I'm starting a build of a 10' 3wt CTS Affinity X (thanks to Herb for turning me on to CTS!) with 12 guides including the striper. I was using a guide placement calculated from Jim Cooper (thanks Jim!) to get me started in the rough placement and then fine tune from there. My question is when I set up the guides using Jim's spreadsheet, it puts 5 guides in section 1 (top), then 3 guides in section 2, followed by 4 guides in section 3. Given that this is my first 10' build I was wondering if this looks right to those who have built 10' euro nymph rods. I'm use to having fewer or equal number of guides in section 3 than section 2 but given this is a 10' blank I guess the numbers speak for themselves.

The rough placements in inches are:
1 - 3.75
2 - 8.125
3 - 13.25
4 - 18.875
5 - 25.25
--- Ferrule 1 @ 27.25 ----
6 - 32.25
7 - 39.875
8 - 48.25
--- Ferrule 2 @ 52.750 ---
9 - 57.25
10 - 66.875
11 - 77.125
12 - 88
--- Ferrule 3 @ 100 ---


Mike

Mike

Two thoughts, the first of which is the answer to the guide numbers and locations question can have more than one correct answer.

Secondly, the acid test to determine the optimal locations to distribute fish fighting stress is static load testing.

Twelve guides for a 10' Euro nymph rod strikes me as one too many, but that's just me.

The rod doesn't care whether it's casting a euro nymph or a tootsie roll - only weight. The rod doesn't even care about wind resistance. The instant you release the line the rod has no more influence on the cast than the Dow Jones Industrial Average affects that cast. Line speed matters. Wind resistance matters. But neither can be bought or sold.

Don - it seems for euro nymph rods 12 guides is not unusual. I will definitely adjust the final position.

Phil - for euro nymphing you really don’t do a cast it’s more of a flip of the line that you have out which is 20-25 feet.

Thanks

Mike: Thanks for the information. It makes the guide train of a euro nymph rod even less important to its function - approaching zero in importance.

Phil - overall I agree. Just odd seeing more guides in section 3 than 2.

Look at the SAGE rod blanks page and they give guide location recommendations. 12 guides is not an issue.

Mike,
While admittedly more “in-tune” with spin and casting rods, I don’t think it matters for your particular question. Assuming the sections are the same length, it is very easy and understandable if one section has more guides than another, even if further toward the tip. If the guides are at or very close to the ends of a section, that section could very easily have, say, 4 guides. The next section (toward the butt in this case) will inherently space the end two guides away from the ends and closer to the center of the section and therefore require only, say, 3 guides. Make sense? One way or the other, the 2-line static load test will determine the final positions of the guides.

Mark Talmo
FISHING IS NOT AN ESCAPE FROM LIFE BUT RATHER A DEEPER IMMERSION INTO IT!!! BUILDING YOUR OWN SIMPLY ENHANCES THE EXPERIENCE.

David - yes I’ll look at the ESN guide spacing. Thanks

10' Fly Rod, typically 11 guides, that includes the stripper.

Look up how to do a "static load test". The object is to have the guides placed so that as the blank is put under a load (and bent) the line will run parallel to the blank. You can use any guide placement chart as a starting point. Tape the guides on, run a fly line thru them, put the blank under a load and look at how the line follows the path of the blank, adjust spacing on guides as needed. You'll probably find that 11, maybe 12 guides will be needed. On fly rods, Progressive Taper blanks, as you move down from the tip top, the spacing between guides increases proportionally, somewhat, depends on how Progressive the taper is. The only time I have seen this different is when dealing with a Parabolic or Semi Parabolic Fiberglass blank, those blanks did have an extra guide placed lower down the rod, either in the mid or butt section (these were 3 piece blanks), if it was removed, the rod actually casted terrible.

I've built a bunch of CTS Euro nymph blanks out. On the 10 footers, 11 guides worked fine, the 10.5 and 11ft models, 12 was the ticket.

As in Euro nymphing you are not "casting" line through the guide train, it is only important the the train distributes the stress while playing the fish. A stress test is the best way of determining correct placement!

For a light weight 10ft Euro rod, 12 guides is very likely called for by the stress test.

I did the static test and used the Proof Fly Rod 3 wt 10’ as a starting point with a few adjustments on the lower guides 10 & 11 to redistribute the load. So far everything looks good.

Interesting discussion on Euro rods. Just measured the guide spacing on my 1st gen Orvis Recon 10' 3wt. There are 11 guides plus tip. The nymphing rod spacing difference from a standard rod is the stripping guide is closer to the grip.
The Recon stripper is 92" from the tip and mounted on the butt section. My Cortland 10' 6" has the stripper on the butt section as do most Euro rods. It's to help prevent line sag. I don't find any problem casting a 4wt WF floating line to throw dries or a dry/dropper rig when that opportunity presents. Just tossing it out as something to consider.

I find that a lousy day for the DOW or S&P 500 most certainly can affect how I am casting, along with how much I might be drinking, which can also influence casting.

Hello all. First time on the forum. Getting ready to build my first Euro nymph rod- CTS blank. Appreciate the info on number of guides and spacing. Curious about guide SIZES for a Euro rod. Any feedback is appreciated.