I need to replace all the guides and tip on my Eagle Claw Travel master XLII fly/spinning pack rod. I took it on a trip to Hawaii 5 years ago and while I flushed the reel and handle area after I used it in the ocean I apparently forgot to flush the guides. The support rings for the ceramic guides rusted away. I'm not sure how to go about selecting proper guides for a rod that is a fly/spinning combo. The current remnants of the guides seem to be that of a standard spinning setup (double footed) . Since I'll be removing everything and will be starting with just the blank (handle section has no guides) are there any modern guide options you would suggest to use. It is a 4 piece 7' 6" long 65% graphite rod . Any suggestions on what guides to use would be appreciated. I plan on using it for fishing on Washington/Idaho high mountain streams.

Thanks
Dave

Expected max line pound test and type? braid, mono, flouro?

How important is compact guide train? Some new concepts are pretty tall, but you can get adequate performance from shorter guides, like V type reduction guides.
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I would think V type reduction guides with small Fuji K running guides, about 4.5 mm size would be fine. The small, light, tangle free running guides will make your rod more sensitive than it has been. V guides would not be the top performers, but how far can you cast on mountain streams anyway?

I plan on using light mono or fluorocarbon (2-6lb) or 10lb Power Pro braid (2lb dia) while spin fishing and then 4 - 5 weight for fly fishing.

I have a couple out there that I did with the MicroWave guide system and they work very well

Ron Weber

Do you think the Microwave guide system will handle flyline okay? I guess a limiting factor I would need to account for is the tube case the rod travels in.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 07/09/2016 01:30AM by Dave Morton.

Works just fine on the one I built

Ron Weber

Dave, you have the right idea in wondering whether the taller guide systems will fit into your rod tube. With the light lines you plan to use just about anything will work for spin. I forgot your fly intent, so would not go so small on the running guides as I mentioned before, would stick with about 6mm guides. You could do this rod very nicely with Pac Bay minimas, Model F for the running guides, SV for the reduction guides. You will need no bigger first guide than 16 for those light lines, in my opinion, but if you plan to use a fairly large spin reel, then maybe a 20. You can use ceramic ring guides if you want, but I don't think you need to. I think I would try a 16-10 then 6's to the end. A 6 model PT tiptop. If test casting shows you want more distance, try a 20-12 combination.

The Pac Bay catalog, which downloads quite quickly, has all the dimensions of the guides so you can lay out you rig on paper before buying. So does the Fuji catalog. Try to get the line from the shaft of the to the first running guide to go through the centers of the reduction guides.

As I mentioned before, with the light lines you plan, just about anything will work for spin.

Sounds like a fun project.

I would probably use pac bay minima guides in the SV configuration. 16, 10, and 8 to the tip. The larger running guides will take care of any splices or joints in the line. Since the mono for spinning is light, the size 16 will work just fine and still fit in the rod tube.

Be safe

Dave, emaill me, I'll send you some pics

Ron Weber

Roger, don't you think 6's will handle anything in the line for spin? And you don't have to run knots and joints into the guides on fly. I'd rather keep the tip as light as possible.

Minima guides are a good choice, in that they are very light and durable. A size 6 or 5 minima F guide will pass any knot you will use. The IDs of the minima guides are larger for a given size compared to ceramic guides. A size 16 SV stripper should work well, followed by a SV10 and a SV 6 as reduction guides, then size 6 or 5 F guides as runners. Should give a very light guide train and a good compromise for both fly and spin fishing.
Norm

The 6's will handle any normal line and knots.
I don't know if you happen to run swivels or exceptionally large knots or other.

Be safe

If you run swivels through your guides, STOP! :-)

If you want to try something more sleek and modern looking which is a little outside the box, use the minima match (M) guides and size 4 F guides. For example a size 10 minima M guide could be used as the stripper, it is the same height as a size 16 SV guide, this would be followed by a size 6 M and size 4 M guides as reduction guides, and minima size 4 F guides as runners. This guide train will work and would certainly be an extremely light microguide set up. The size 4 minima guides have an ID similar to size 5 ceramic insert guides and should pass most knots. Crome Minima guides are very inexpensive, so it might be fun to experiment a little and test cast some different guide train options; extra guides never seem to go to waste.
Norm

Thank you for the input. This should give me a good start.

Michael,
It is pretty common in this part of the country for folks to use a swivel with their leaders.

They don't cast or retrieve running the swivel through their guides; but many of the fellows like to pull the swivel up through the tip and guides when they are transporting the rod. No wear and tear on the guides, since the swivel is not flying out past and hitting the guides. But, these same folks want the guides sized so that the swivel can be stored in with the rest of the line, either in line with the rest of the line, or even on the spool for some of the big water uses.

Be safe

Thanks, Roger, I didn't know that. With that slow entry of the swivel to the guides I would think the 6's would work fine. Can't believe anyone would be using a swivel almost 14 inch in diameter. But I've been surprised before.