Curious if anyone one has any standard on when they transition to double foot guides vs singles. I've been distance casting 3/4oz to 1 1/2oz lures on a spinning rig for 3 years and nearly every guide has cracking on finish (thread master) at end of guide foot, and diagonally across wrap. Is this in indication that I should make the move to double foot? Rod is capable of doing over 110yrds with a 1 oz spoon.

With double foot guides you'll just have twice as much cracking, one on each foot.

Generally, other than very heavy power rods I use a combination - dbl foots on the bottom half and single foots on the upper half, or at least on whatever length is beyond the real power in the rod.

There is no such thing as a "modern" line guide. I wish there was. Guides trail blank development by at least 25 years.

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Tom, has any manufacturer tried spring steel guide feet? Is that even a viable solution?

If the guide has any steel in it, then it's not a solution. Been a long, long time since anybody made rod blanks from steel, or even aluminum.

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I'm thinking that if a double foot guide can be made flexible it would eliminate finish cracking.

Mark Brassett Wrote:
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> I'm thinking that if a double foot guide can be
> made flexible it would eliminate finish cracking.

REC Guides are flexible. A large high frame single foot guide is somewhat flexible and the base will crack. I put a couple wraps in front of the foot to help with the cracking on high frame single foot guides. It seems to work pretty good till it really gets flexed hard.

Thnx guys--so to this there is no solution!

The foot has to be flexible. A thinner foot is more flexible, but also more likely to fail. The best you can do is grind/file a very shallow taper onto the foot end. This allows a bit more flex in the area where you get the cracking.

Other materials, such as the composite nylons that are used to make reel seats, would be a much better material than any metal for guide frames. They would also be more expensive than simple, stamped steel frames.

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Has anyone tried the Diawa Air Guide System? I haven’t so I’m not sure if they flex, just another option for guides.

The cracking happens mostly on the first few guides with the larger and thicker feet, I have found. The runners (single foot) don't seem to crack so much.

I have carefully sanded and re-applied thread epoxy to repair cracks before. Looks new when finished. Will crack again after time and use has passed, of course, but it is all good for quite awhile.

There's a solution, just not a permanent and forever one in my experience.

Tom Kirkman Wrote:
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> If the guide has any steel in it, then it's not a
> solution. Been a long, long time since anybody
> made rod blanks from steel, or even aluminum.
>
> .............


Actually, there's an outfit that makes them now. Look up Emmrod fishing rods. Not my cup of tea, but they have a following.

Emmrod…

Michael Tarr Wrote:
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> Has anyone tried the Diawa Air Guide System? I
> haven’t so I’m not sure if they flex, just
> another option for guides.

My personal repair experience has had a number of these guides that broke at the foot/leg bend. Online quotes also cite breakage problems.

Repairs on one of those guides I hear is in the $100 range. Daiwa won't supply you with one, I think a better option is, if they could figure out how, is to use a material similar to the new carbon/nylon reel seats.

Tim,
Consider using a different thread wrap finish.

Do some investigation and see if you can find and use a finish that is not as hard and stiff as your current finish.

I finish is less susceptible to cracking if, the finish itself is a bit more flexible.

Best wishes.

I have never tried this finish and I have 0 experience in its characteristics.
However, it is advertised as being "non cracking."

[hitenausa.com]

If you wish, you could try a rod using this thread finish and report your results - with respect to finish cracking.

Take care