I'm building myself a cranking stick on a 6'6" fiberglass blank. I'll be using 14 lb. fluorocarbon line. I'm considering using single foot Fugi BLAG size 7 or 6 in a spiral wrap. Opinions or recommendations? Or should I forget a spiral wrap for a crankin' stick? Are the guides too small?
Thanks for any comments or suggestions.
Jake
Are the guides too small? Those are huge! Guessing you haven't seen micros...
Seriously - You'll be fine with all BLAG6s though. (Although size 3 micros would be really great)
Spiral is a preference. Truth is, you'll be fine either way you wrap them - spiral or conventional. Both work and both have their merits.
For a cranking rod I prefer guides on top. Most people hold a cranking rod down with the guides pointing towards the bait when retrieving, and then still hold the tip down with a fish on to keep them from jumping. For a tip up rod, like a jig or worm rod spiral is the way to go.
Like Alex said you only need one guide size on a cranking rod and make them as small as you are comfortable with. My favorite size is a BLAG4, I believe it has the best combination of size, weight, and cost.
I would go Spiral wrap, yes you do hold tip down while retrieving a crank/spinnerbait, but as soon as you hook a fish the first thing you do is set away from the fish and turn the reel the opposite direction keeping the bend away from the fish, just my opinion of course. I spiral wrap all of my rods and I like to use double foot guides unitl I reach the bottom of the blank because they seem to take the abuse a little better (plus I was taught that way from Richard Forhan who is my idol !!). Good luck I think you will like it either way.
I really appreciate all your responses. Here's what I've tentatively decided, subject to your comments which I would appreciate hearing. I'm going to scale down the size of the guides, and go with a spiral wrap using the "bumper" method, thus:
Fuju Alconites with 8-6 (bumper) and size 4 to the tip. The 8 and 6 will be double foot and the rest single. If looks like I'll have to go with a size 6 for the tip-top because I can't find a size 4 in Fuji.
Comments?
Jake
I use a double foot size 6 as a butt guide a 5 then all 4's to the tip. I use 4 guides to transition to bottom of blank (0,60,120 then 180 degrees). I Stick with the size 6 tip top.
(for cranking I perfer all on top with the guides all the same size 3's or 4's)
Good luck,
LM Bass Angler
<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by LM Bass Angler »</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">I use a double foot size 6 as a butt guide a 5 then all 4's to the tip. I use 4 guides to transition to bottom of blank (0,60,120 then 180 degrees). I Stick with the size 6 tip top.
(for cranking I perfer all on top with the guides all the same size 3's or 4's)
Good luck,
LM Bass Angler </TD></TR></TABLE>
+1
1999 Champion 203
2000 Yamaha OX66 225
<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by Jake Grey »</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">I really appreciate all your responses. Here's what I've tentatively decided, subject to your comments which I would appreciate hearing. I'm going to scale down the size of the guides, and go with a spiral wrap using the "bumper" method, thus:
Fuju Alconites with 8-6 (bumper) and size 4 to the tip. The 8 and 6 will be double foot and the rest single. If looks like I'll have to go with a size 6 for the tip-top because I can't find a size 4 in Fuji.
Comments?
Jake</TD></TR></TABLE>
Might be advisable to do a tad more research. The first guide on your rod is - the line guide on the reel. If it's a shimano it's about a #6. No need to start on the blank with anything larger than that. Unless... you're into flippin' n' such where you need to handle the line or the line makes contact with the fore grip - if you use one. Current run Fuji micro tops have problems with collapsing under a load. Fuji is working on that issue now but it is not resolved at this time. You'd probably be ok on a cranking stick but.... Most cranking sticks I know of have a minimum tip size of 5.5(1/64"). You'd probably be best served with a fuji alconite #6 guide even if you go with 3 or 3.5 micros. I'd can the spiral on a cranking stick due to what someone said in the post earlier with the tip down... Better with all on top. And micros work very well all on top.
Learn how to static load the blank for guide placement. There are charts n' such but many builders don't use them opting instead for static load placement. There's a lot more to building rods than just sticking guides on....
Only double foot the butt guide.... sf the rest of the way.
There is no need to use three guides to transition under the rod that is old school.One small bumber guide will do the trick.Alot of good info on Rodbuilder.org.
Using 4 guides to transition to the bottom of the rod is not "old school". It is just a different style of spiral wrap. I agree that the bumper guide method works very well, and I do use it for size 6 guides and larger. For the size 3 and 4 micros, the single bumper guide does not do a good job of keeping the line off the blank. Using 3 or 4 guides makes a smoother transition.
Modified by LM Bass Angler at 11:28 AM 1/23/2010
<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by Jake Grey »</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">I really appreciate all your responses. Here's what I've tentatively decided, subject to your comments which I would appreciate hearing. I'm going to scale down the size of the guides, and go with a spiral wrap using the "bumper" method, thus:
Fuju Alconites with 8-6 (bumper) and size 4 to the tip. The 8 and 6 will be double foot and the rest single. If looks like I'll have to go with a size 6 for the tip-top because I can't find a size 4 in Fuji.
Comments?
Jake</TD></TR></TABLE>
The smallest fuji sells is 4.5
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