I've decided to build a conventional boat rod for salt water bottom fishing. I have a 6' blank that I feel will do well for this purpose. Will use a Penn Jigmaster reel on it. The handle and reel seat will deduct 16" from the total length of the blank. I need suggestions on guide sizing and spacing.

Thanks in advance.

I'm not OLD........I'm CHRONOLOGICALLY GIFTED

I would start with a 16 for a stripper and down to a 10 and 8 for runners and tip

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

I am finishing a boat rod build at the moment. It is a 7` rod. I went with 16 -12 -12 -10 -10 -10 with a 10 tip.

What part of guide choice and placement is most critical for salt water bottom fishing?

Hello All.

There are a few questions we need to answer, to answer your question.

1. Is the 16" you speak of before or after the fore grip?

2. How thick is your fore grip?

3. Once these questions are answered and the grips, seat, and reel are installed, you need to decide if you are doing a traditional build or a spiral wrap (All salt rods I do I spiral wrap unless they are spinning).

4. Next is deciding on your tip size and install it (without glue).

5. Run line through a number of guides, (I would start with a 25 if the grip is real thick, a 20 if it is thinner, then a pair on 10's and 3 or 4 8's) then your tip and tie a weight to it (I use a 1lb weight at first).

6. Just looking at it with the weight on it I line up the guides and tape them on (They are going to be moved), and yes even if you are spiraling the guides set it up like you are doing it traditionally.

7. Next is load test: I take mine outside and tie the line to the hitch on my truck and put tension on the rod (Heavy Bottom I use a LOT of tension), watching the line to see if it follows the bend in the rod (And that the line does Not cut into the fore grip or my hand, if it does I need a higher or larger butt guide), move the guides around until the line follows the bend in the rod.

8. If you are spiraling the guides take all the guides but the Butt Guide and move them to the bottom of the rod.

9. Take a guide, (on mine it would be size 10) the same size as your 2nd guide and place it at either 90* or at 270* (If your handle is on the right put it at 90* if on the left put it at 270*) half way between your butt and second guide.

10. Rethread your line and look again at the line following the bend of the rod, (yes you bend it again) make sure it's not touching grip or fingers, and at the crossover point where the line goes under the rod to see it's Not touching the blank at Any point.

11. Wrap your guides, double check that the guides are in a straight line on the bottom and epoxy (or whatever you use), and don't forget your tip, you can attach it however you like (I use tip glue on smaller rods, under 50#, and epoxy on heavy rods.

12. For "Conventional" or "Traditional" just leave out the bit about moving the guides to the bottom of the rod and adding the "Bumper Guide".

Let me say this, I see no reason to build "Conventional" or "Traditional" and that the spiral wrap (in whichever way it needs to be done, slow or quick) on any rod when the reel is on top is far superior to "Conventional" or "Traditional" wraps, My $.02.


I hope I did not miss anything (poor memory), if I did I'm sure someone will let us know.


Tight Wraps & Tighter Lines.

Bob,

New Bern, NC.

Thanks Bob,

I hadn't thought about doing a spiral wrap of the guides as I've never built a rod for a conventional reel before. Your step by step description is excellent and I really appreciate you taking the time to write it up. I've decided that is the way I'm going to build it.

Larry

I'm not OLD........I'm CHRONOLOGICALLY GIFTED

Hello Larry.

You are welcome, tight wraps.


Tight Wraps & Tighter Lines.

Bob,

New Bern, NC.

Robert A. Guist Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Hello All.
>
> There are a few questions we need to answer, to
> answer your question.
>
> 1. Is the 16" you speak of before or after the
> fore grip?
>
> 2. How thick is your fore grip?
>
> 3. Once these questions are answered and the
> grips, seat, and reel are installed, you need to
> decide if you are doing a traditional build or a
> spiral wrap (All salt rods I do I spiral wrap
> unless they are spinning).
>
> 4. Next is deciding on your tip size and install
> it (without glue).
>
> 5. Run line through a number of guides, (I would
> start with a 25 if the grip is real thick, a 20 if
> it is thinner, then a pair on 10's and 3 or 4 8's)
> then your tip and tie a weight to it (I use a 1lb
> weight at first).
>
> 6. Just looking at it with the weight on it I line
> up the guides and tape them on (They are going to
> be moved), and yes even if you are spiraling the
> guides set it up like you are doing it
> traditionally.
>
> 7. Next is load test: I take mine outside and tie
> the line to the hitch on my truck and put tension
> on the rod (Heavy Bottom I use a LOT of tension),
> watching the line to see if it follows the bend in
> the rod (And that the line does Not cut into the
> fore grip or my hand, if it does I need a higher
> or larger butt guide), move the guides around
> until the line follows the bend in the rod.
>
> 8. If you are spiraling the guides take all the
> guides but the Butt Guide and move them to the
> bottom of the rod.
>
> 9. Take a guide, (on mine it would be size 10) the
> same size as your 2nd guide and place it at either
> 90* or at 270* (If your handle is on the right put
> it at 90* if on the left put it at 270*) half way
> between your butt and second guide.
>
> 10. Rethread your line and look again at the line
> following the bend of the rod, (yes you bend it
> again) make sure it's not touching grip or
> fingers, and at the crossover point where the line
> goes under the rod to see it's Not touching the
> blank at Any point.
>
> 11. Wrap your guides, double check that the guides
> are in a straight line on the bottom and epoxy (or
> whatever you use), and don't forget your tip, you
> can attach it however you like (I use tip glue on
> smaller rods, under 50#, and epoxy on heavy rods.
>
> 12. For "Conventional" or "Traditional" just leave
> out the bit about moving the guides to the bottom
> of the rod and adding the "Bumper Guide".
>
> Let me say this, I see no reason to build
> "Conventional" or "Traditional" and that the
> spiral wrap (in whichever way it needs to be done,
> slow or quick) on any rod when the reel is on top
> is far superior to "Conventional" or
> "Traditional" wraps, My $.02.
>
>
> I hope I did not miss anything (poor memory), if I
> did I'm sure someone will let us know.
>
>
> Tight Wraps & Tighter Lines.

Bob,

Thanks for your write up. I do have a question if you don't mind. For Step 9 on a Spiral Wrap, are you saying to wrap the guides in the direction/on the same side of the handle? I would assume to do it opposite the side of the handle to counter the torque imparted by reeling on that side. (I know, to each their own, but I am by no means experienced enough to "argue" the position, I am genuinely curious).

Hello Ken.

There is only one bumper guide, and the reel handle will protect the guide when laid down on a deck.


Tight Wraps & Tighter Lines.

Bob,

New Bern, NC.

Gotcha. Thanks for the reply, Bob.

Hello Ken.

You are welcome, tight wraps.


Tight Wraps & Tighter Lines.

Bob,

New Bern, NC.