Casting or spinning reel? I'm not familiar with that model. If spinning, you should start with a guide that is roughly 1/2 the diameter of the reel spool. Much less and you won't get the height required for a straight line path. With line that light and supple, you can get away with a smaller guide, but the height remains a consideration. The placement of the choker guide, based on the
Forum: rodboard

James, You don't necessarily have to use Concept guides to use the New Guide Concept. In fact, it often works better if you don't. Your choker and running guides should be fly rod type, low frame, single foot models. The butt and transition guide/s often do well in the Concept series. .....................
Forum: rodboard

To properly implement the system, you have to let the reel and line path tell you what sizes to use. You can't order sizes and then make the line conform to the guides - you do it the other way around, plot the line path and then conform the guides to that path. This means you need to order a good assortment of guides so you'll have them with you to try. Any that end up left over will be used
Forum: rodboard

I forgot to mention that Donart Rods also has or can get the sabiki tiptops. ............
Forum: rodboard

The line tamer guide, which is probably the best name for it, is added in addition to your normal guide number and space. You can take any rod you have now and install a line tamer guide without changing any of the other guides you already have on it. Tape one on about 3.5 to 4 inches past the stripping guide, make it one size smaller than the stripping guide (same frame style, however) and g
Forum: rodboard

I would concur with what Terry said above, although you can rest assured that once the rod is loaded the first 180 degree guide on the bottom will indeed have the line contacting it as the load shifts to that area (which is the only time it matters). You should use the same size guides all along the bottom, or, one size smaller for the first 180 guide and one size larger for all the rest. But do
Forum: rodboard

They're simple to make. How long do you need yours to be? I plan to build one for my kayak and don't need any real length, so a cut off section of stout boat rod blank about 4 feet long will suffice. You shouldn't need a specialty blank unless you require a very long sabiki rod. I believe Mud Hole also carries the taps which allow you to withdraw the jig rig into the tip of the blank. ..
Forum: rodboard

What Andrew posted is something that takes a little a little practice because you only have a certain "window of opportunity" where the epoxy is at the right consistency to do this. But done properly, it really takes care of any "sparse" wrap edges. The epoxy will appear to run across the wrap and then roll over the edge, nice, level and smooth. ..................
Forum: rodboard

Sure. Bring them along. ....................
Forum: rodboard

It dawns on me that George may be talking about ceramic guides, not necessarily stripping guides. Some folks refer to the ceramics as stripping guides and the non-ceramics or snakes, as running guides. Most of the power in a rod is in the butt. On very heavy saltwater type fly rods you may see 3 ceramic guides used on the butt to withstand a longer period of use under heavy stress that would
Forum: rodboard

There is only one stripping guide on a fly rod, the first one. All the rest are running guides. The idea behind putting 2 guides, 1 of them about 4 inches past the stripping guide, is to control the line on the cast and prevent it from over- running the normal 2nd guide placement. You can try this with any rod you own by simply taping on a guide in that position and seeing if you realize
Forum: rodboard

Bill, This was fully covered in RodMaker Volume 7 #1 regarding the optimum casting weight range for rod blanks. It's in the surf rod article but applies to all rods. .....................
Forum: rodboard

I highly recommend the Volume 10 #3 issue of RodMaker and the deeply researched article on ergonomics for anyone wishing to understand what size and shape handles and grips offer the human hand the ability to exert the greatest amount of force with the least amount of effort for the longest period of time. ........
Forum: rodboard

Read the article on the New Guide Concept in the Library. It does cast a bit farther, balances better, increases reaction time and shortens recovery time. It is a system that makes sense and provides practical and worthwhile on the water benefits. .................
Forum: rodboard

I wrote the copy for the Flex Coat catalog. Get yourself the standard high-build Flex Coat and give it a go. It's easy to use, works fine and will do about anything you would want. This is another one of those areas where you need to follow the directions, don't get fancy and try not to bother the finish too much. It knows what to do. All casting rods with guides on top will be inherently
Forum: rodboard

The cases are 10" tall. But we could probably put some longer surf rods in one on an angle, across the front or back. I'd just as soon not any reels - less to deal with and keep up with. .............
Forum: rodboard

You misread my statement - nowhere did I say that the drags in those reels weren't good. As the spool becomes larger, the drag washers could also become larger. Quick used to install very large diameter washers in all their spools. They gave up line capacity to contain those larger diameter washers which allowed them to distribute pressure and dissipate heat better. What many of the larger sp
Forum: rodboard

I still have many of the guides Russ mentions, they make great butt guides for rods utlizing the New Guide Concept. I never use then on the upper half of the rod or course, due to their greater weight. But they're fantastic for getting height with a smaller ring on the butt guide, which really helps implement the NGC. ..................
Forum: rodboard

I think Clemens put those together, although Lew's may have offered something like that, or those could even have been the Lew's kits. They're long gone now. Mud Hole just recently introduced a totally new line of modular handles called "custom handle system." It could be along the lines of what you're after. ..............
Forum: rodboard

If you live in a part of the country where the humidity is extremely low, you may be able to keep an opened bottle for quite some time. But not indefinitely. A frost free refrigerator removes moisture from the air inside - this is why PG will last longer when kept in such a refrigerator. Anything you do to keep moist air from it will help, including as DR mentioned, pouring out what you nee
Forum: rodboard

I think the others have given you good advice. But assuming for a moment that perhaps you can't afford to just give away your labor, I would wait a bit, then contact the family and ask them what they would like done with the rod. You may find that a son or brother, etc., might really like to have that rod and would be more than willing to complete the transaction to everyone's satisfaction.
Forum: rodboard

You can shake a naked fly rod blank, install nothing but a tiptop and then shake it again and easily feel, and even see, the difference. The longer the rod the more any weight out there is going to have an adverse affect on it. At some point the weight savings may indeed be minimal but in most cases you still reap some benefit. Still, your line has to go through the guide rings, along with
Forum: rodboard

Permagloss is a moisture curing urethane. Once you crack open a bottle, the rest is history. If you'll make up one of the cans for PG storage as outlined here many times, you'll find it will then keep indefinitely - for years and years. ..................
Forum: rodboard

Part of the problem is that you registered twice, under different names styles, one is Robert Marie and one is Robert F. Marie. When you try to change your email, it's finding that email under your other registration. That's why its telling you that email is registered under another user - you. The referee penalizes you 5 yards for having 2 registrations. In the meantime I changed the emai
Forum: rodboard

Jim is also their customer relations manager for about a year or more now. He was in Florida this past week and should be back home in a day or so. ..............
Forum: rodboard

Contrary to their claims, the larger spool diameter reduces casting distance, a bit. It also works the drag washers a bit harder. Not saying they're bad reels, but there is some marketing hype involved. Remember 15 or so years ago when everybody switched to smaller, longer spools for increased casting distance? ........
Forum: rodboard

I'll have to take a look at it. I may ask Jim Upton why they do that. He should be able to find out. .................
Forum: rodboard

I can't imagine how 2 butt guides are going to affect the line getting on the foregrip - that's simply a function of the butt guide height. Adding another one up close behind that one isn't going to have any further affect. .............
Forum: rodboard

NCP is an opaque nylon, not plastic. ..............
Forum: rodboard

I believe I put him on a WF #8. Steve would have to say what brand he eventually went with. .............
Forum: rodboard