Good afternoon iam a bit confused on what size guides to put on a 5'6 180lb class blank. The man i am building this for wants a the first guide to be a roller guide as well as the tip. The rest will be conventional guides. I am looking at the Fuji HB frame guides. This is my first big rod like this as iam used to building inshore rods. Any help will be appreciated. Thanks

Is this rod going to have detachable butt? Or just a 5.5' 180 lb. test blank? Quite a bit depends on that and also the size of the roller butt guide. A little hard for me at least to tell what you are wanting to build. The more info, the better for good answers. If no butt, this guy is going to have to be someone like the Rock just to handle it.

He is wanting a aftco curved butt. He is mostly using this for goliath grouper. The rod will mostly stay in the gunnell. He said hthat he might use it in a fighting chair.

Okay, one more question. On a rod rated for 180 lb. test line, why does he want only the 1st guide and tip with rollers? Sounds like a mix and not much match to me. I would go with Aftco bigfoot rollers all the way.

Sorry but I just hate these types of questions.

1) Goliath grouper are labeled as "critically endangered". Yes you can catch and release them without going to jail.....but I think the intent of the law is for the fish not to be molested. I would not want to aid someone intentionally fishing for them.
2) No man can fish 180# class. Likely he will use the boat's motor to yank them off the bottom. Not my idea of sport. If he isn't after sport, and he can't keep them, just what is he after? A picture? A freaking picture in exchange for the potential life of a critically endangered fish?? No thanks....not with a rod that has my name/reputation associated with it.

Okay off the soap box. Roller guides are best used for fast running fish. Grouper are not fast.

Russ in Hollywood, FL.