I'm building a spinning rod for 17# mono using the NGC system for spacing. I'm a little confused. when I use the online Anglers resource guide placement soft ware it says the 3rd guide should be a 7H. Is it ok to use 5.5 for the choker and runners? Do you think they are too small or should I go with the #10 choker and running guides?

Thanks

You should never go bigger on you choke and running guides then what your transition guides are. I use 7 mm runners on rods with that size mono, but on the ones I build that is usually the minimum size line.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 07/20/2021 10:25PM by Spencer Phipps.

I have built st 902-2 for steelhead, I use 5.5 works great.

There can be a considerable line stiffness between 10 lb line and 17 lb and no mention was made about how his terminal connections would be made, so there could be a knot involved. I also went in my mind to the SA 905, which is by far the most popular salmon rod I build, and a 10 - 30 lb line rod, the reason I mentioned 17 lb line as my lightest line selection. You can probably go 5.5, but from a repair and knot point of view, you probably won't notice the difference in balance, a knot will pass a bit better, and a 6mm guide will be a bunch easier to find if you need one for a repair.
Winter steelhead and now stiffer line in cold weather, I'd go with a 7 mm runner again. Factory rods also have 7mm runners in this line class for that reason.

I have never been able to understand the NGC GPS, doesn’t make a lot of sense to me. In contrast, the KR GPS is quite understandable, and for the most part gives good data. For the rod you are building you could use either concept. However, since you will be using 17# mono, you might be better off with the NGC. If you are using a 4000 size spinning reel, then the ‘traditional’ reduction train would consist of a size 30Y stripper followed by a 16Y, 10Y, and a 8Y low (or 8V). After the reduction train you ‘traditionally’ use either size,7L or 6L guides as the running guides. This is a traditional layout and there is no reason why you couldn’t used size 5.5 guides as runners. The stripper will be placed somewhere between 21 and 23” in front of of the spool and the choke guide about 32 to 36” in front of the stripper. For a KR concept, you could use a reduction train consisting of KL25H, KL12H, KL6L, and then use 5.5 KB/KT runners. The stripper will be about 21 to 22” in front of the spool and the choke about 25 to 29” in front of the stripper. These distances are variable and can be moved in or out depending on the line flow angles and static testing.
Norm