I build a lot of UL to Medium spinning rods, most will never see more than 8# mono as the most challenging line to cast, and lot's of light braid.

Do many of you guys run a set up with a butt guide, single transition guide, and all runners from there? I still use size 6 runners, just easier to work with building and for my eyes fishing as well. I have been playing with some of the new tangle free style guides - TiForged by American Tackle. With the lower frame style I can run 20-12-6 and it's casting really well - almost surprising myself - and it's nice and light, and super simple.

Any set up like this you guys have found to work well?

I have done one spinning rod with a two guide reduction train as you mention, did it for my fanatic son, and it fishes very well. He has never commented on the guide setup. He uses 15 pound test braid, I think.

Now my spin rods are all done with three guide reduction train, Fuji KLH set up per the software on the Anglersresource.net site, and they all work perfectly "right out of the box."

With the lines you mention I think just about any guide setup will work well.

For really light line, sure. The first running guide is the choke guide so in effect you have a butt guide, a transition guide, then choke/running guides. Smaller, lighter line is generally so supple you don't need to string out a bunch of transition guides. You can get it as good as you can get it within those first three guides. Try some set-ups and you'll see what you will see. And remember, if it works, then it works.

...........

Thanks Michael and Tom! I love that line Tom - if it works, then it works. So right.

Marc,
Try a test setup with a size 16 first guide and then just run size 6 or 5 to the tip. When doing this, just leave at least a foot between the 1st and 2nd guide and you will be good to go. When running braid, or mono up to 6 lbs, that setup will work well.

Take care

Was just testing the same thing for light spinning that I use 6-10 lb braid on. Testing a 16-8-5’s I am not seeing much difference, but I am certainly not a distance caster these days. The 16 and 8 were cerecoil double foot as that is what I had on hand.

Figured I would research the wisdom before epoxy became involved

Edit: maybe not the same, was looking at using med-low casting strippers for a more compact layout. The ultralight braid seems to not care, unlike flouro



Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 01/20/2023 07:08PM by Tim Scott.

Not to hijack but still on topic - what about a 7'2 light rod for drop shot/ned rig? Mostly braid and sometimes braid to 6-8 Pound fluorocarbon.

I've heard the American Tackle microwave system is the simplest to lay out and effective in its intention, but if I could get away with a 2 gide reduction then there would be a little reduction in weight - and depending on static test maybe more so if the guides space out to less than a microwave set up.

How do you determine guide size (especially the first 2/3?

Building rods in MA, Building the community around the world

With spinning setups the way you determine the first few guides is by reel specs and what line you plan to use . The reel will reveal what height the guides should be and the line will determine what size rings you should go with .

I’ve built several UL rods using SeaGuide HLG match guides in size 12 and 6 (and sometimes 5) for the reduction train, and size 5 (or 4) MKG running guides. Makes a very light guide train which casts extremely well using light braid or mono on a size 1000 reel. The height of the HLG12 is 31 mm and the HLG6 is 18 mm, they are almost the same height as the AmTac TS20 and TS12 guides, but much lighter. The ID of the ring for the MKG5 runners is almost as large as the ID of ceramic size 6 runners. Very simple and very light.

PS - Although I haven’t done so, you could do the same thing using AmTac TS12H, and TS6H (or TS5.5M), or Fuji KLH, or SeaGuide XOGH guides in the same sizes for the two guide reduction train.

Norm



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 01/20/2023 04:13PM by Norman Miller.

Awesome thanks! Quick question, like everything in fishing size 1000 is different for every company. Would happen to have measurements on that? I just got a Pflueger Supreme XT for Christmas size 30 - but when I looked at the reviews people said they ran small - holding it I think I'd agree but my newest one before that is a 7 year old cheap size 3000 that holds 200 more yards of 8# mono.

Would a static test tell me if a 2 guide train would work with that reel? What exactly should I look for?

Building rods in MA, Building the community around the world

el
yeah ya would think that pflueger size 30 would be a 3000 size but thats not the case. Their 30 size are more like daiwa 2000 size and shimano 2500. i do think pflueger offers a good bang for the buck tho

I’m not sure how a Pflueger size 30 reel would compare to a 1000 size reel, but I assume it is a size or two larger. I haven’t tried this 12H, 6H two guide reduction train using a reel larger than a size 1000 Shimano. Thus, I really don’t know how it would perform with a larger reel. Line path, static testing and test casting would certainly give some information.
Norm

Just as a something I learned fairly recently, and a good to know kind of thing. Shimano 2500 series reels actually have a slightly more than 2 mm larger spool lip diameter, than their 3000 series reels. The larger line capacity of the 3000 series is a result of a smaller diameter section of the spool that the line wraps around. That and the distance between the lip and the skirt of the spool are slightly longer on the 3000 series.

Both series use the same size reel body