I would like to know what the minimum distance of the stripping guide from the butt end on a 3pc 5wt fiberglass rod can be and does it really make a difference ? TIA



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 10/06/2019 09:02PM by ron zimmerman.

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Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 10/06/2019 09:44PM by roger wilson.

Right now the stripping guide is 17" from the butt and it's 7"s to the first guide . Will this impact anything or should I take the stripper off and relocate it . The rod is in the CP stage right now . TIA

You want the guide as far away as you can and still reach comfortably for the line when dropped.

Distance stripper vs end of Grip (top) is 20" on most rod’
I Go as low as 10" and never pass 21".
On a fiberglass #5 15" to 18" should be fine (at least for me).

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Eric
[www.emfishing.fr]

When I first learned how to build a fly rod, A custom rod builder who was also a fly rod tournament caster told me that he placed his fly rod in his casting arm and formed a right angle with his casting arm. He then reached up with his other arm and marked the place on the rod being built with his hand. That mark lets you determine the distance. I have followed that process for the sixty years I have been building fly rods and I have never found any problems. I also tape the guides on and test cast the rod and move the stripping guide an inch or so in either direction to see if the distance I cast is affected.

There may be some mathematical formula for this process, but I am quite satisfied with the results I get so I am satisfied with how I determine distance where I place the stripping guide.

Mike Blomme

Spence and Michael are right on IMHO. Placing it closer to the butt compromises one's ability to load the rod by using the line.

Put the stripping guide 32 inches from the butt. This will hold true for any length or line weight fly rod.

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Many accomplished fly casters form a circle with the thumb and forefinger of their stripping hand with the line passing through it for their first " taming guide". This allows more leeway in the placement of the first rod guide. If the fly angler doesn't cast any farther than 40' the guide placement isn't very critical.

I think a fiberglass fly rod that bends more into the butt should have the stripper closer to the butt to distribute the load. Also short length rods intended for small streams usually entails short arm movements for casting and stripping. My 4-5 weight fiberglass rods ranging in length 7’, 7’4” and 7’9”!have their strippers around 26” from the butt. These are with down locking reel seats that puts the reel further back than an uplocker and at least for me my hand tends to be closer to the butt while casting. I would tape it on then do some test casting and stripping line to see what feels good to you.

Put the stripping guide 32 inches beyond the butt. End of story. 32 inches. Period.

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Thanks Tom .

Thanks Tom .

My Barclay Synthesis 7’9” 4-5 weight parabolic fhas the stripper placed at 26.25 inches from the butt. My Lamiglas 7’4” 4 weight cut, ferruled and built out by Fred Paddock has the stripper at 27”. Both of these rods cast very well. The Lamiglas will load and cast with barely any fly line out of the tip.

With that said many fiberglass fishers and builders tend to follow classic traditions such as Ritz, Leonard and others.

Now my LL Bean Double L 8’ 6 weight built on a Fisher fiberglass blank has the stripper right at 32”. It has an uplocking seat with a small rubber “fighting” butt . It cast fine too but I wouldn’t consider it a small stream rod and it has a much stronger butt than my other fiberglass fly rods.

For a typical 5 weight I don’t think you can go wrong from 28 to 32 inches from the butt.

Tom, how about ending the story with an elaboration on why 32" is the magic number. For regular casting and double haul? It turns out that that dimension is where I put mine, but it's based on my arm length and casting habits.

The stripper placement on a fly rod, has more to do with the ability to strip in line with the off hand, then with casting. This is especially true with lighter weight rods used for small to medium sized fish. Being able to strip longer lengths with the guide well up the rod is important when fighting fish that are not "on the reel." It also enables you make longer strips when retrieving line for another cast.

The length of the rod has nothing to do with stripper guide placement. Sort of like choke guide placement on any New Guide Concept rod. It all depends on reel, line and butt guide. Rod length is of no consequence.

All the stuff about holding the rod with your casting arm at 90 degrees and then reaching up with your other hand and seeing where it reaches the blank, and locating the guide there, originated with the book I wrote for Amato Publications. It was fine, and works, but in the end and with further testing, 32 inches from the butt is as good as you're going to do. Trial and error has pretty much settled on 32 inches as the ideal, all around distance. In fact, if you were to take every commercially made fly rod available today and average the location of the butt - stripping guide, it's going to come in at roughly 32 inches.

Put your fly rod stripping guide at 32 inches from the butt and go fishing.

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A fly rod is not only designed to cast, it should fish to.
Some techniques need another location for the stripper.
If at 32" it’s to far for me as I can reach it easily to grab my line when fishing’
On euro Nymph rod it’s way too far too as it don.t prevent the line from coming down when you fish with tip up.

But I aigre in most cases and for most people 32" is fine’

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Eric
[www.emfishing.fr]

Thanks, Tom.