Couple of newer ones

[Bassbme]

A couple of rods I finished recently.

The one on the left is built on a 7' Hydra NG SJ2 rod blank. Alps grips, Forecast skeleton reel seat with woven graphite insert, Fuji KR concept guide train, Shimano Sahara 3000 reel spooled with 8# Seguar Tatsu line.

The one on the right is built on a 6'10" NFC DS6107 IM rod blank. CFX grips from Mud Hole that I top coated with 2 coats of epoxy, then sanded smooth and top coated with Permagloss. Forecast skeleton reel seat with woven graphite insert, Fuji KR concept guide train, Shimano Saros 3000 reel spooled with 8# Seaguar Tatsu line.

[Hammy19]

Very nice sir! Would you tell me what size guides you are running. Thanks

[TerrysRanger374V]

very nice looking rods

[Bassbme]

Thanks guys, I appreciate the comments.

Hammy, the guides are Fuji KL-H, KB, and KTs. Black frames, with Alconite rings. Sizes are KL-20H, KL-10H, KL-5.5M, KB-5.5, and KT-4.5s as the running guides. The tip top is a Fuji LG micro top.

[Nowater2shallow]

i like the guides do they handle braid well

[Bassbme]

I can't answer the question on how the guides handle braid, as I don't use braid on spinning gear. They handle fluorocarbon line beautifully, so with braid being extremely limp (once it's broken in) I'm sure they'd handle braid even better. If you're wondering about how the Alconite rings stand up to braid, I've never had a problem with the Alconite rings on the casting rods that I use braid on.

[Hammy19]

Thanks guys, I appreciate the comments.

Hammy, the guides are Fuji KL-H, KB, and KTs. Black frames, with Alconite rings. Sizes are KL-20H, KL-10H, KL-5.5M, KB-5.5, and KT-4.5s as the running guides. The tip top is a Fuji LG micro top.

Thanks for the info sir!

[DrewFlu33]

Very nice. Love the clean look. Lately the trend seems to be tiger wrap this, chevron wrap that, trim ring here, trim ring there, bracket everything in fancy thread. While that stuff can look good and is certainly adding that "custom" element to it, these just look sharp!

[Bassbme]

You're more than welcome Hammy, and thanks Drew, I appreciate the kind words. I like the clean look as well.

[willwork4fish]

I usually use a 20H, 10H, 8 or 7M, a 6 and then 5.5's, basically whatever the Fuji calculator tells me to use. Does it cast well with the 5.5M?

[willwork4fish]

And really nice work btw!

[Bassbme]

Thanks for the kind words Will, and yes, it casts really well. I use the KR GPS software from Fuji as well. The sizes I used are what the KR software calls for. And I place them exactly like it calls for. The only exception being that I use more running guides than they suggest. I think (pretty sure) I have 7 running guides (which includes the choker)

[basscatlildave]

Looks great.

[avidbasser]

You have some serious talent! I fear this is going to become my next obsession.

[Bassbme]

Thanks basscat, thanks avid. I appreciate the kind words. And yeah .... once you build your first one, even if it's just putting new guides on an old rod (that's what got me hooked) you're hooked.

[D.O.C. 989]

Nice clean look and work. I like to call them stealthy looking. My builds are with the carbon fiber tubes and i generally start with a size 16 guide but my rods are way lighter duty than yours. I do have some drop shot blanks i've built for Walleye fishing but still start with a smaller guide. I don't use any reels larger than a 1000 size and i prefer even smaller.

[Bassbme]

Thanks D.O.C., I appreciate the comments. If I didn't use fluorocarbon line as my main line, I would have used the smaller reduction train guides that the KR software would call for with braid, or mono. Same with reel size. If you're using fluorocarbon on spinning gear, the larger the spool diameter, the better. A 1000 series would never work for me, the spool diameter is way to small for fluorocarbon line, and they just don't have the line capacity I need.

[D.O.C. 989]

Thanks D.O.C., I appreciate the comments. If I didn't use fluorocarbon line as my main line, I would have used the smaller reduction train guides that the KR software would call for with braid, or mono. Same with reel size. If you're using fluorocarbon on spinning gear, the larger the spool diameter, the better. A 1000 series would never work for me, the spool diameter is way to small for fluorocarbon line, and they just don't have the line capacity I need.

Thank you, i learned something. I have never used fluoro and did not know that. I need to keep that in mind as i do intend to try some one of these days.

[Bassbme]

D.O.C. .... if you do take the plunge and try fluorocarbon line on your spinning gear, do yourself (and fluorocarbon line) a big favor and spend a little money to get a high quality line. IMO fluorocarbon line gets a bad name on spinning gear, because people try using the same line on their spinning gear, as they do on their bait casters. Doing so isn't necessarily a bad thing, (I do) IF #1, they're using one of the more supple fluorocarbon lines on the market, and #2 .... if they're not trying to use too heavy of fluorocarbon on their spinning reels.

I've fished fluorocarbon line on spinning gear for at least 10 years. Without a doubt, the best fluorocarbon line for use on spinning gear is Seaguar Tatsu. Awfully expensive line for someone trying fluorocarbon for the first time on spinning gear, But well worth the price if you're going to give it a serious shot. The next best line I have found (and I am not a fan of this line for other reasons) is Seaguar InvizX. It's not in the same class as Tatsu, but it handles well on spinning gear.

My rule of thumb for using fluorocarbon on spinning gear is .... most spinning reels are rated for 3 different size lines. Let's say 6#, 8#, and 10#. The heaviest fluorocarbon line I would run on a reel with those kind of numbers, would be 8#, just because of the reels spool diameter. Certainly fluorocarbon line on spinning gear comes with some problems that are related to the line, but if you use the right line, and realize that there is some line maintenance that comes with it, fluorocarbon line is great on spinning gear.

I know lots of people say use braid and be done with it ..... well, I personally don't like braid. Especially for the very light baits I sometimes use on spinning gear. Not only doesn't it have the feel that fluorocarbon line has in those situations, it catches wind more than a slick surfaced line.

Of course, it's just my opinion.