Hey everyone,
I'm pretty new to custom building and am just starting a casting setup for crank baits. I need help with guide setup/theory. I'm looking for info explaining how to plan the layout, pick the right guides, etc. I'm relatively up to speed on NGC, KR and microwave guide concepts for spinning rods but I can't find anything similar for casting guides. Am I just looking in the wrong spots? Can anyone point me to some appropriate links?

Thanks in advance,
-Mark

A lot of rod blank manufacturers have recipes for their setups, including guide spacing, sizes, reel seats, and handles. Start there. If you want to know more about the theory, look into the library on this board. Look up 'static loading' or 'static guide placement'. To be honest though believe it or not, an old fashioned rod building paperback book will probably help you the most with the theory part.

Have fun
Nick

[anglersresource.net]

Go to the video near the bottom, the one on "KR Concept from Anglers Resource", and go to the 5:00 minute part of the video where the casting setup is discussed.

Bottom line for me is to locate an RV reverse guide at about 20 inches from the reel, then a couple KB's (big foot), then KT's to the end. KB's and KT's are all the same size, and spaced per a stress test. Move the RV up and down a little to see if there is a better place than 20 inches, adjust other locations if necessary, and you're good to go. Of course the stress test is the same as for spin.

You may approximate the KR casting philosophy with other guides, but the key is that the first guide is higher than normal double foot guides, it is only about 6mm ring diameter, and all the rest of the guides may be any size you want. But the Fuji guides are great quality, and they are what I use for all my casting builds. Make sure you have the reverse guide oriented correctly, with the two legs facing away from the reel.

Casting Rod Guide Placement

Mark,

The most important part of guide spacing, to me, is the relation between the stripper guide (guide closest to the reel) and the next 2 guides toward the tip. These guides will determine how well the rod will cast. The running guide placement following these guides should be graduated with the tip top and first runner guide being the closest distance to one another. These are the guides that basically shape the rod arc during catching and landing fish. All you really need here is to produce a good arc without flat spots, the spacing is not as critical.

The stripper guide placement should follow a line from the reel to a choke point (area of the most major line deflection) on the blank, typically somewhere behind the major point of the most critical arc of the rod bent from end to end at 50%, (between the butt and the arc point). The guides should be in line with the line coming from the reel and spaced accordingly keeping the line as straight as possible through these guides to the choke point. This is what the Fuji software does with spinning rods based on the spool direction toward a choke point on the blank.

With a casting rod, there is no direction that the spool points to. The advantage is; the spool is much closer in height to the blank. The choke point is not as critical because you have more room to work with given the angle of the line. You could tape the line to the tip and line up guides with the line in a graduated spacing and keep it the most straight it can be. This is really not practical or necessary due to the guide height and what works to control the line when cast. Instead keep the line straight through these first three guides through to the choke point as mentioned above with the next running guide being place to create the least amount of deflection. These three guides should be like a target when viewed looking down the blank. This is the spacing and you don't need software for it.

I hope this helps,
Lance



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 02/23/2017 04:41PM by Lance Schreckenbach.

How about a a casting reel that doesnt have a level wind (one that is actually casted)? Would it be the same or differ from reels that have a level wind?



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 02/24/2017 01:44AM by jon edwards.

This would apply to all casting rods, with or without a level wind. You may want a larger stripper to accommodate the line coming off the spool from side to side.

This is super helpful, thank you guys, especially Lance!