Guides for new blank...

[Tanda]

Building a 6 foot st.croix SCIII UL and had questions about guides. I have made a few rods in the past using Berkley ss304 guides and seem to work out fine and was very inexpensive. This time I ordered Aluminum oxide guides and comparing the weight, the ss304 are much lighter. I don't think I need anything special because it's only for 4# line, but I feel weight would be important factor.

What other guides can I use that are of reasonable weight and cost?

And does anyone know where I can still get the berkley guides because the supplier I used last time quit carrying them.

Are there any online charts on weight comparisons of guides from various manufactures?

Any help would be appreciated!!

Andy

[rodmaker]

Welcome to FM!!!!!

Contact Lonnie at Thorne Bros. Fridley, Mn. they can help you with the correct guides.

[so haaad]

You might want to look into Fuji Alconites. They are really nice guides built using their "concept" method, lightweight and have a price tag somewhere in the middle.

[harvey lee]

Here you go, right from the pro's.

http://www.midwestrodandreel.com/

[rodmaker]

I have never had an issue/problems with any Fuji guide that I have used on my rod building.

Thats all I use

[JohnMickish]

Talk to Lonnie or Mike at Thorne Bros. They are a sponsor of the site and build around 3000 fishing rods a year. These two will know what you need.

[Dark Cloud]

If Thorne B or Midwest dosent have the berkly 304's I have gotten them from Janns Netcraft. They are very lite and I like the looks of the black with the chrome insert. Im a fan of the fuji alconites also. The litest guide going are the REC recoil guides. They are pricy but nice. Janns makes a knockoff called the "flexlite" that I have used on one rod with no complaints and will be putting on more rods. Lots of options out there...

[Tanda]

Hi

Thanks for your help!!

Looked for the 304’s in the netcraft book and didn’t see them but they are listed online, so I found those. But after looking I’ve added the alconite & now netcraft flexilite to the mix. Which one of these would you prefer on an ultra light setup? I Have a rainshadow ul with the 304’s and works fine but always willing to try something new.

Thanks again for your help!!

Andy

[Dark Cloud]

Tanda - I put the flexlites on a 12 ft "float rod" this winter that I built on a spey blank. Spey blanks tend to be tip heavy. I wanted to use the recoils but didnt want to shell out the money for 12 guides(they are pricey). They are lite and nice, I only had to add a tad bit of weight to the butt to balance it out. Some people dont like how they look but I do, especially the "tich" finish. When the recoil type guides first came out they had some durability issues. I havent seen or heard of any recently. I think they would be awesome on an UL. My next build im putting them on is a 7ft ul.

Heres a pict of them on a rod...

[upnorth]

The only thing I have read about the recoil guides is that in some cases they make funky noise while reeling.

I have been using PacBay Hialoy guides, they are pretty much the same as the Fuji Hardaloy. I know SiC guides are supposed to be better, but unless you go with the titanium frames they are heavier than the Hardaloy/Hialoy guides.

[DinkADunk]

Yep, the Recoils make a funky noise, but what I really don't like is the shooting distance I get out of them. I'm going to rip a set of Recoils off of my Steelhead rod and replace them with some single foot and double foot ceramics. I want the rod to reach out and touch someone.

[Dark Cloud]

The recoils make the same noise as the 304's. I use fireline alot and it makes noise no mater what, so it dosent bother me. Useing them on my float rod I havent noticed any casting distance problems but it also has a centerpin reel on it that I havent mastered yet or had the need to cast very far...

[upnorth]

They have to work fairly well for some folks or they wouldn't still be selling them. I have not used them as of yet so I have only what I have read about them, no personal experience.

[DinkADunk]

The rod I have recoils on is very similar to a fast Sage blank. With the recoils I have problems casting past 50', on the Sage, a Batson blank, or another Winston I can shoot at least 90' with double hauling - all with the same line on the same reel. I've also experienced problems with mending line. The only difference are the guides, so off they come. Not a problem, it's the beauty of building your own rods - don't like the hardware, change it.

[Tanda]

Thanks for the help!!

[DinkADunk]

Besides the guides frame/ring material you can work on the sizing in order to control weight. I like to go with the Fuji Concept guides. Say size 25,16,10,7 YSG guides then 3 LSG-6J's out to the tip. Getting down quickly seems to work well for long casts and the size 25 guide is usually plenty for the l/ul rod with smaller sized reels. Guide weight reduction is most noticeable at the tip.