I just built two fly rods from the same maker and one rod was fine,no slap. I built the other one and I used Mudholes' guide spacing chart on both rods and got line slap on the second rod. the rod is 8'6" 4wgt. the guides I used are #5 and a boat guide stripper and a large rip top. My reasoning comes from posts and articles online concerning knots and loops that are used with fly lines and the easy passage of the afore mentioned. Now I'm guessing smaller guides? Insight is appreciated . Thanks in advance.

Robert

If you've shot American trap doubles you know there is a never ending debate for the best combination of choke and shot size for the first target, and truth is there are multiple correct combinations. So the debate goes on and on. A similar debate rages on for fly rod guide sizes.

Nonetheless, assuming the #5 guides were #5 double foot snake guides, then the guides are way too large for a 4 weight, for which I would use 1/0 guides. Similarly, a large tip top loop is not needed for a 4 weight. A standard loop is OK up to about a 7 or 8 weight. Knot passage thru the guides is usually not an issue until 7 weight and heavier rods.

For a 4 weight I'd use a 12 mm agate stripper, one #4 snake, one #2 snake, and the rest #1/0 snakes. But that is just me. Again, there are multiple correct guide size combinations.

Thank you for taking time to respond Don. Then confusing thing is nfor me at least is #1/0 snake guides. 2,3,4 snake guides I understand when #1/0 is mentioned i'm confused a bit. I ordered some 3/0 guides thinking they were good for a flyrod but they were so small they are are unusable onany flyrod. Ice fishing rods maaaaybeee.. Need some sort explination about the numbering system.

Sounds like you two are talking about two different types of fly guides. I know Don is talking about wire guides, and think you are talking about ringed fly guides. A #5 wire guide is large a size 5 ringed guide is small and a size 3 ringed guide is tiny and a size 3 wire guide is medium. If you are using ringed guides switch over to wire guides they are lighter and make the rod feel lighter, crisper and more responsive.
Norm

[www.rodbuilding.org]

Link above is a general discussion on fly rod guide sizing.


[www.flexcoat.com]

Link above contains a link to a great pdf of guide sizes.


Yeah, a 3/0 snake would be small - I've not seen one. I rarely use 2/0s - eyes too old to see them well, hands shake too much to handle them, and the smallest Universal snake size offered by Snake Brand is 1/0.

Norm is correct. I have referred to light wire snake guides for a 4 weight rod.

I am not familiar with "line slap" pertaining to fly rods/lines. I assume this occurs while the line is shooting during the cast. Where does it occur on the rod blank, and does using a different line change the amount of slap?

Maybe you were talking about wire guides, got misled when you said you ordered 3/0 guides I have never seen such a creature, the smallest I've seen and used is a1/0, so I assumed you were talking about a ringed guide. So I now I understand your question. A size 1/0 is smaller than a size 1 but larger than a size 2/0. I agree Don, a size 5 snake guide is way to large for a 4 wgt, so go with the smaller wire guides. Snake brand are the best but other brands will work.
Norm

I used wire snake guides and a boat guide stripper(10.6mm i.d.0. No ring guides. Im going to drop down in size to a #3 and add 1 more guide to the rod near where slap is occuring near the the stripper and reduce the size of the stripper. I.d. of stripper is 5/16(7.9mm)". Slap occurs between the stripper and the next guide. I'll tape them on first then check it out first.

An 8'6 rod would take about 9 - 10 guides
The stripper would go - hold the rod in your casting hand Elbow at your side Take the other hand and - easily reach touch the blank Don't stretch out That would be where the stripper would go Adjust as needed
Then static test the rod - [anglersresource.net]

Minima guides would be light for that rod

Bill - willierods.com

Are we really talking about line slap during a cast? Line slap is very difficult to get on a fly rod as the line is pulling it's self during the cast and tends to flow pretty smoothly, especially on a rod as light as a 4wt.

I build only fly rods, and my configuration for the rod would be: #10 stripper, #5 single foot light wire and all the rest #3 single foot light wire guides. This configuration on a MHX 4wt casts like a dream.

There is a good article on fly rod guide sizing in this sites library.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 06/13/2016 01:40PM by Phil Erickson.

I specialize in building only fly rods. On an 8'6" 4wt. I would probably use 9 guides plus a stripper. For the stripper I would use a size 10 Agate, and for the running guides I would use one #3, one #2 and the remainder #1 with a standard size tip top. Guide spacing would be determined by static testing.
Hope this helps

John A.

The line slap is gone. I changede all the guides and stripper and added one wire guide. The line slap occured between the stripper and the first wire guide and then moved the stripper back towards the reel and added the wire guide in front of tha slap went away. Also, I'm looking for medium sized boat guides . I have a few with 5/16 id but am looking for id's up 3/4 " if anyone has some to sell or knows of someone has let me know.

When you say boat guides what brand are you talking about? I assume you are looking for the old non ceramic guides like mildrum, because you can buy ceramic insert boat guides from many different distributors. In fact you can buy the non-ceramic and carbide guides at the same places.
Norm

Norman Mailer: The boat guides I am refering to are no longer made . The mid sized guides are in between wire guides and the boat guides sold today. the thickness of the mid sized guide ring is approximately in between the wire and the much thicker boat guide made today. I have found 5 with a5/16 dia. and i'm looking for larger sizes. There is no ceramic or carbide in the guide just stainless steel and chrome clad. If you know where I can find sime let me know.