I am building a American Tackle Bushido light saltwater 76 20/40 lb blank as a spinning rod, and am doing guide placement but have some question.

My reel for this rod is Daiwa Certate LT 5000, the spool lip diameter is 54mm. I spooled this reel with 30 lb Berkely X9 braid and tend to use 15~20 ft of 20 ~30 lb mono/floruo leader. This combo will be using on boat fishing yellowtail/small tuna in souther California casting light jigs/irons.

The guide I am using will be Fuji KW double foot guide. The system I am using is NGC. I am thinking of guide train with KW25, 20, 12, 8 to the tip.
Question : 1. When using NGC, do I need to follow bullseye configuration for the reduction chain?
2. Is my guide train sufficient enough for my intend application? I did try to align KW30 as stripper guide using NGC but when doing so the stripper guide needs to be placed less than 10 inches from the spool shaft which is really odd. By using KW25 the stripper can be placed farther out from the shaft/foregrip. I also tried to match bullseye configuration but it never works out for me... Don't know if NGC still needs to follow bullseye or it is just a KR concept thing.

TIA.

Louis,
The real Fuji Gurus, Jim Ising and Norman Miller, are at the Expo and may not be able to reply until they return. Give it time and hopefully one or both reply (I will follow your topic to learn myself).
That said, I will offer my perspective.
Whether using KR Concept, NGC, COF or any other guide placement method, it only seems logical for the reduction guides to form a bullseye. Minor deviations to achieve progressive spacing will likely be undetectable, but strive for that perfect bullseye.
Although preferring casting, when building a SPINNING SALTWATER rod, I try to utilize the benefits of the KR Concept; your 40lb rod may be pushing the limits. BUT, if using 30lb braid, as you implied, there is no reason a KR Concept could not be used; KL25H, 12H, 5.5M (although I would probably use a 6Lor 6M followed by 6s out to the tip top). While the single-foot KL-Hs are quite robust and would handle the strain of larger fish, the double-foot KWs are admittedly more resistant to rough handling and general abuse. Again, I am not as familiar with NGC as I am with KRC. That said, your proposed NGC reduction guides are pretty good albeit possibly too many sizes. I would think KW 25, 16, 8 might be better.
You may find that no matter where you place the KW butt guide, the line hits the top of the ring. Try to minimize it but don’t fret over it. The only other option is to employ a RV butt guide and appropriate KW12M and 10M transition guides. But hang onto your hat = the RV is very pricey.
That is my novice view and take on it all. But I welcome being enlightened by the veterans with more experience.

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

NGC has always followed the bullseye thing, KR is simply a faster reduction than NGC was. I found the most sucess with having at least a reduction of every other size worked best for me under most circumstances to start getting a good lineup from reel to stripper to choke guides. In your case I would try 25-16-10- etc.for best casting performance, have the top shot knot between the stripper and the next guide gives a much straighter, non snagging path for the knot. In your situation there is no way I would build the rod without first test casting, you have more than just NGC to worry about as far as performance. I've never had that much topshot on my reel on a spinning rod, you may have to go 30 mm for the best casting results.

The AT Light Saltwater blanks are excellent! I have a couple set up with the Microwave 25's - killer for inshore reef jigging for Ling Cod and Rockfish!

I don’t build many heavy duty NGC rods, but I agree with Spencer, bullseye the reduction train. You might get a better bullseye using KW25, KW20, KW10. However, I think a KW25 might be a little low, I might try a KW30L, KW20, KW10 to the size 8 runners.
Mark, I’m not attending the Expo this year, due to time conflicts.
Norm

I'll have to double check a couple rods in the shop, but I believe the last couple 'heavier' rods were KW30L, KW20, KW8 then 6 runners. The 8 spaced out and bullseyes better than the 10. I'll double check tomorrow and confirm.

Thanks for the input. Here's an update of my guide placement. The reel I have is Daiwa Certate LT 5000 CXH. The C stands for compact, so the body/gear side is a 4000 size but the spool is a 5000 size (54mm). When I align the spool tip and place the reduction guide's top of the frame along the imaginary spool tip line, I can get a KW25 stripper guide 21 inch from the spool tip, and a KW20 9 inch from the KW25, following a KW10 8 inch from the KW20. This also forms a perfect bullseye when looking down the reduction guide.

I may change the second guide (KW20) to a KW16, and the choke guide from KW10 to KW8 and have running guide all KW8 to the tip. I still cannot use KW30 as a stripper guide since this will place the KW30 only 14 inch away from the spool tip. I think this is mainly contribute to the compact body size of my reel.

Question:

Do I need to use KW30 in this case or the KW25 would be enough height?

Does stripper guide distance to the spool tip really need to be 19~23 ish inch range? Or shorter distance is also acceptable?

TIA again!

Sounds like you figured it out. I like placing the stripper some where from 19 to 23” in front of the spool. If the 25 works than use it. Take it out and test cast.
Norm