Hello all,
I'm a hobby builder who occasionally posts on here and I was poking around this forum for info on choices of rod guide sizes for a 6wt fiberglass fly rod. I'm actually building a blue halo 6wt and have a epic 686 rod also in line.

One question I have is, both manufacturers recommend only one stripping guide, a size 12, but I've seen some on here recommend for a 6wt fly rod doing a 16 and then a 12. Thoughts?

Second question is, Epic recommends using two 1/0 size guides at the very end of their rod. Normally I use snake brand guides, but I'd like to try REC recoil guides as I head they're lighter. If Epic recommends the 1/0 guides, can I just do more size 1 in the REC? It seems the REC recoils only go down to size 1.

Any thoughts or other info would really help me out.

There is only one stripping guide on any fly rod - it's the first one past the reel.

So I'm guessing you're talking about the use of one versus two ceramic ringed guides. The reason for that is because under heavy load, it is the lower 3rd of the rod that carries that load. So you'd naturally want the strongest and slickest guides on that section. Frankly, with a 6-weight I don't think you're going to see a tremendous amount of difference one way or the other. However, I'd most likely use a couple of ceramic ringed guides. Any additional weight in a ceramic vs a snake or wire guide that far back on the rod isn't going to result in much of anything detrimental.

.........

Oh ok good to know. That's helpful. I won't sweat it then. Thanks for the info.

Any thoughts on my second question?
Second question is, Epic recommends using two 1/0 size guides at the very end of their rod. Normally I use snake brand guides, but I'd like to try REC recoil guides as I head they're lighter. If Epic recommends the 1/0 guides, can I just do more size 1 in the REC? It seems the REC recoils only go down to size 1.

No reason to use a size 16 on a 6wt, its overkill. Go with the 12.

Also no reason to have your next guide past the stripper the same style as the stripper on a 6wt. Like Tom said, there will not be that heavy of a load on a 6wt to need it.

While I am a big fan of Snake Brand Guides, the REC Recoils are a quality guide and since their smallest is a 1, it will work just fine. I would also only use 3 sizes of guides, 12, 2, then all 1's out to the tip top. There is no need to taper the sizes down with more than 3 changes in size, the line will flow much better on the cast when you use the least amount of changes in size, with also using the smallest size that will pass any knots or connections on the line/leader to keep excess weight off the blank.

Daren,
REC Recoil do only go down to a size 1 in the single foot guides. But down to 1/0 in the RSNX snake configuration. They go down to 4/0 in the light wire RSN.
But I always use the RSNX
Herb

Daren, just for giggles tape on four ceramics, all #6BLAGs...ceramics are so smooth the line easily flies through..you don,t need anything bigger on the butt..it,s just added weight..