I've never gone this high end... but building several Winston flyrods for family, Buidling a Winston Boron III Plus 9', 10 wt saltwater and three spey fresh/salt rods.
1 st. The 10 wt. Winston will be used exclusively in saltwater. What are the best stripper guides (sizes 16 and 20 ) for saltwater 10wt.... fishing for Tarpon, etc.?

2 nd. The three spey rods are 2- 7 wts for Steelheads and 1- 8 wt.(for King Salmon). What would be the best stripper guides for these rods and conditions? And where could I order
these guides? What material should the stripper rings be made of to stand up to fresh/saltwater?

3rd For saltwater what is best Winding Check material? Probably not Nickel Silver..... Aluminum?


Thanks to all.

20-12- 6-4 to the large loop tip top on the single hand rod.

For my personal rods intended for the salt I used the REC titanium strippers and snakes. They are not so strong in terms of aesthetics but they are structurally very strong and are not going to rust.

With regard to winding check, you are correct that nickel silver and salt water do not play well together. Aluminum works, and so does vinyl. Regardless of what material you use, extend the wrap epoxy from the winding check wrap up onto the winding check.

Looked at my speys, the weights you mentioned have identical guide set ups. 16-12-6-4-than 3s to the tip with a big loop tip top. They were set up for beach casting to salmon, along with stream fishing.

I can only comment on the 10 wt for saltwater because I have not made any spey rods. You can use either a 16 or a 20 as a stripper but Spencer's recommendation is spot on, you get a nice straight line like that. I would use a 20 but move it closer to the reel or ferrule end of the rod blank. If you decide a 16 then go more toward the tip. If you look at Winston's version of the rod, with the 20 stripper it would be closer to the ferrule end than theirs. I think that they cast better like that. If you go with all ceramic guides my setup would be all Fuji Ti frames KW 20, 12 double foot strippers, L 8 and then the rest L 7s for runners (12 total guides) and a7 or 8 TT.

I'll second Donald's recommendation of REC snake guides - but stick with the standard, not the lightweight REC snakes. When struck they tend to "back out" from under their wrapping, sometimes even with a forhan wrap. I do not use REC stripping guides or tip-tops. They are both ugly and the strippers are noisy when line flows through them. I have used rods built with freshwater components and "freshwater reels" in salt water for decades and they continue to look and function just fine. Just rinse them carefully and completely with fresh water IMMEDIATELY before you put them away or put them in a rod bag, not the next morning . . . or when you remember. The next morning is too late.