Believing knowledge is the key, I'm hoping some will share their experience on what I saw. Watching a fishing show I couldn't help see this competitive angler's casting rod with a guide about 6-8 inches from reel. I could see the angle the line had, @30-40* from reel to fist guide. What say the pro's. Thanking all in advance.

The angle of the line coming off the reel to the line guide of the reel is for most of the time really big Yet the outfit casts well. First guide that close doesn't seem optimum, but give it a try before dismissing it. I'll put mine about 19 inches away because that has always worked well.

The first guide on most casting reels is the levelwind ring.

..............

Sometimes for flipping the first guide is placed close like that so as to strip a little more line off the reel to get a little longer flip but that does sound a little too close..

It's a flippin' setup. Likely Okuma.

You are correct with rod choice Lynn. What's you thought on it's positive or negative application.

You are correct with rod choice Lynn. What's you thought on it's positive or negative application.

I think the guide train is the same as it would be for any other casting rod, with the guide closest to the reel placed as an afterthought. (it's not really the stripper) It's there as a flippin' aid.

Jeffery if you are a flipper and want to understand a little on how this effects flipping distance, try this experiment.


Go out side with your flipping rod. flip like you normally do and note your distances.

Next
Grab line between stripper guide and next and flip as before.

What you will notice is that you will gain about 2 extra + feet of distance.
I build some of my flipping sticks with a stripper guide closer to the reel for this reason, further out hen your stated 6 inches, just close enough to reach past the first guide to grab line comfortably.

The closer to the reel you place guide the less increase in distance you will obtain.
Shared this info about 10 years ago in one of the seminars, maybe the guy from Okuma was listening

Okuma description, early on in video: [www.youtube.com]

I also tried this too many years ago to remember and thought it made for a sloppier flip the farther the guide got from the reel and to me one of the pluses of flipping was to get smooth quiet lure splash-down...this was more important than a little more distance so i didn,t bother with it..i was already getting a good 20' from a float tube which made it a little more difficult to get a quiet lure splash down to begin with..