Hi all,, new builder here, only have a couple builds done .. What determines the size of the first and maybe second guide ( from the butt ) on a baitcaster ... Fresh water bass ,,, tatula ct or revo for reels... Is there a rule of thumb or could someone point me to some literature that might help me ??? I used guide kits on the first two but now would like to think it out a bit more ... Thank you ,, Mychael

Nothing really, the first guide your line encounters is on the reel, what size is that one? Personally I want my first guide to have some height to it, but there are many ways to get there.

Tons of resources out there, Mychael. Good understanding of what you are trying to accomplish can be studied at [www.anglersrsource.net]. Read about the "New Guide Concept", the "KR Concept" and "Static Loading" for a good foundation of the basics. Become a student of those three ideas and you will never need a placement chart again.

The size and the type of line, even the expected ambient temperature should be considered in selecting guide sizes.

[www.rodbuilding.org]

For all my bass and inshore casting rods, my rule of thumb is to use a Fuji KW10 or RV6 as the stripper placed 19 to 21" in front of the reel. The stripper is then followed by a KW5.5. I then use 2 or 3 KB runners in the mid section of the rod followed by KT runners to the tipntop. I normally use size 5 or size 4.5 runners. The reason for the KW10 or RV6 is that they are at the proper height off the blank to help prevent any line slap. That's the way I do and it works great.
Norm

If you fish in cold weather an have line freeze up , you might want to use guides on the larger size , not the smaller size , just a "" IDEA ""

William Sidney
AK