What is, in most fly rod snake guides, is it best to use one guide size(wire) over another. I know that weight seems to be a common concern when rod tip recovery is concerned.

Maybe looks or flexibility? I have had one foot of a thin wire NiTi snake guide which was either struck or pushed parallel to the length of the rod and slid out from under the wrappings. I had to cut the wrappings off the other foot and rewrap the whole guide. You bet I finished the wraps with a couple of Forhan wraps on each leg of the guide.

Phil
The REC NiTi snakes have to be installed very carefully. In trying to adjust the position you may deform them longitudinally such that you will compress them - in extreme cases you may do as you describe
Don't know how you installed a Forhan lock on a snake. S/F yes - but not a snake.
After the wraps are finished on a snake with epoxy and tunnels filled - there is very little chance of that happening.
Herb
U.S. Distrib CTS rod blanks

I have repaired a fair number of the REC NiTi snakes that hav pulled out on one side. Never had it happen on a Snake Brand lite wire, and they are all I use generally

Ron Weber

Seems logical that it would be more likely with a flexible guide. With more rigid guides any longitudinal load is taken by both legs; with REC with the flex, one leg could be tasked to take most of the load. Especially a load away from the wrap. (toward the guide, tending to pull the foot.)

For the last 15 years I have fished the salt almost exclusively. I put REC NiTi guides on rods I build for myself (except strippers and tip-tops) because they are bullet-proof. The NiTi lite guides I put on a #7 wt. came off a broken #4 wt. - they work fine with Forhan wraps. How to put Forhan Wrap on a snake guide? Wrap up to the point where you wish to make the wrap(s). While maintaining tension cut the thread 12"-18" from the blank while maintaining tension with your fingers. Make your Forhan wraps using fingers from both hands, maintaining constant tension on the thread, put the tag end of your wrapping thread through your pull-through loop, and pull. Simple.

Thinner wire guides are for smaller diameter line; 5 to 1 wt and Thicker guides for larger lines. The thinner wire will let a larger diameter line compress around it, doing damage to it as it passes through the guides.

Lance, that is so true and the thicker wire isn,t any better onthe heavier lines..if you like bying new fly line every one or two years, use wire guides.lol.

Lance, that is so true and the thicker wire isn,t any better onthe heavier lines..if you like bying new fly line every one or two years, use wire guides.lol.

I have never had a fly line damaged by "thinner snake guides", but then I have always used high quality fly lines.

I have neve had a line damaged by the lite wire guides, whether a high or low end line.

Ron Weber

Seems to be a mixed opinions about thin/standard wire. As a clarification, I'll be putting thin wire guides on 2 8 wgt rods. I haven't done that yet. I did wonder if thin wire might prematurely wear out the line versus standard wire. I'm not exactly sure what the forehan lock is my guess is there are wraps around each leg of the snake guide. I'm guessing a couple of wraps and then through the loop to lock it in. I will have to think about the best way to do this.

S

I most definitely would probably not put lite wire guides on an 8wt. What are you trying to accomplish.

Ron Weber

Sorry, but I just cannot resist. I would like to see any data indicating that any wire guides damage fly line, without regard for how thick or thin they are. If it's true, they have been damaging fly lines for a long, long, time. And most of us didn't even know.

Michael: Damage to the fly line isn't the issue. The concern is whether lite wire guides is too lite for an 8wt fly rod . I'm beginning to think that they are.

I've used a 1T thin wire guide on the first 5 guides from the tip on my 6 wt. rods for over a decade with no problems.

Robert, I understand and agree. An earlier post was stating that light wire guides damage line.

On a 6 wt rod or lighter your talking the power eqivalent of a ultralight rod blank, or lighter. None of the guides near the tip will have pressure of more than an ounce, not much pressure to tear up your fly lines.

i,ve been using BLAGs 4 to 6 depending on connections and get smooth line feed under high line tension while fighting bass 4# and larger even when the line is softened by summer heat, any quality of line..unlike wire the ceramics don,t bite into the line..if your fishing mostly smaller fish you will not have problems..if your fishing larger fish in cold weather you probably won,t have this problem..if your rod is built with more than enough guides to share the load you may not have this problem even with wire guides but once you try ceramics you can,t go back to wire..every thing is smoother..i still needto try the Minamas though.

BLAH.? Not quite sure what that is. Ceramic single foot guide? Getting some good information so far.