Making a 7'6" Pike rod for a young man. Out of my element a bit as I don't do many casting rods. Do I need to use double footed guides all the way to the tip? I was planning to use double on the first three (transition) the going to single foot running guides for the rest. I ordered a set of casting guides for this function and just now noticed they are all double foot? Necessary?

Sorry, cause I know there are probably posts out there I just couldn't find em on a search.

Thanks a ton! - Marcus

Marcus McCleery

Not sure of the power of your rod, so hard to say other than I'm pretty sure that your original plan of 3 doubles will probably word . For the single foot guides I would use something like KB's with a generous foot.

For a pike rod sensitivity and fast recovery from deflection are probably not high priorities, so the added weight of doubles will probably not hurt the performance of the rod that much if at all. Surely a bazillion casting rods have been made in the past with all doubles.

You don’t need to use double foot guides. I built a couple casting rods for pike that have 2 double foot and the rest single foot. I’ve caught many many pike over 40” and up to 48” and that rod is more than adequate for anything a pike can dish out.

I needed double foot guides when I was younger more than I do now, hit things, hung up on things, stored and transported things differently back then, you both have more to lose and little to gain by not using what you got.