Alright so I am pretty knew to the whole rod building thing and would like to have some questions answered. I am currently building a big water float rod for Steelhead (11'6") and its going to be set up for a baitcaster. My main concern is that I want to make the guides as light as possible for balancing purposes without using titanium guides. I'll probably make it a spiral wrap to reduce the total number of guides. I'm leaning towards fuji alconites with SS frames but cannot decide if its worth getting the K series guides over the Concept ones. I know the K series is highly regarded but all the info I find for them has to do with providing benefits to spinning rods and not so much baitcasting. Which one is better? Also I am open to other suggestions as well if you happen to think of a good alternative. I just ask for some minor explanation as to your reasoning. Thanks!

I'm building a baitcaster in spiral at the moment. My first few guides to complete the spiral are K guides. Then I've gone to the concept belly guides to the tip.
My reason to go with K to start is I am going Titanium so have to. Otherwise the MN style will work.
Either way both the MN and K will be ok and you can match the frame colour to the belly guides too with the Alconite range. Not sure of your line class but I believe if you chose the MN style you could even go LN (same style just thinner so lighter). BLNAG. These should be lighter than the equivalent K guides.

If you want a light tip to balance the rod, use Pac Bay Minima guides once the line is on the bottom.

Chris Richer
Iroquois ON

The Fuji reverse guide (RV) K series first guide for casting works great for "on top" casting buids - it's all I use for casters now. But I am not sure if it's the right choice for a spiral where you want to get to the bottom of the blank with the straightest line path possible. I think the lower guides, like MN, may be better. One thing to watch out for is going too large on the first few guides. Since you are not (I believe) going for height on the first guide, then a lower guide of 6-8 mm ring size is probably right. Mark and Chris have good suggestions, IMHO.

Thank you for the insight guys. Looks to me like standard guides should work out fine. Any preferences on how to do the spiral wrap?

Check this out, they have a free spiral wrap how to/degree wheel. []. Never mind after I posted it I noticed it was a blocked site because they don't sponsor this page. But do a quick Google search and it should help.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 05/19/2016 12:36AM by Michael Maclean.

I don't make spiral casting rods any more, don't like the looks. No problems with performance. I like spiral for trolling. The "simple spiral" is the easiest and has, in my opinion, no significant performance penalties over other types. Lay the guides out as you would for an 'on-top" build, put a low guide at ninety degrees half way between number 1 and 3, turn all the guides from there to the tip to 180 degrees, and you have it. The object of the added guide is simply to keep the line off the blank, so it can be as low as you can get it (bend guides if you want).

You have a long rod so you have the room I put the guides using a spinning spacing I use bands so they can be moved With that long a rod you can go first at O then start the spiral I generally start with a 16 depending on how high the line has to be for your hand You can go three then the 180 or even 4 then 180
Once the guides are in place run line Static test and let the line rest at the bottom of the ring closer to the blank on the transition guides The 180's spinning fashion
You may be able to go say 16 - 12 or 10 then the 8's It is nice to have several extra transition guides to play with

Bill - willierods.com

Denham,
If it were my rod, I would use Pac Bay minima guides from the butt to the tip.

You can use size 6 runners and tip top. Then a 12 or 14 double foot guide off the reel, and smaller guides for the spiral. I prefer to use 3 guides for the spiral. One at 60, one at 120, and one at 180. The 2nd and 3rd guide need to be short. They only serve to keep the line from hitting the blank.

For that setup, I would likely use about 9 guides or so, depending on the speed of the blank. Softer tip, more guides. Stiffer tip less guides.

My only concern with minima guides is that I do not know how small I can go before running into problems with a bobber stop. I like the idea of micro guides to keep the tip light but since this will be a slip bobber setup I can't have them be too small.

If you know how small you can use with a ceramic ring use the same in the minima There rings are slightly larger then ceramics

Bill - willierods.com

Never had a bobber stop problem with any #6 guide, you see them on 'factory rods from Lamiglas and G Loomis too, I even use a small bead before the bobber stop with no problems.