I'm setting up a new rod for a friend of mine. A 7' MHX crankbait blank trimmed down to 6'7". I have the stripper guide 20" from the face of the reel; a Record 50. Static testing places a running guide about 4" in front of the stripper. This is heavy power, mod-fast action rod which will be used mostly for small swimbaits, but will see regular duty fishing for striped bass. I'm sure it will get loaded down to that runner, so I don't think I should eliminate it. Can a bumper guide be effective when placed in that 4" gap".

I'm sure there's an obvious answer to this, but, being a novice, I have no idea.

I can't see how static testing would place two guides so close together that far down on the butt section. Either way the bumper only serves to keep the line off the blank as it passed from top to bottom so it would be "effective" but I think your placement needs to be reworked. If those two guides are that close, I'd drop the guide at 20" and just make the one at 24" the butt guide instead. Or pull the current butt guide back a bit maybe to 17" inches or something.

Gary,
You use the term bumper guide. Is this a spiral wrapped casting rod?

If so, I would just put the stripper guide at 24 inches from the reel and then the need for that bumper goes away.

Also, if you have a concern on a spiral wrapped rod with a bumper at that distance, I would add a 2nd guide in the spiral train to have one guide at 60 and one guide at 120.

Near the butt of the rod, I would think that there would be no reason to have the guides any closer than about 10 inches or so.

Be safe

There are many ways to do the same thing That said I start with a spinning spacing chart ( No Bumper Guide ) Bring the butt guide up Static test Adjust guides When you like where they are Where the line touches the blank Put a running guide as a bumper
From here IMHO it is best to with reel on go out and take line out add weight reel the weight in and see depending on reel how the line goes onto the reel Make any addjustments

Bill - willierods.com

Bill,
Great idea on the use of starting with a spinning guide layout.
Makes great sense since the guides are on the bottom of the rod - same as a spinning guide and they certainly do not need the closer spacing of a typical casting rod.

Be safe

Thanks for the replies gents. Roger; this is a spiral wrapped rod. Sorry for not making that clear. I've never placed a stripper guide 24" from the face of the reel, which is why I asked the question. I'll give that a shot. Some test casting will tell me if that location is OK.

I'll also do as Ken suggested, and revisit the static testing to see if I got that wrong.

Bill, I've done a little test casting with weight on the line, and I do need to offset the stripper guide. When under a small load, the line stacks on the reel just a bit to the side.

Those two guides came out that close together when I did the static test without the stripper guide on the rod. When I measured it out to place the stripper at 20", it landed that close to the first 180 degree runner.

I may also be to finicky about trying to match line path to rod curve on the butt end of the stick. I will revisit that.

Thanks again,
GK

Exactly what I thought when I first read how to place the guides Also you should be able to use less guides in the spinning fashion Made sence to me Plus using a spinning chart there may not be too much movement of the guides Gets one in the ball park Or just place them 5" apart to start

Bill - willierods.com

The Bumper Guide isn't a transition guide so if you don't want the line to rub the side of the blank with the butt guide at 24 inches, you'll still need a bumper guide.

Now you could also use a more common spiral wrapped rod such as the Robert's or Revolver type with transition guides. That would put the butt guide at 0, two transition guides at 60 and 120 and then the first runner at 180 Generally all within a foot length.

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I've reworked the spacing with another static test and have a better layout? Also put the stripper at 22" from the reel face. I now have almost 12" to make the transition from top to bottom.

Thanks for the help gents.
GK

Ideally, since the Bumper guide is only there to prevent line contact with the blank, not to help transition the line, you would like to see about 8 to 10 inches from you 0 to 180 guide. A little more isn't likely to hurt. Between the 0 and 180 guides, the line should naturally fall from one to the other in a straight line. The further the distance between the 0 and 180, the larger ring the bumper guide may need so as not to interfere with the straight line path between the 0 and 180 guides.

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