Tom answered a question in this months magazine about guide sizing. I have seen this discussion before, but I will be teaching guide placement to a class next week. Tom makes an exceptional argument for using the same sized guides. This makes sense to me for fly rods, casting rods, and spin cast rods. Not so much for spinning rods.

I personally prefer to use two or three different sizes on a fly rod (depending on the rod weight) just for aesthetic reasons.

So any other ideas or thoughts?

I don't know if it makes any difference in casting distance - I do like the aesthetics better with a "straight" path for the line. i.e graduated guide sizes. Looks strange to me when the line, under load from a fish on, takes an abrupt turn.
Also - it seems to me to be counter intuitive not to have a straight path using graduated guide sizes. I have used both - mostly I use the graduated approach 95% of the time on my personal rods.
Regards,
Herb

If you've ever shot American trap you'll know there is a never ending debate as to whether #8 1/2, #8, or #7 1/2 shot size is best of 16 yard singles targets. I think a similar debate is on-going for guide sizes. I've built fly rods as Tom K suggests, I've used manufacturers' suggested sizes, I've used Tom Morgan's suggested sizes and others that do not come immediately to mind. While I now am in Tom K's camp (minimal number of different sizes) and Tom Morgan's camp using the smallest sizes to get the job done (large enough to easily rig the rod and no more), my experience has been that any rod performance difference is in the margins.

Read this article by Tom K: [www.rodbuilding.org] . And this article by Tom K. [www.rodbuilding.org] . I have been using this concept for 10 years or more. Once I get the guide placement close, I always static test the rod. I use a different method for this than Tom does. I put the reel on the rod, and run the fishing line through the guides. Holding the line in my hand, I flex the rod, and look at the arc of the rod blank, and line. You may simply be able to move a guide or 2, or have to add a guide. You want the line to match the arc of the blank as close as possible. Good luck on your rod building class.

Mike Bradfrod
R.M.B. Fishing Rods
Nampa, Idaho

Using the line through the guides to arc the rod, is not as precise as using the tip only weighted! As using the tip to deflect the rod produces the rods natural arc, whereas using the line through the guides, gives you and arc produced by the guides. They will be close, but not usually exactly the same, especially true fly rods as the guides are below the blank.

Phil Erickson Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Using the line through the guides to arc the rod,
> is not as precise as using the tip only weighted!
> As using the tip to deflect the rod produces the
> rods natural arc, whereas using the line through
> the guides, gives you and arc produced by the
> guides. They will be close, but not usually
> exactly the same, especially true fly rods as the
> guides are below the blank.

My approach is to do exactly as you recommend for a couple of reasons, the first is as you said, the second is I don't want to pull the guides off by bending, so I weight the tip top and run line through the guides to check the arch.

John,
Another way to check the line run through the guides when the guides are just taped to the rod, is to run the line through the guides and tip top and then hold the tip against the ceiling and load the rod by lifting the rod handle to arc the rod. You will get the rod blank nicely loaded with essentially 0 stress on the guides or tip top and you will be able to easily see how the line is running through the guides and to see if the guide setup is correct to insure that the blank is properly loaded.

Take care

John Wright Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Phil Erickson Wrote:
> --------------------------------------------------
> -----
> > Using the line through the guides to arc the
> rod,
> > is not as precise as using the tip only
> weighted!
> > As using the tip to deflect the rod produces
> the
> > rods natural arc, whereas using the line
> through
> > the guides, gives you and arc produced by the
> > guides. They will be close, but not usually
> > exactly the same, especially true fly rods as
> the
> > guides are below the blank.
>
> My approach is to do exactly as you recommend for
> a couple of reasons, the first is as you said, the
> second is I don't want to pull the guides off by
> bending, so I weight the tip top and run line
> through the guides to check the arch.

Roger,
Great idea. Only problem is that the ceilings in the room I am using to teach the class is about 15'. So unless we are building spey or switch rods, that option is out. Not so in my home shop and it will work great there. Thanks.