Hi all,

I'm building a couple of trout spey rods (2/3 and 3/4) and was wondering about the size of the running guides. What size do you use to accommodate the short shooting heads/trout spey lines?

I've never seen some of these lines in person so wasn't sure if they are much larger in diameter than the regular fly line, or if there are connections between heads+running lines to consider.

Any input is welcome.

thanks
Tom.

I used size 2 snakes as the smallest on a five weight.

Same size as a regular rod of the same weight..

10 df, 3,2, the rest 1s.

Tom, I'm currently building a Meiser 5wt, and planning to throw an OPST on it. The 1s mentioned above will be way, way to small. Those heads are huge. I settled on 3's for the smallest guides after sizing that loop-to-loop with a versileader with a variety of guide types and sizes.
I have an 11' 4/5 Meiser that I built with size 7 minimas (much smaller diameter than snake guide sizing), fishing that with a Rio Switch Chucker and it's OK, although I wish I'd have used size 3 snakes as the loop-to-loop from the line to a versileader gets hung up some times.

Comparing the OPST and similar lines to conventional lines and tapers, a 250gr OPST or Wulff Ambush at their thickest have the diameter of a 12 or 13 wt tarpon taper. Food for thought.

Sage One Trout Spey 3 wt. is a 12 df, 5, 4, 3, 2. than 1s.

Bryan, I don't understand how a loop-to-loop Versileader connection gets hung up on the guides, as it is outside the tip top when casting. I also think ones are a little small, I'd go with two's.

Phil Erickson Wrote:
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> Bryan, I don't understand how a loop-to-loop
> Versileader connection gets hung up on the guides,
> as it is outside the tip top when casting. I also
> think ones are a little small, I'd go with two's.


landing fish. The loop-to-loop from an OPST or similar to shooting line isn't much smaller, but a bit. Depends on the size of shooting line one uses. But way too large for a size one snake to clear.