Hi All,

I recently purchased an NFC SJ 703 and have been planning out the build. That said, I'm still working out the guide sizing and best guide options to keep the build as light as possible.

Here is some context.
1. This rod will be built as a power-finesse BFS rod, casting 3.5-12gram lures in freshwater.
2. I'll be shortening the rod length to 6'8" to account for the brushy banks I fish from.
3. Will be using 10lb braid to 8lb mono connected with an FG knot 95% of the time.
4. I'd like to spend no more than $40.00 on the guide train.

I'd like to understand:
1. What sizes should I use for the guide train considering my braid to mono connection.
2. What is the lightest guide set I could get considering my budget.

Thanks all for your help with this!

What does "power-finesse" mean?

This particular build has Fuji guides and spacing like this (measured from TT): KT4-3.25”, KT4-6.937”, KT4-11.125”, KB4-15.812”, KB4-21.062”, KB4-26.875”, KB4-33.375”, KB5-40.5” and RV6-48.375”. The back reel seat anchor point is set 9.25” from the end butt. This blank is a NFC P703-1 (Lambda LMX) cut down to 6’8.75” (with butt nets 6’9”). With a tiger wrap between the grip and the butt 3.1 ounce, without about 2.8 oz. Use a 4.5 tip top to help pass knots.

this kit will work just fine: [mudhole.com]

$20 + shipping

Michael Danek Wrote:
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> What does "power-finesse" mean?


It's really just slightly heavier than conventional BFS lures. Most people consider BFS to cap out at 7 grams, but I'm looking to throw up to 12 grams at the heaviest.
I was considering the Fuji Alconites, but I wasn't sure about the size 8 stripper guide as I've heard people recommending size 6s for finesse casting rods.

Thanks for the info here Lance this is super helpful! I like how the RV guides are specifically build with braid in mind.

That said, it seems like the RV guides are only available in premium finishes, so I'm considering going with TI SiC for the stripper and then finishing it with Alconites.
Would you happen to know which finish looks most similar to the TI? Seems like it's either Polished Stainless Steel or CC Silver, but it's hard to tell which one matches with the photos available online.

I wouldn't expect throwing lures less that 1/2 the lowest lure rating on the rod and also throwing a knot would be this rod at its best. The guide closest to the reel has to be high enough to cast well, your original guide thoughts in a higher framed guide would work just as well and be less expensive. Just compare the guide height to the RV guide.

Hi Spencer, the NFC SJ-703 is notoriously underpowered, with an IP of ~340.

Cutting 4 inches off the butt would reduce the IP by ~40, putting it at ~300 IP which would be a powerful light-powered rod, or weaker medium light rod.

You bring up a good point about paying attention to the guide height. I compared the RV guide vs the LWK and it seems that the #6 RV guide is 1mm higher than a standard #8 LKW guide. A size #10 is a bit much for this build, and I really like how the height is in between a size 8 and 10.

I may give the RV guide a shot if I can determine what finish matches the TI best.

I just thought something like the DS 6100-1 would have given similar power and the faster, softer tip for the light stuff. Closer to your optimum length also, once you mocked it up and got the grip length right you may have gotten away as is.

The polished stainless Sic guides are a perfect match for titanium Sic guides. However, the polished silver frame doesn’t come with Alconite rings, only Sic rings which make the guides more expensive. So, if you want to save money and use Alconite rings then the CC frame is a close, but not perfect, match to the titanium frame. The T2 titanium Sic guides are a close, but not perfect, match to the BC Alconite guides. I do like the RV6 guide because it gives you a very light high frame small ring butt guide that helps to keep the line off the blank.
Norm
,

Jason Le Wrote:
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> Thanks for the info here Lance this is super
> helpful! I like how the RV guides are specifically
> build with braid in mind.
>
> That said, it seems like the RV guides are only
> available in premium finishes, so I'm considering
> going with TI SiC for the stripper and then
> finishing it with Alconites.
> Would you happen to know which finish looks most
> similar to the TI? Seems like it's either Polished
> Stainless Steel or CC Silver, but it's hard to
> tell which one matches with the photos available
> online.

Jason,
Bite the bullet on the Fuji RV 6 and a LG 4.5 tip top, both in polished SS frames and SIC rings at Get Bit Outdoors for $23.55 includes shipping and at American Rodbuilder's Warehouse get the Seaguide single foot polished SS framed with zirconium ring-LS: 1- XOG-W 5, 4- XOG-W 4s and 3- XOG-N 4s. for $21.80. The Seaguide XOG- W is very similar to the Fuji KB and the XOG-N is similar to the KT but with a better 316 SS frame material than Fuji SS. The whole guide set like this even with the extra shipping from each place is $45.35 from the vendors listed on the left. This will all match too. The lightest reel seats are going to be the split ones like the Fuji SK2 16 SKSS or the Alps SRSGC16-TBADK or even Seaguide's SG-CCKS-SHSC16. The lightest grip material is natural cork. Don't use a foregrip just a winding check at the end of the nut barrel. You should be able to to have a finished rod under 3 oz.
Tight Lines,
Lance

[www.rodbuilding.org]



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 12/18/2023 10:21PM by Lance Schreckenbach.

Brilliant, this sounds like a great plan. Thanks again ya'll!

Personally, I wasn’t too impressed with the Seaguide guides. I got some blue titanium’s and regular titanium’s and the guides seem weak (easy to bend), with casting imperfections (had to do some filing to get some metal burrs off), and had a few guides with misaligned rings pressed in. Not sure how their SS ones would be, but not convinced of their quality control. The running guides were taller than the Fuji KB’s and KT’s too, and the “W” guides have wider foots that may be too wide for the SJ703 towards the tip (they were almost too wide for a 5.5 tube tipped rod I just built). I think Fuji alconites are tough to beat, and I don’t see any measurable difference going Fuji RV vs KW for the stripper. I’m not sure how good BFS would be for passing braid knots, but I have no issues with 4 1/2 running guides on a spinning SJ703 setup. I can cast a 1/2 oz on an SJ703 setup as a spinning 75 yards all day long (actually farther, I hit the end of my shallow spool), I doubt an SJ 703 could do that set up as a BFS.