Starting a build using a blank of much higher power than normal for me. I use a simple spiral guide layout for my own rods. Due to the power of this blank, and it’s likely uses, I want to use double foot guides for at least the first few. The stripper and the first bottom runner will be double foot. Does the bumper guide also need to be double foot? For appearances sake, I may be tempted to say yes. But, does that guide really have to be a double foot? Seems to me, if it is placed in the correct location, it will see minimal force applied to it.

I don't remember what the "bumper" guide is. If the bumper is the guide at 90 degrees, its load is only directed toward the blank, what you might call compression with respect to the foot, and I think any stout single foot guide could take it.

If I were trying to do what you are, getting good structure into the guides taking the most load, I would make all the first few guides from the reel double foot. Out until I felt they no longer needed to be double foot. I wouldn't like the illogical look of having a couple transitions from double to single or vice versa. ("for appearances sake") The lower on the rod the lower effect guide weight has on the performance of the rod.

Typically, the guides wrapped on the lower half of the rod not only handle the greatest load but are the most prone to getting snagged, banged, etc., and damaged due to the lower half of the blank being stouter and therefore less flexible. The guides take the beating in that case. For that reason, I usually go with double foot guides for the first few, including the Bumper Guide (even though the only load on it is directly back towards the blank). Just seems to make a sturdier set-up and any weight penalty is low enough on the rod that there is really no practical disadvantage.

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What is the intended use and what species of fish do you anticipate catching?

Thanks. Double it is for the 90° guide. Initial plan is for stripper, bumper and first bottom runner to be double foot. Then two or three of the stouter Fuji “belly” guide. KB series, I think. Then BLAGs to the tip.

Lance: not sure what I will use this rod for. I won the blank at the last ICRBE. I fish for bass, trout, walleye and crappie, in that order. The numbers on this blank rule out the last three. For bass fishing, I think this thing would be good for those giant sized deep crankbaits, very large topwaters, punching rigs, and maybe some lighter weight muskie lures. Those are guesses. I really don’t know. None of those applications are in the list of techniques I use.

Since you are using KB's, I'd just take KB's all the way out. Shape will all match. Using a mix of KB" and BLAG might look a little funny. If you use the KW's for the lower guides, all the shapes will match. And all will be the tangle-free design.

If you're going small on the guides matching is less important than it used to be. They just don't seem, with their small sizes, to attract much attention.

That sounds like a good blank for what you have described. It will work for pulling large fish out of weeds, lily pads and heavy cover. I would go with KB and KT 5s for runners and use a RV 6 or KW 8 or 10 for a stripper. I don't think a double foot bumper is necessary. For me it would be RV 6, followed by KB 5s and KT 5s on the tip section. Just try to keep the line as straight as possible with a spiral. If it were a medium to medium light action rod I would use 4s for runners.

Lance, do you mean a KR for a bumper, the 90 degree guide? If so, I think it is way too high. That guide should be as low as possible, IMO.

It should be super low. I usually bend whatever I use to get the ring right down almost against the blank.

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10-4 on Mr. Kirkman's comment. I first select a low guide for the bumper guide and then bend the foot/feet so that the ring essentially touches the blank. No reason t have it anywhere except tight against the blank.

Having only 4 years experience building rods, I certainly do not have as much experience as those replying above. Heck, four years ago I didn’t even know what a spiral-wrapped rod was. But I immediately realized the benefits, have become a huge proponent and have now built 8-9 spiral-wrapped rods for lighter (20lb) to heavy (80lb) saltwater use. I have not built a simple-spiral (0-90-180*) because I have found the 0-60-120-180* (although the actual degrees are much different) allows the line to travel in a straighter path. The “upper” and “lower” transition guides can be placed so that the line misses the blank by .060-.090in without the need for a bumper, 90* guide. Actually, with my more recent builds, my guides end up at approximately 20-140-160-180*. Granted, without a level-wind reel the line will want to stack on one side of the spool but that is what my thumb is for, even if the all the guides were on the top. My guide positioning may be a bit unorthodox but it has proven to be very effective. Hopefully veterans such as Tom, Roger, Michael and others are still following this topic and will comment; I am here to learn.

Mark Talmo
FISHING IS NOT AN ESCAPE FROM LIFE BUT RATHER A DEEPER IMMERSION INTO IT!!! BUILDING YOUR OWN SIMPLY ENHANCES THE EXPERIENCE.

Simple Spiral is 0 - 180. It allows for a near perfectly straight line path. Some will install a bump guide between the 0 and 180 (do not change the spacing of the 0 and 180) to keep the line from touching the blank.

There is a 0 - 90 -180 system but it is not the same as the 90 is part of the regular spacing. It doesn't have the same line path.

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What is the spacing going 0 to 180? And is the stipper guide placed as it would be on a conventional setup?

And do micro guides do well on a spiral?

On a Simple Spiral bass type rod, you set up the rod as a conventional type (all guides on top) and once the spacing is worked out you flip all but the butt guide to the bottom of the rod. The line travels direct from the single 0-degree guide down to the 180 degree guide with the line just rubbing the blank on one side. Generally the 0 and 180 guides are from 8 to 10 inches apart, just as they would be if you left all the guides on top.

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Thank you for clarifying that for me Tom. I really appreciate you guys here being willing to share your expertise with those 9f us just getting started.

Tom,
Thank you for your clarification as I was under the impression a “simple spiral” employed a 90* guide (maybe that is referred to as the “bumper spiral”). From your description, I may be producing a modified “simple spiral” by offsetting the “up and down” transition guides to avoid blank contact plus one or possibly two additional guides to smooth out the line flow. I may be old but not enough to quit learning. My method simply employs static guide placement, both loaded and unloaded, to achieve the straightest line path. As it turns out, the LOADED line travels a straighter path through the reduction/transition guides as compared to if the guides were all on top “conventionally”. UNLOADED, the line does not have to “turn any corners” as described with other spiral systems. Granted, this method requires more distance (rod length) to get the guides to the bottom as soon as possible to take full advantage of the spiral concept and its attributes, but rods over 6ft will benefit while longer = better. I am hoping for additional, veteran insight and comments.
Gary, I am sorry to step on your topic but maybe the veterans can enlighten all of us.

Mark Talmo
FISHING IS NOT AN ESCAPE FROM LIFE BUT RATHER A DEEPER IMMERSION INTO IT!!! BUILDING YOUR OWN SIMPLY ENHANCES THE EXPERIENCE.

What is called a Bumper Guide is part of the Simple Spiral if you do not want line to rub the blank, but the spacing of the 0 and 180 guides is the same whether you use a bumper guide or not. The Bumper Guide does not redirect, transition nor otherwise do anything with the line other than keep the line from rubbing the blank. Some builders use a wrap of finished thread in that location instead. Some have experimented with a band or ring around the blank in that location. These things all serve the same purpose but none changes the straight line path between the 0 and 180 guide.

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I use the simple spiral for my spiral rods and they cast great and handle the fish as they are supposed to. This may be nitpicking, but I don't see how a line can go from 0 degrees to 180 in a straight line without going through the center of the blank. What am I missing? Please clarify, Tom. thanks

I never said it could, nor did the article. In every case it has been stated that the line will pass to one side of the blank which is why some people put a bumper guide or thread wrap, etc., on the blank at that point. Still, it provides the straightest possible line path of nearly any spiral guide system.

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