Gents, I just got back from the Houston Fishing Show. What I’ve noticed this year is that I’m seeing more and more of the recoil-type guides on the commercial new builds. One sales guy from a local rod manufacturer said that they are better than conventional insert ring guides because you don’t have to worry about losing the inserts when fishing with braid. I didn’t ask him to elaborate but I assumed it was braid-to-leader knot concerns and knocking the ring out as the knot passes through. Or maybe losing rings due to the flex of the guide under load. I don’t have the knowledge on this issue. But I’m sure the major guide manufacturers have addressed this a long time ago. So have the knot tying gurus (IE. FG knot, etc). What say ye old “keepers-of-wisdom” of this royal forum of rod building junkies?

You don't have the worry about the braid till the dirt it picks up cuts your guide up, the material the guide is made of is not harder than regular stainless steel, ceramic rings however are many, many times harder.
One of the ceramic ringed, little single foot fly guides will not deflect let alone bend under the dead weight of a 16 pound downrigger weight, no amount of load that won't physically drag you over the side will damage a proper guide for any rod build.
I've caught 10+ ft. long sturgeon weighing maybe 300 pounds on a rod using the same double foot guides as an 80s bass rod, the rod carries 3 lb. sinkers to get to the bottom of 60 to 90 ft. deep holes in fast current using 80 lb. braid. 30+ years and still going strong.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 03/02/2018 08:32PM by Spencer Phipps.

I had a friend, who is an avid bass tournament fisherman, bring me five Shimano GLoomis NRX Rods to have me replace the Recoil guides on them. He hated those guides because they were noisy and drove him crazy. Since I am very hard of hearing I would never notice. He had me replace them with Fuji KR guides, which he loves. Fishing with braid is not a reason ceramic rings pop out, abuse is. The modern ceramic ringed guides are quite durable and it takes a lot to pop the rings out.
Norm

my experience has been the same as Norm's
the only time I've worked with recoil guides is being asked to remove them.

Your sales man's hype. I would chalk up to effective marketing lies.
Been fishing braided lines with inserts for more years then I can remember, and have never had to worry about braid or knot's knocking them out.

X10 on the requests to remove the recoil guides due to noise from braided line.

Good luck

I do not like the "2-turn" Recoil choker guides because they squeak. I really like - and use - Recoil snake guides on fly rods because they are very flexible and for practical purposes indestructible. Since rigid guide feet don't bend they have to create flat sports in the rod's bend/action, particularly toward the tip. This is very undesirable in a fly rod where the rod's action (bend) is critical to casting. Recoil guides flex right along with the blank. This is not so important in casting and spinning rods.

I have popped the ring out of one guide. I was on a guided trip, it was the first guide of a spinning rod, and it was nearly completely rusted out. So, 100% abuse on this one.

I love Recoil and don’t mind the squeak. Their tip tops are junk though. Haven’t had one make a season. What are you guys doing with all the Recoils you remove? Let’s make a deal!

Recoils are great for those who do not take care of their rods, you can bang them around and they return to shape! As I build fly rods, most of my customers are pretty careful (other than doors and overhead fans) so the recoil noise objection over rides the utility factor. I have built a couple with recoils, that have been returned for replacement.

Recoils are great for those who do not take care of their rods, you can bang them around and they return to shape! As I build fly rods, most of my customers are pretty careful (other than doors and overhead fans) so the recoil noise objection over rides the utility factor. I have built a couple with recoils, that have been returned for replacement.

Mr. Dill
I throw them in the trash were they belong!

Hey guys, any recoils coming off, you may want to talk with us ice rod builders.

Noise is no concern with them, just keep the ice off and rebound after SERIOUS ABUSE once on the water.


Anyways, feel free to send a PM/email if you would like to get some guide cost back for your customers.


Thanks again and good luck.

Fresh water guides do not face the difficulties salt-water guides constantly do: corrosion from salt, banging around in boats in rough seas, reel drag settings over 20#. A competent custom rod builder will select blanks and components based upon function AND environment.