Phil, just ask me when in doubt.

that,s easy, just trust your instincts Phil..

Phil,
Easy.
Experience and a couple of thousand different guides wrapped on several hundred rods.

If you like, you can go with very small guides and test. If the guides are too small, go larger. If the guides are still too small, go larger. If, the guides are yet too small go larger. For the testing, just to a simple quick wrap of each of the guides for all of your testing. Then, if you need to change, you can cut them all off and do another quick wrap of the different guides. When you finally get the ones you want, cut them all off and do the final wrap of your choice with the guides of your choice. Wrapping a different set of guides on a rod can likely be done in 30 minutes or so, when not doing any trim or fancy wraps.


Good luck

Leave it alone, this is why we're encouraged to experiment. We all just learned something!

No need to wrap the guide, a couple good wraps of masking tape will do it, even caught a steelhead on a masking tape rod when I forgot to cut the hook off.

How can you tell if the guides are too small? Is it a general feeling or a difference in performance? Is the "right size" guide the right size for ALL anglers? New rod builders need to know these things.

Phil LOVES to ask questions he already knows the answers to lol.

maybe just check out an equilivent rod in walmart and just use half the size guides..lol.

Phil,
The guides are too small, if the line with any accumulated gunk on the line fails to let the line flow through the guid/s.

The guides are too small and or too short, if one or more of the guide limits the required and expected distance of a cast using a specified lure or jig and specified line.

Good luck