Is there someone I could call and discuss my setup for my spiral wrap steelhead rod? It’s 11 1/2’ long, medium power. I have the first guide at ~20” from the bait casting reel, set at 0, next guide is about 4.5” at ~ 60*, next guide another 4.5 inches up at ~120* and the last guide at 180*, 14” up from the first guide. I placed the remaining guides where they need to be. Took it out to cast and I am not getting the distance I would have thought….maybe 25 yards. No line slap on the spiral guides and no line touching the bank anywhere. Moved the guides around a little and didn’t see any noticeable increase or decrease in casting distance. I would really like to talk to someone that has built a spiral wrapped rod to make sure I am setting this up correctly.
Thanks,
Dave

What are your guide ring sizes, how many are you using and what kind are they? Also, what size / type line are you using? 0, 20, 60, 180 set up doesn't have to be exact 20 degrees and 60 degrees. You want to create a straight line path from the 0 to the 180. It sounds like your spacing is off. How far is the stripper guide (closest guide to the reel) from the reel face?

What type and size line are you using?

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Using mono line, 12#. The stripper guide is 19” from the reel face. The stripper guide is a 12, then two 10’s and finally an 8. The runner guides are 8 as well. He wanted the 8’s to help with guide freeze up. I think I have 10 or 11 running guides. The spiral setup is ~0, 60, 120, 180 degrees, give or take. The entire spiral is completed in 14”. The rod is 11 1/2’ long, medium power. When I did the cast test I got roughly 25 yards, maybe a touch more, no line slap and the line is not touching the bank anywhere.
I appreciate the help!

You may be fine. Try setting the rod up in a standard guides-on-top configuration, cast it again and see how much distance you get. If you still only get about 25 or so yards, then there is no issue. Some spiral wraps may shave a hair off of the casting distance, but it shouldn't be much at all. That 25 yards may be all that blank is going to do with that line and casting weight, regardless of guide set-up.

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Those large runners are slowing the rod..isn,t there some !ind of spray to keep ice from forming on guides..also if icing how can you casters for distance anywayn especially frozen monos

maybe just go ice fishing..lol.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 04/28/2022 05:32PM by ben belote.

I agree with Ben. My set up Has the largest guide at 6mm with 10lbs mono. A 12mm will work if you are needing the height. I would recommend a Fuji KW 12, KB 6 and the rest KB 5.5s and KT 5.5s to the tip with a 6mm tip top to help pass leader knots/small swivel. Guide brands that are similar in height will work also. Your stripper is also too close to the reel, try it at 21” or 22” from the reel face. You have a lot of rod at 11.5’ so use it. I am not a believer of transition as soon as you can from the top to the bottom, I believe the straighter the line is, the farthest it will cast. Bend the tip of your rod down to about 90°, mark the major bend or arc in the blank, then make a mark about 3” to 4” behind that toward the butt. This is the farthest point from the reel where your 180° guides should be placed. If you are at 180° before that you are alright. On a rod that length I would use 13 guides with the first guide from the tip at 4” and the stripper guide (guide closest to the reel) 21” to 22” from the reel face. If you are not getting a lot of flex in that part of the rod then go out to 22”. If you can measure the stripper from the tip and the first guide from the tip (4”) I can give you spacing to use. I sent you an email so you can contact me.

Thank you for your time on the phone this afternoon Lance. I really appreciate your help and time!

All the above info is great. Please look at back posts about the KG wrap. It's the one I settled on after trying several others. What ever you decide you'll enjoy..

What size reel are you using?
Tom's advice is spot on, may not be the set-up.
I usually use a stripper guide that will take the line off the reel smoothly, so a sz 16 sounds about right.
And, stripper on the 0 axis might work better.
Maybe space out a little farther, and use the same size transition guides as the runners.
Also, I like something like 6-7" between stripper and each transition and then to the first 180 runner.
Then space as needed after that.
Hope this helps,

Best wishes,
Ron Schneider
Schneider's Rod Shop
Mountain Home, Arkansas
[www.schneidersrods.com]
mtnron40@yahoo.com
870-424-3381

After speaking with Lance, I increased the spiral spacing and that made a world of difference. Getting 43 yards now which is almost double the distance!! Never would have thought it would be that drastic of a change. Thanks for everyone’s reply and help!

NICE JOB! Lance!

Good stuff LAnce! So instead of fourteen inches to complete the spiral your using twenty two..we all learned something today..Thanks!

Wow, I wasn't sure that it would make that big of a difference. I think if his client would let him use a bit smaller guides he would even get more distance.

I just wanted to thank everyone for the assistance with the spiral wrap. The guy I made it for was very happy with the performance and even sent me pics of three steelhead he caught with it yesterday. I learned a lot on this build and again, thank you all for your help.
Dave