I bought two NFC blanks at the show yesterday, an 8 and a 10 weight. I've never built a fly rod before and want to use single foot guides instead of snake guides. I'm going to order an Alps reel seat and Alps guides and was thinking about 20 and 16 TIMXN strippers with single foot casting/spinning guides but not sure of the size for the running guides, thinking about an 8 and the rest 6's. Am I close? I also bought some NFC carbon fiber grips and fighting butts. Thanks, Mick

I have fished an 8 for years with a 16-12 first two guides and think it works fine. I suggest using single foot wire fly guides instead of ceramic ring guides, if that's what you're considering. Lighter, will give a faster response from the rod. The running guides can all be the same size, and 8's seem big. I'll let the fly experts suggest the size.

Been building flyrods for some time now, and I have several points of bias where the components are concerned. First, Snake Brand has the absolute best snake guides in the industry, bar none! Their feet are even contoured to fit the curvature of the blank, a feature on which they have the patent. As for single foot versus snake guides, I am extremely prejudiced in favor of snake guides. They flex with the blank and are extremely light-weight. I have built flyrods with single-foot guides, but I won't fish with them! Got a 6-wt I built especially for fishing Puget Sound beaches for Sea-run Cutthroats, but I leave it at home and take my 5-wt with snake guides - casts and feels better to me.

As for the stripper guides, I would only use one on the 8-wt, a 16, then go to the single (or snake) guides. I would use a 16 and a 12 on the 10-wt.

Another consideration - handles. I would use fighting butts on both of these rods. This can be either a permanent or a removable, but for these weight rods, I would use permanent. For 6-wts, I use removable so you have the option. NFC has a carbon fiber weave handle and fighting butts that work perfectly with their blanks, I am building two NFC Flyrods at the moment, using their handles. Extremely lightweight, and the foam insert in the carbon fiber is very high-tech, transmitting vibrations much better than cork ever did!

Good luck on your builds.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 02/27/2022 10:11PM by Richard Bowers.

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Mick,
My $0.02.

A myth: That snake guides "flex" with the blank. Think about that statement. A single foot guide has one attachment point. A snake guide has two connection points.
So, how does a snake guide flex with the blank better than a s/f??? Adding that the SnakeBrand guides are very stiff, compared to REC Recoil snakes - it's just the opposite.

IMO, the only advantage of a snake guide is that it is easier to thread the fly line due to its open sides.

Snakebrand guides are good. But, contrary to Company statements - the feet have to be prepped. Doing so will expose the stainless under the chrome or ECO coating - and they WILL stain your wraps unless scrupliously cleaned after used in salt water.

IMO - REC Recoil single foot guides are the best choice. The Nickel Titanium wire will never discolor or corrode.

I will use Snakebraod on stiffer blanks. The only NFC fly blank I ever "wiggled" was kind of soft So, unless they became stiffer, I would go with the REC Recoils for that reason alone.
Herb

Thanks for all the input gents!!!

I have used both REC snakes and Alps SS single foot wire guides on my fly rods and see no difference in casting performance. The REC's look like new after many years of use in salt, but so do the SS Alps;both were rinsed after each day on the water. Any new builds destined for salt will have REC guides and tianium Alps for the first two guides. The original post asked about size, but I see no answer yet. I cannot remember what sizes my running guides have been.

I like the permanent fighing butts on my 8"s, don't have to worry about them coming off or getting lost. I see no advantage in removable ones.

Michael,
Thanks for reminding me re guide sizes.

The #10 I havew used both #16 and #20 for stripper. I would use a #20 and then a #16 for the 2nd guide. manyyeasr ago I used to use 3 ceramic guides - stripper and 2 after the stripper.
Then I began to install only the stripper and one other ceramic.
Now I'm back to 3 ceramic guides - and then REC S/F guides and an REC Recoil tip-top.
I do't think the added weight that far down on the blank will make any difference. There are some very good casters who swear that friction is a consideration in casting. i.e Paul Arden fom Sexyloops for one.
I can't abide ceramics for all guides on a fly rod - but 3 down low is O.K.

Speake to me next year and I may be back to just 2 ceramics. I have savy friends who are better casters than I who just use the Stripper in ceramic and the rest wire. So go figure It all works.

For the runners on the #10: I would use a #5 then # 4's alll the way.
For the #8 Same #5, one #4, The rest #3's
Important to use an REC Recoil tip-top for the weight savings.
Herb

I only build fly rods and have for many years, so here's my input. I would go with 16 & 12 strippers on both rods. Then single foot Alps wire guides the rest of the way. This is a good combination of quailty components.

Thanks guys!!!

I have built and repaired rods for many years but have rarely encountered guides with concave feet. This may be because the epoxy or lacquer finish over (and beneath) the rod wrappings fills the space between the guide foot and the rod blank to create a perfectly-fitted cushion between blank and guide foot?



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 03/03/2022 06:27PM by Phil Ewanicki.