose for my Rainshadow blank [www.getbitoutdoors.com]. I chose a size 10 Forecast STLG running guide [www.getbitoutdoors.com]. The rod has an extra fast taper and the line guides look a bit beefy for the tapered end. Did I go with too much? I went with a size 10 to leave the option for braid open in case I need to pass the leader knot easily, but I'm wondering if an 8 may have done. Also, is the frame overkill?

The intended purpose of the rod is to cast out surface iron in the 4 oz range and maybe drop some live bait to the bottom. I will be using it with a conventional reel, a Penn 112H and the target species will be yellowtail. The guy I bought the reel from loaded it with 30 lb mono for me.

I use a guide like the Alps XN series casting guide on rods of that type, the amount of abuse the rod will take in the boat and during transport governs guide selection most for me. I think guides are really over engineered for the actual loads during fishing. I have a rod that was my first saltwater build that has the same high frame double foot Fuji guides you saw on bass rods of the day, 30 years later it's still going strong, now catching sturgeon to 10 Ft. long in the heavy Columbia River current using 80 lb. Tufline braid with no guide failures.

Thanks for the reply spencer. No other inputs?

Would these NLG guides be suitable? [www.getbitoutdoors.com]

On the topic, thoughts on using any of these (including the ones I originally purchased or the ones recommended by Spencer) on a vertical jigging rod as well?



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 02/28/2016 10:45AM by Randy Weakley.

Randy,
The fact that you are asking the question, already answers your question.

Yes, the guide that you have chosen will work fine for the application that you have chosen.

Also, you could go down to a size 8 and likely have few if any issues with knots, depending on what sort of knots you tie.

You could also go down to one of the other guides that you have chosen.

But, if you are going to be using it on a boat where the rod gets banged around a lot and or if you are going to be catching fish of 20-60 lbs, the guides that you chose will do just fine.

But, either the guide that you chose, or the 3rd guide that you listed are much tougher guides from the fact of not getting bent if banged around. Also, the style guide with the enclosed guide will do a much better job of shedding line in the case of any line loops or wind knots.

Carry on and you will have a great rod.

Be safe

I own that blank (in 7 foot). I used virtus lights. Size 10 is fine, but 8's might do depending on knots. The style of frame you picked is the problem. Save those "turbo" guides for 50# class and up (and you will want a 50# rod for yellowtail:).

I like a 316 frame. That pretty much equates to Alps and american tackle. I'd be using zirconia or nanolite rings. Pick a guide rated for 20-40# class. Yellowtail and tuna are hard fighters so get a good ring material. You will be glad you spent the extra money.

FWIW Batson used to have rod recipes and I have found them quite accurate with regards to guide size and placement.

Russ in Hollywood, FL.

[www.rainshadowrodblanks.com]

Click on "blue prints" on the right side of the web page and scroll down to your rod blank.

You will find the Recipe for a good build for this blank as Russell suggested. They work.

Be safe

Thanks for the idea! I checked them out and they suggested the guide style Spencer talked about.

So can I pretty much take the suggested layout and go 180 out on all but the Stripper for a simple spiral. Of course adding a bumper in between stripper and first 180 guide. I am going to contact get bit and see if I can return the ones I ordered.

I will get the XN style guides when I order my vertical jigging rod. And probably get the same guides for that one as well. I expect to use 50 lbs mono line for that one.

If you don't get to far between guides in the spacing of the first two guides from the reel you'll be fine, on the simple spiral you want that spacing somewhere in the 8 - 10 inch range, the closer the better.

I looked at my medium heavy boat spinning setup, which I made with size 8 runners. It looks like it would pass a braid junction pretty well at 30 lbs test. I think I will get those and maybe bump up to 10s for the jigging stick.

I am thinking about checking out this hollow core braid. Looks pretty cool.

My experience has been that all the guides on the bottom of the blank can be the same size....and the bumper guide should be one size larger and low frame, like a fly rod guide. Like 12 for stripper, 10 for bumper, and all the rest 8's.

Nowhere in the original post did you mention this was a spiral build....that does change things a bit. Not even sure if that is in your best interest if you are looking to cast iron for yellowtail.

Russ in Hollywood, FL.

Thanks Russ...I actually noticed in their blueprints that they list a spiral build. I bought the special edition Rodmaker CD all about guides, and the articles state that casting distance is not affected negatively by spiral wrapping. Why do you suggest against it? I have read that it significantly reduces/eliminates torque on the rod when fighting a large fish. Also with a 112h conventional reel, I was planning on using a 20 for my stripper. The 16 I bought looks pretty small compared to how wide the reel is.