I'm looking to build a 60# spinning VJ rod for South Florida. I've only build a few light tackle rods.

Is it dumb to build it with single foot guides as opposed to double foot? Mostly just to be different, lighter, less material, less "heavy looking" but serious power.

edit: what size guides would be best suited for jigging? i've settled on Seeker Hercules 60H



Edited 4 time(s). Last edit at 11/18/2016 11:41AM by Chris Zarza.

There are heavy type single foot guides that can work in these situations. I might suggest using the single foot guides on the upper half of the rod and corresponding double foot guides on the bottom half where the bulk of the rod's power comes from.

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Great blank choice. As far as guides, I would take Toms advice and look into heavy duty single foot guides. I've built a few but I used double foot guides. When choosing guide sizes keep in mind the size of the reel spool and the type of line to leader connection you plan to use. I like at least size 10 for the upper half to pass knots. The butt guide will most likely be a size 40 or 50. Make sure the rod is comfortable under your arm pit when reeling and poping. You may want to leave the blank exposed in the butt grip to reduce rubbing. Go with a split grip using a rubber gimble on the butt. My $0.02. Good luck. MH

Michael Harmon Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Great blank choice. As far as guides, I would take
> Toms advice and look into heavy duty single foot
> guides. I've built a few but I used double foot
> guides. When choosing guide sizes keep in mind the
> size of the reel spool and the type of line to
> leader connection you plan to use. I like at least
> size 10 for the upper half to pass knots. The butt
> guide will most likely be a size 40 or 50. Make
> sure the rod is comfortable under your arm pit
> when reeling and poping. You may want to leave the
> blank exposed in the butt grip to reduce rubbing.
> Go with a split grip using a rubber gimble on the
> butt. My $0.02. Good luck. MH


The reel is a Quantum Cabo 80. It's got a pretty big spool at about 2.5" maybe a tad larger. But I wont be casting with this rod much, if at all. Possibly lobbing live baits.

I think I'll keep with double foot guides for now since I already bought them. Next VJ rod I'll do single foots. Right now I've got a 30 Fuji BMNAG and smallest being an 8 but I'll think change it to 10 since the 8 is looking a bit small.

I have with me now are 30-20-12-10-8-tip. Should I get a 16 in-between the 20 and 12 and remove the 8 to make it 30-20-16-12-10-tip? I believe I'll end up with 5 guides instead of the standard 6 or 7 since the reel will be so high up on the rod, right?

Definitely place all components and static test. I'm thinking 40-30-20-16-10-10-+tip. When that rod is loaded and the drag is ripping you want to make sure the line has a nice curve with no hard angles. I like and use the seeker Hercules blanks but before you build your next rod check out the Batson knife jigging blanks. Very durable and are inexpensive for a top quality blank.