Hello All,

I'm attempting my first baitcast rod build. I'm building on NFC 7'3 X-Ray MH. I am using the Fuji Titianium torzite guides. I have the following sizes guides as I went off the Fuji KR Concept PDF sheet: (1) 10 double foot KW, (1) 5.5 double foot KW, (3) 5.5 KB, (5) 5.5 KT (1) Arowana Tip Top. My question is what should by distances be between the guides? Fuji does have a chart for baitcast builds. Any help would be greatly appreciated.

[www.rodbuilding.org] (KW-10 is a proper replacement for an RV-6 as a butt guide)



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 09/06/2021 07:00PM by Lynn Behler.

Jpdj. for the butt guide, I'd look to put it 20 - 21" from the face of the reel. I just measured a rod I have built on an MB 736 X ray blank, and I have the butt guide (a KW 10) 21"from the face of the reel. The reel is a Curado 200 K. As for the rest of your guides, I can't really say as I don't use that combination of guides. I'm old school and use 3 double foot guides for the reduction train. And I only say reduction train, because they are progressively smaller guides. Something you don't really have to do on a casting rod.

Be that as it may, I use the 3 double foot guides because they carry a little extra height further down the blank, and I suspect that doing so results in using probably one less guide than I'd have to use if I used the combination that you mentioned. I can't say that for sure because I have never used any other combination of guides, but logic would seem to confirm my suspicions. Anyhow .... just for an idea of the guide spacing I have on the rod I referenced earlier, I have the second guide (a KW 8) 8 1/4" from the butt guide. I have the third guide (a KW 6) 7 1/4" from the second guide, and my fourth guide (a KB 5) 4 5/8" from the third guide. The rest I place using the 2 line static load method. My running guides are KT 5s.

I have 11 guides total plus the tip top on the rod. I used the Fuji T2 guides on my build.

And this is just me thinking out loud, but you may find you need one more running guide. It just depends on how closely you want the line to follow the curve of the blank, and if you mind the line touching the blank in between guides, or not. Personally, I don't like the line to touch the blank and I like the path of the line to match the curve of the blank pretty closely when the rod is fully loaded, so it means I may use 1 or 2 more running guides than someone else might.

Josh,
You are a better man than me = that’s an expensive guide train! Lynn, David and Norman (link) offer good solid advice. I especially like Norman’s suggestion of a spiral wrap!!!

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

Awesome. Thanks for the help and suggestions.