Anybody have any experience wrapping the K Series belly guides (TKBTG6)? I used the Forhan locking wraps on the tip guides (TKTTG6), but the design of the belly guides prevents a smooth application of the Forhan wrap. Should I forego the locking wraps and try to just work a few blocking wraps in. It seems like the saw tooth design on the foot SHOULD hold the guide in place pretty stongly. My first time using single foot guides.

Alan

I have used the belly guides on a number or builds and no problems with a conventional wrap. Since you mention your first experience with single foot guides, I will state my opinion of the need for locking wraps. They, if anything, help to prevent the tearing off of guides when subjected to the stresses exerted by sticking rods in and out of rod tubes, stress tends to peel off the guides. Normal fishing is not an issue. I have never had a guide tear off like this, and I've done a lot of rods without the locking wraps. Having said that, the locking wraps have no disadvantage other than a little more work in wrapping the guide. IMHO.

I have done several with the belly guides and have no problems with and without locking wraps. I did a couple of mine without to see if they would fail and have not 2 years into the experiment. I am kind of rough on rods, so you should be ok without locking if you choose. If I am selling the rod, I lock the wraps because it is too easy to do and eliminates a service call. Somebody rips a belly guide with a locking wrap out, I have a pretty good idea they were mistreating it.

I personally do not lock the KB. I do lock the KT

Thanks for the inputs guys. Since a couple of you have no problems without the locking wraps I think I will go with Jim's system - lock the KTs and conventional wrap the KBs.

Alan,

You don't really describe the intended use, and who this is for.

It's difficult to make a recommendation as there are so many factors like thread size, tension, underwraps or not, cp or not, likely use, possible abuse, etc. If in doubt, I'd err on the safe side and overbuild.

If design elements are more important in this situation, then you're probably not facing a usage situation that will task the build.

All your options are likely viable.

John,

This will be my personal Coho downrigger rod built on a Rainshadow RDR86M. Although I have landed Coho of 14+ lbs, the last few years our runs have been smaller fish with a 9 pounder being a prize.

I like the parabolic action of the Rainshodow blank as a personal preference and like the way it loads up in the downrigger. With that as a starting point, I also want the tip as sensitive as possible because we get a lot of shakers and have copious quantities of eel grass in the water.. Want to be able to see if a shaker is twitching the tip or if I have picked up some weeds.

So with the thought that I want a sensitve tip, not necessarily a fast action tip, I decided to go with the RDR86M and the lightest single foot guides I could find out on the tip. This is being spiral wrapped so I am using double foot guides to get the line wrapped down to the bottom of the rod.

I use 30# braid with a 25 or so ft top shot of 12 to 15 # mono tied with an Albright knot. The Albright is pretty small but still tends to put a bit of a beating on the guides. Thus the decision to bite the bullet and go with the Torzite rings.

I have enough money in parts for this build to have gone out and bought a pair of pretty nice rods. But hopefully will end up with exactly what I think I want.