I've been meaning to post these pictures for a long time. Some folks believe that "micro" guides are a recent trend. Here are two rods that I bought a couple years after I got out of the Navy in 1978.

[www.rodbuilding.org]

[www.rodbuilding.org]

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"Angling is extremely time consuming.
That's sort of the whole point." - Thomas McGuane



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 01/11/2017 08:41AM by Chuck Mills.

I believe it was the Berkley Series One rods that first ventured into that area here in the U.S. back in the mid 1980s. They had smaller than normal guides, size 4 or 5 I think. They didn't catch on.

Match Rods in Europe have long utilized what we now call "micro guides" but it was not until Steve Gardner began using and promoting them on bass rods that they really got going here in the U.S. If you go back to this board's archives, you'll note that neither he nor anyone else claimed they were "new," although some around these days might think they are.

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I do remember those rod micro rods. Small guides on rods has been around for a long time. I remember Dale Clemens promoting high frame small ring guides back in the seventies and eighties. Cabela's used to sell match-like rods. Down here in the South B'n'M made crappie jig rods touting micro guides. However, the concept never really caught until bass fisherman starting using them and winning tournaments. There is little doubt that Steve Gardner is a true believer, and is credited with today's popularity of micro-guided rods. This concept is still evolving and improving, with all of the major guide companies now offering micro guides of excellent quality.
Norm

Oh yea for sure they were big back in the mid 70's - mid 80's some of them had red rings
repaired my share of those lol

The best day to be alive is always tomorrow !!
Think out side the box when all else fails !!!
Wi.

The abused stumps extending from my vintage hands, as well as the eyes above them hate micro guides.

Mark Talmo
FISHING IS NOT AN ESCAPE FROM LIFE BUT RATHER A DEEPER IMMERSION INTO IT!!! BUILDING YOUR OWN SIMPLY ENHANCES THE EXPERIENCE.

When Shimano first brought the long spool reels here, they had a matching set of Aero rods with match guides on them down to 4 mm.