I have a question about high frame guides. I have big hands and have installed a 24 spinning seat on a 6' 6" rod. When I tossed a reel on it and eyed the line train it looks like it runs pretty far up the rod, I know I should have done this first. Should I use regular guides and bring the line to the rod sooner or high frames and keep the line straight?
I am pretty new to building and any thoughts would be appreciated.

Regards
Brian

Brian,

I am also new to rod building but have built a few inshore spinning rods; all with high frame guides. I do use a size 20 for the stripping guide so it is a little smaller than the 24 but the casting distance on my builds have been exceptional. I am sure some of the veteran builders will have better responses.

I'm certainly not an expert, or even really good at spinning rod guide trains, but there are different ways you can approach what you're asking about. The library has a couple of articles that would help you understand the basics of laying out a spinning rod guide train. And while you may not choose to lay out your guides following those guide lines, the information in them will help you understand the variables that affect guide sizes and heights. I've used the KR concept, which is a modification of the NGC guide train, for all of the spinning rods I've built, and it works beautifully for the size reels and line that I use in bass fishing.

The Angler's Resource link near the top of the column to the left contains links to software for both the NGC concept, and the KR concept. Plug in the numbers for your particular circumstances, and the software will give you guide sizes and spacing based on reel size, line size, and line type.

But even if you just use the software available, I would definitely read the NGC articles in the library. That way you'll learn why the software makes the suggestions it does.

Donald, the reel seat, not the guide, is size 24.

Do this and let the line path dictate your guide heights and sizes - [www.rodbuilding.org]

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Tom,

Have you ever considered an article or Library "How-To" with the KR Concept?

Since Anglers Resources already has that available I think it would be redundant. Plus, I have no control over what goes into the library.

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Brian,
For all of my spinning rod builds, I always use high frame guides for the first guide.

I find that - for myself - this is necessary to prevent line slap on the rod blank.

But by using a high frame guide - no issues at all with line slap .

Also, for most spinning builds I move the first guide further down the blank that is recommended by many folks in the literature.

I do this, to enhance the longer distance casting and to minimize line catching on the guide and or line stacking on the guide.

In addition, after selecting and placing the guides and taping them in position, I run a line from the normal reel discharge point and pull off about 20-30 yards of line. For myself, I prefer to have the line essentially touch, or nearly touch the first guide ring - all of the way around the first guide ring as the line is retrieved on a modestly tight line - in the same way that one would be retrieving a medium pulling crank bait through the water.

Over years of casting, we have found that this setup gives the longest casting distance and the minimum cranking in effort at the reel - when retrieving a bait after a long cast.

So, the concept is that the change in reel seat size raising the reel 4 - 6 mm going from a 16 to 24 mm seat will cause a demonstrative difference in guide height needs even though the first guide is 1 1/2 to 2 ft. away? Would using a spinning Minima seat where the guide foot is just barely off the blank be an advantage then? Do the angles change all that much to worry about performance? In the scheme of things rod length is relatively irrelevant, all proper layups for a specific reel and line will be identical in layout no matter the blank length.

Rod length is indeed irrelevant because once you get past the first two or three guides, line reduction and control will have been taken care of. Sure, longer rod will cast further than shorter rods, but not due to guide systems. Moving from a size 16 to 24 seat is much ado about nothing.

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Yeah, the seat never was in play.

If you want the best possible performing spinning setup where you don't plan on changing reels then you should let your spinning reel of choice determine the appropriate spinning guide height and the ring sizes are determined by your line choice . Of course you need to decide where your preferred reel seat will be located and glue that in place beforehand .