I accidentally ordered a set of AirWave casting guides for a spinning rod build I was doing some time back. I've been very pleased with these guides on spinning rods, but their light weight worries me a little bit for heavier duty applications.
So I'm getting ready to order a couple blanks to try for chatterbait builds and I'm finding myself wondering if the strength is going to be there to go ahead and stick those AirWave guides on one of them. It would certainly save me some money! And if they work well, I'll just keep buying them for future builds. They're incredibly lightweight and economical. I generally throw chatterbaits on 50 lb braid or 16 lb fluoro, and would be throwing 1/4 and 1/2 oz chatterbaits at a minimum and maximum, respectively, with it. It's almost always a 3/8, and when I go bigger than 1/2 oz I upsize my rod accordingly. Most of my chatterbait fishing is done in and around pencil reeds, milfoil, and/or coontail.
I know I have read where guys have been pleased with the Microwave guides on casting rods. Are the AirWaves more fragile, or do they just feel that way due to the lack of insert cutting down on their weight? I'm not particularly worried about 50 lb braid messing up the eyelets. The 10 lb braid on my spinning setups seems like it would be much more apt to notch them if it were going to happen, and I've fought some giant smallmouth on them without the first issue. I never would've even considered them for casting setups as they are very light, and any advantage (real or perceived) you get from choking down the line at the first guide seems unnecessary on a casting rod. But I have them...so...
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