I am building a couple of catfish rods 7' med/hvy. I'll be using a ABU 7000 on the rods. I understand to start I''ll place the stripper guide somewhere around 16 to 22 inches from the reel and fill out the remainder of the blank with running guides. What I am having difficulty with is determining the size of the stripper guide. I also will do a static test and re-position guides as necessary to keep the line off the blank. It seems like I read somewhere the size of the stripper guide has something to do with the width of the casting reel.

Can someone please tell me how I select the proper size stripper guide?

Thanks
Kerry

All my salt water or heavy fresh water rods I'll run an Inside diameter stripper that is 75% the reel face diameter.
Works well for long casts. Ie: 2.375" reel face 1.750" stripper.

This should help
[rodbuilding.org]

Bill - willierods.com

I think he's talking a casting rod setup, and with catfish rods anything strong enough should work just fine. Diameter is not a big issue. I'd go with strong 12. It should pass any knot you use.

I am about to start, whenever I have some free time, on a similar build on a Rod Geeks X Comp 733 to use with an Okuma citrix 350 . From what I gathered is the stripper guide size is determined mainly by height needed to keep the line off the front grip. A fast action rod that has little bend near the grip does not need as much height as a slow action that bends far down.My blank is quite stiff in that area so my plan is use a size 16 going down to size 8 runners. I would think that a wider reel would benefit with a little less friction with a larger diameter stripper guide but I think 20mm would be the largest you would need.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 08/07/2016 07:54PM by David Miller.

Hi Kerry,

For starters, an Omoto 7000 is almost identical to an ABU 7000. Is it a level wind reel?

I measured the height of a filled Omoto 7000 and the line level at the top is about 1.75 inches above the blank. That, along with the position of the first running guide should give you an approximate position for the stripper.

The old standard for the size of the stripper for a surf rod was: If the reel is smaller than a Jigmaster, use a size 25. If it was a Jigmaster or larger, use a 30. Now you have the option of using guides with high frames.

Is the blank one or two piece?

Don Becker

Build it with a size 12 and go fishing with it. If you don't like it, cut it off and put on a size 16.

Good luck

At first I didn't think I was going to get a reply but now just keep it coming . I love to learn anything new especially if it involves rod building, fishing or electronics. And Don the answer is - a one piece med/heavy Shikari. Beautiful dark green blank straight as an arrow and light as a feather., I almost hate to build on it.

And I still can't remember where I read that the about the width of the bait caster reel. Something along the lines that as the line is coming off the spool (left to right/ right to left the stripper guide should be large enough that the line doesn't touch the inside edges of the guide. I don't know if there is any truth to it but it make sense.

The info about the height of the of the spool filled w/line is also good info.

Thanks,

Kerry