Does anyone know why on earth the American Tackle holographic single foot ceramic fly guides go all the way up to size 10 ring yet the largest listed tip top ring for a fly rod is only a size 6?

I have just received a set of guides to go on a 7wt rod and am using size 7's for the running guides.At the time I was told that the tip tops were only available in either a 6 or 8(no 7) so I figured it would be better to go up in size for the tip top instead of down,that way I wouldn't have any problems with the large loops I often use on my multi tip line systems.What I wasn't aware of was that I was going to have to use a spinning rod style guide and I don't like the look at all.

I "thought" I was getting a fly tip top and that the place I got them from made a mistake with my order,but I just realised that they don't list any that size in a fly top,which seems pretty odd considering their single foot fly guides go up to size 10.

If I had known I was going to have to use a spinning rod tip I think I would have chosen a different brand of guide to use as the style of a spinning rod guide for the tip top of a fly rod just plain bugs me.

Aside from either sending the whole set back and buying a different brand from another company that has fly tip tops to match the size 7 and larger rings,or using a guide that I know I'm always going to hate,does anyone have any suggestions on what the best thing to do would be?

I'm tempted to use a single foot fly guide for a tip but I'm not sure the durability would be there(I would probably do that if it was a lighter rod weight and not one that would have to deal with multi tip systems or large loop connections).

Why would they offer fly guides up to a size 10 and then force people to use a spinning rod guide for the tip top?

Tony,
Your best option for the tip size is to go with wrapping a single foot size 7 ring since ATC in this series of guides make available either the 6 or 8 rings to offer. For a size 10 ring, the tube size minimum would be available in 8 at the current listings for ATC Holographic tops and these would be the braced tip tops.
The blue ring, gold ring, or TiCH (silver) rings (and others) guides are available in size 7 ring that we have available from the Forecast
LTCL()T... series.
What the manufacturer decides to make availailble is quite a wide range of sizes in newer guide sereies such as ATC in 6 or 8 choice rings for the smaller tube sizes and it often leaves a best fit option to consider.


Rich Garbowski
Richard's Rod & Reel

Tony,

I have bemoaned about the same issue a couple of times on this forum. I am faced right now with the same problem but with Fuji single leggers. They only go to a size 7 and I need a size 8. Yep just like you I have to go to a spinning design guide with long bracing side suppoprts and it looks horrid. I don't fancy a fly line line squaring up to those side arms.
I may be forced to go with wrapping a size 8 single leg ring. Some of the guys like this approach. I don't. It is no big deal surley for guide manufactureres to produce the required tip tops for 8wt rated blanks and above.
Their marketing men should be fired for not realising that there is a massive boom in saltwater fly fishing and having manufacturing produce what the market wants and needs. @#$%& even the UK angling press realises that the boom is on and I thought they were always the last to know anything.


Sufferring with you.

Regards Mike Oliver

Hi Tony,

Sorry for your dilemma.

The only two options you really have are using a large loop wire top in a matching frame color or drop down to a 6mm guide on your last two guides and go with the size 6mm ring fly top. Do you need a 7mm guide for a 7 wt?

What size tube are you looking for?

We will be adding light spinning and casting tops down the road here but nothing you're going to want to wait for I'm sure.

Let me know.

Warmest regards, Joe Meehan, American Tackle

Neither a wire top nor spinning rod top is acceptable to me(either will completely ruin the look of the rod and will make me feel like i just threw whatever guide I could find on there),and size 6's are too small for the lines I use(multi tip with large loops) so they aren't an option either(otherwise I would have gone with size 6 single foot fly and matching tip top).

I would like to see at least one larger FLY tip top offered in say a size 8.That way you could make the guides work with 7-10wt rods.Until then,I won't be using them on anything over a 6wt and will have to go with another brand that offers at least a size 7 ring top.

Joe,I am VERY surprised to hear that no one else has mentioned a need for one.To me it only seems logical to have a tip top that could be used for 7-10wt rods.Even one more tip top with a size 8 ring would work fine for either size 7 or 8 single foot fly guides and solve most problems.

Hopefully some day there will be at least a size 8 tip top available for fly rods.It doesn't make much sense to offer single foot fly guides up to a size 10 and then offer a tip top up to only a size 6.Obviously anyone using size 7 or larger running guides NEEDS a tip top ring larger than size 6 and no one wants to use a spinning rod top or wire guide as a quick fix on a custom rod they worked so hard on.

They really need to expand their tiptop selection. I know lots of builders, me included, who are having to use single foot guides or bend double foot guides to make something work.

Hi Guys,

Got the message. We will consider expanding the fly tops to a size 8 ring in 5 - 7.5. Will that cover it in your opinion.

We are adding the light top in 4 - 6.5 in a 6 and 7 ring. Would they suitable for fly rods your are building?

Please email me directly as well with your comments.

Warmest regards, Joe Meehan, American Tackle

I think that's a GREAT idea Joe!

I'm sure there are some guys out there who obviously won't be happy until every guide size available by every company,but as long as there are one or two options for builders so they don't feel like they have to dramaticly change their rod look with something they really don't like,I think that would make all the difference in the world.

When it comes to fly tip tops,obviously a size 7 AND a size 8 ring would be nice to have,but even if only a size 8 was available I think most guys could easily make that work for them on 7-10wt rods and be happy with the look.I've never minded using a larger ring tip top on a rod,but going smaller makes it tough(at least on larger line weight rods where big loop systems may be used).

The AT Hologuides are simply AWSOME and I know alot more people will be using them for heavier rods in the near future once they know tip tops are no longer an issue.