Guide Recommendations

[99Nitro]

Ok Gentlemen and any Ladies

I am getting ready to build a couple of rods spinning and casting, I am inquiring what you experts recommend for the guides (Brand and type) . These rods will be used for fresh water Bass fishing. I am looking forward to seeing your responses , I build 1 rod this fall and used a fuji guide kit this was the first rod I have built and am learning this new hobby as I go . Also any rod builders on this site from the central Indiana area, if so let me know would like to see some work from some local guys.

Ed Walker


Modified by 99Nitro at 2:07 PM 1/28/2007


Modified by 99Nitro at 2:08 PM 1/28/2007

[Bassman25]

what blanks were you planning on using?

[99Nitro]

I picked up a Benchmark 6'6 MH and 6'10 MH casting blanks. I was interested and what guides some of you use on spinning rods and casting. I will post some phhot's of the firstrod I built nothing fancy just a useable rod(Med action slow).

Ed

[Bassman25]

american tackle makes some good guides for the money...you wont need anything fancy for your first time rods, even pac bay and fuji can get you what you need. you can buy a set of fuji guides reasonably cheap...just have to look around...try anglers warehouse or custom tackle or mudhole...they are great places to find what you are looking for....same with reel seats, you can get them there just dont go too extravagant for your first rods

[Bassman25]

fuji BYAG and BLAG guides work great

[Boat Cop]

I use Amtac zirconia guides on all the rods i build. in 5 years and over 300 rods i have never had a complaint or had 1 break or insert come out!!!!

[RedneckfromRI]

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by Boat Cop &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">I use Amtac zirconia guides on all the rods i build. in 5 years and over 300 rods i have never had a complaint or had 1 break or insert come out!!!!</TD></TR></TABLE>

A guide is a guide is a guide!!!

With the exception of 1 guide in which was a LAG Fuji that was flattened along the blank and then bent back to normal position more than once I have NEVER had any guides I have put on my rods(over 15yrs of building) fail............................... Whether it be a Pac Bay Hialoy, Fuji Hardloy, Fuji Aluminum Oxide.........etc.....etc.......etc.........

Unless the fisherman is an animal even $1 guides will last...............
Its all about what the customer is willing to pay for.....which these days isnt much.

Save yourself the $$ and just get some BNOG and BLVOG Fuji's...............each set will cost you less than $10

[Ryan]

Is there a difference in sensitivity?

[99Nitro]

I bought some Pacific Bay guides from Mudhole, and I noticed that the guide foot is already ground down, no griding needed. I had bought fuji for my first rod and had to grind the foots. Has anyone else used Pacific Bay guides and noticed this? I got both doudle and single foot guides.

Ed Walker

[Bassn81]

I agree with Russ to a point. You will not ruin guides Bass Fishing unless you abuse them, but definately not on fish. I would however recommend you stick with either the Fuji Alconites or the batson series of guides. I personally think the foot profile of both lends themselves to easier wrapping. Granted you have to prepare the feet yourself, but I have found that I still have to do guide prep on the PacBay and AmTac guides. I also seem to pop more inserts on AmTak guides that anything else, of course it could just be me abusing those rods a little more . The key is to find a pricepoint you are happy with. I wouldnt go out and drop a ton of money on TiCH frames with SIC inserts right off the bat.

[boatcop]

Russ gonna have to dissagree with ya on this one, 20 plus years of building rods i have learned that you get what you pay for. this is true in cork, reel seats, thread, epoxie, guides and blanks.

With that said, i build rods for the customer. i build him or her a rod that meets their specifications for the style they want to fish. i also build it so it will stand up to an average fishermans abuse. i can build a 400 dollar St croix SCV rod that will snap within 3 months in an average tourney fishermans care, yet you and i can fish with the same rod for years without a problem.

all guides are not created equal. alum oxide does not stand up to braid. sic and zirconium does. titanium nitrate coat it and it really does. and its shiney too

single foot guides will eventually loosen up and fall out. alot depends on the finish epoxy as to when this will happen and if the guide uses a spade on the foot. besides why would you want to use single foot guides on a casting rod any ways. does physics tell ya that 2 points of contact on a rod would transfer more vibrations! or maybe it is that weight thing. ya better get out the reloading scale to tell ya how many grains you shaving off the weight of the rod. it is less than 1 cork ring in weight difference with double foot than single foot. those burl rings add a heck of bit of weight to a rod too.

i have repaired more rods, 4 here now 3 comming tomorrow average 10 a week with concept guide failure than any other guides put together. #1 failure is the rings falling out due to their innability to handle normal wear and tear!!!

now lets talk about the recoil guides. why in the heck do you want a big shock absorber that bends and contorts under load on a fishing pole. that is what the rod blank is designed to do. they were made so they would nt bend and break when stepped on thus no guide failure. reguided many a rod due to owner dissatisfaction.

Moral of this story is all guides are not created equal!!

I will agree with ya on this though, those SC4 blanks are the best, i have made 50 to 60 rods with them and never had anything but totally satisfied customers.

[btsmbass]

99Nitro, Disregard anything these folks are arguing about. Get the fuji alconites in either black, chrome, and new ti frames, and be done with it. With the fuji guide you are going to save weight. Smaller wraps, shorter wraps and less epoxy to weigh down the rod. (if you are concerned about guides falling out use a locking wrap on single foots). You will have to grind or prep the guide feet, but it's worth it. There isn't a person in the world who can say do not buy fuji alconites. They are not expensive either, the 4 bucks you save buying AmTak or Forecast could possibly cost you more down the road. Get the fuji's and happy wrapping. Bryan.