I just started rod building this last year and I have built two spinning rods and one fly rod so far. I have used the NGC for my spinning rod guide concept so I have no experience with the cone of flight (COF) guide concept. Now, when I look at a factory rod, I keep wondering why major rod manufacturers, such as St Croix, use the COF concept for their spinning rods (at least the rods I've seen). Anyone know why the major rod manufacturers still use the COF concept?

You have to understand that most major commercial rod making operations are not on the cutting edge of rod performance. They build what the customers will buy and for many the COF is what they expect to see on a fishing rod. Sales, not performance, drives the commercial market, especially in the low to mid range market.

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It is what the average angler is used to seeing ..... anything else "looks funny"

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God Bless, Don Morse

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

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

We wonder the same thing Steve. The common answer is demand. COF is the way average consumers EXPECT a spinning rod to look. Rather than bite off the extremely expensive job of educating the entire fishing public, it's more expeditious to give them what they want. There are, however, more NGC rods and KR rods out there than ever before. Give it a chance, it's only been about 20 years since the NGC was introduced ;)

The same thing is true with fly rod construction. Traditionally a number of guide sizes are used from stripper to tip, today it is found to be better to use far fewer sizes, getting down to the smallest quickly and thus reducing weight. However some buyers expect the rod to look like what they are used too, and reject the newer concept.

I build only fly rods and have fly fished for over 50 years, and I find no benefit either in casting or landing a fish with COF on a fly rod. This includes, shooting large amounts of line for long casts.

I believe St. Croix is using something similar to the KR Concept with their new Legend Elite series of rods. Looks like they have the KR Torzite guides on them as well.

Steve,
Manufacturers still use COF guide arrangement is that this still works very well.

Yes, there are other guide setups that also work well or even better. But, it is up to an individual rod builder or manufacturer to build rods that suit and work for their clients.

Bottom line - there are many many fishermen who do not ever cast with their rods. They just use a rod to let out line and to reel line back in when they catch a fish. In that case, you just need guides on a rod to keep the line on the rod and to avoid breaking the rod when you land a fish.

Take for example many of the rods used for salt water fishing when fishing deep for some very big fish. Often, there is a heavy weight on the end of the line with a hook somewhere around the weight with bait on it. A rod is in a holder, and the line is dropped until it gets to the right depth or to the bottom. When a fish bites, the fish is reeled in. The rod is never taken out of the rod holder during the entire time. Many of these rods use 50 to 200 lb test line.

For some rods, one could use 10 size 3 guides and it would work. Another user could use 10 size 40 guides and it would work. Neither of these setups would be very good or optimized, but they would work to let out line and to catch fish.



Be safe

Yes, St Croix is the exception. They always have a few offerings that feature the latest guide train thinking. Other do as well.

Could it also be that COF is more forgiving with the multitude of line types, and line sizes, as well as reel sizes?

I've seen some pretty off the wall line sizes and reel sizes used on rods that are clearly not meant for the line or the reel that is mounted on them. Makes me wonder how people can actually fish with them.

Several years ago I have seen a guy using a Spinning Reel and rod as a Casting Rod with the spinning reel whole rod turned up ward
Just people that have no idea of rods and how to use them and with what reel line or for the fish they go after

Bill - willierods.com

Bill,
Your comment reminds me of a picture on the cover of a magazine which was a photo of the Sr. President bush fishing - holding a spinning rod and reel upside down, with the spinning reel on top of the rod.
It is too bad that the photographer did not suggest to the then president that the reel should be below the rod.

Be safe

Worse, the President was said to be an avid fisherman...

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