Micro Guide Rods, My Personal Findings

[Sodus Bay Scooter]

Since we had a record setting temperature on Sunday in update NY, I decided to practice in the back yard and dream of it being spring.

As I switched between my veritas micro guide rod and my pro qualifier rod I started to take notice of a few things.

Here's my setup. Gen 3 revo s 6:4:1, 7'mh veritas micro guide spooled with 17lb bps flourocarbon.

Second rod is a bps pro qualifier standard guide rod and reel 6:4:1, 7'mh spoiled with 40lb power pro braid.

Using a 1/2oz practice plug pitching approximately 30 feet away, I would consistently get 6-8 feet further distance with the pq setup using approximately the same force to throw.

I then swapped the reels on each rod and noticed the same further distance with the flourocarbon revo s on the pq rod. I also noticed a significant increase in noise during the cast and retrieve with the braided pq reel on the veritas.

So with the claims that you get further distance with microguide rods because of decreased line slap, I call fooey. It was my finding that you in fact get the opposite which is decreased distance because of more line contact with the guides.

I also found no increase in sensitivity as I slowly dragged the plug across the grass. They both felt pretty much equal. Besides, when all the tension of the line is resting on the first guide at the tip of the rod, of course you shouldn't feel any increase of sensitivity because of the size of the subsequent guides.

HOWEVER! Where I can for certain say is that the benefit of micro guide rods lay is in the weight balance. Not necessarily the total weight of the rod but in the balance of weight near the reel. I held both rods and found the center of gravity closer to the reel on the veritas with both reels.

In practice I found it more comfortable over time pitching with the veritas because of the weight distribution.

So these are MY findings and I'm sure results can vary but I thought I would at least share that with you all.

Bring on spring!

[ripinthem]

Have about the same findings as you on sensitivity, and distance...really saw no improvement over my current arsenal. What I did find was decreased weight and better accuracy. For pitching at targets, my 7'3 inch micro guide is a beast, and really light/powerful.

[LgMouthGambler]

Im not a fan of micro guides either. Just a weight saving gimmick if you ask me.

[Delaware Valley Tackle]

The difference in casting is most likely due to the blanks rather  than the micro guides. Using the smallest lightest guide that will do the job allows the blank to retain as much of it's original design properties as possible. They are not a gimmick but not the cure all that some claim. "Micro" also covers a range of sizes so one micro guide might be better in a certain application than another. Comparing two different rods only means one performs differently than the other, the reasons why are probably several.

 

Line contact on the cast of a baitcaster is almost a non-issue regardless of guide size. Increased casting distance is the least of the advantages of smaller guides.

[Hi Salenity]

Im not a fan of micro guides either. Just a weight saving gimmick if you ask me.

does this mean that shimano is far enough behind the curve they don't have a "micro" rod yet?

Just yanking your chain

[Sodus Bay Scooter]

As far as line contact not an issue, if that is the case then the fact that the sound was louder meant the difference in guide insert material is making it louder. Most guide inserts nowadays, from what I've read, are similar enough in their performance between different rods.

That being said I personally still feel that there is more line contact on the micro guides because of the increase in sound with the braid. I could be wrong.

[Goose52]

does this mean that shimano is far enough behind the curve they don't have a "micro" rod yet?

Just yanking your chain

 

The new Cumara has micros.

[Jrob78]

I don't think an hour of pitching in your backyard, with 1 rod, is quite enough testing to form a solid blanket opinion on a guide system.

[Sodus Bay Scooter]

I used two rods. One micro and one without. Besides, how long SHOULD it take? If something seems different in the instance I try it or 2 months later, what's the difference?

Anyway, I did say that these were MY findings and results can and probably do vary but what I can say is that between the two rod types I have I can see differences that made me take notice.

[Sodus Bay Scooter]

Geeze, sorry for the typos. I'm at work typing from my phone.

 

Fixing my typos from home now.

[Jrob78]

I'm not discounting your experience at all.   I have no experience with factory "micro" guide rods but I have been building and fishing micro guides exclusively for about 4 years.   My experience is quite different from yours.  All I really meant was, you've pitched one micro guide rod for a short period, not in a fishing situation, that's not enough evidence to discount a proven system.  Don't give up on them just yet.  They aren't the "miracle" some people make them out to be but they do offer some real world advantages in many situations.

 

This is a video Fuji did to illlustrate the benefits of their new K-R Concept guide system.  It is really long and there is no sound but the slow motion video of line going through various guide configurations is really cool.  It is worth watching, IMO.

 

[Sodus Bay Scooter]

Cool, thanks for the video link. I will check that out for sure. What I don't get is that it seems as if I have given the impression that I don't like the micro guides.

I actually still like them more than regular guides and that is simply because of the weight centering alone. Sorry if I gave the wrong impression to anyone with my initial post.

[Diggy]

neat vid

[Bluebasser86]

I fish too much in below freezing temps each year to own a micro guide rod. Regular guides ice up fast enough as it is. Cotton seed can also be a huge headache with micros during the summer, but it's a headache with pretty much any rod if it's thick enough on the surface.

[Sodus Bay Scooter]

Yeah, that video was cool. Now my question is, which rods use this concept or are there any yet?

[PondBoss]

Neat video, makes me think about guides a bit more.  I think the Duckett spinning rods are set up like that, I may be mistaken but I was thinking it was similar.

[*Hootie]

I don't think an hour of pitching in your backyard, with 1 rod, is quite enough testing to form a solid blanket opinion on a guide system.

You need at least 1hr. and 6 min. to get accurate results.

Hootie

[LgMouthGambler]

does this mean that shimano is far enough behind the curve they don't have a "micro" rod yet?

Just yanking your chain

LOL, Ive never really paid attention to it, but I do think they have a few rods.

[tugsandpulls]

You need at least 1hr. and 6 min. to get accurate results.

Hootie

lol

[WRB]

Not all micro guides are equal and the rod construction makes a big difference in casting distance. Kigan micro guides used on some production rods like Dobyn's and some custom rods are excellent. Guide placement is critical and a big reason why a custom rod out performs off the self rods. Faster taper rods reduce casting distance compared to slower actions, the more parabolic the better a rod will cast of equal rod length.

The first guide must be positioned and the right size/height off the rod blank to alien properly with the reels line guide and reel seat.

Braid has a lot more drag going through guides then mono or FC. A good line dressing can help with FC line, braid usually has a Teflon coating to reduce drag, mono wets well and works OK without a dressing.

Casting in cold temperatures can stiffen the line and ice the guides. Micro guides would not be a good choice in cold climates, the reduced guide diameter freeze easily.

The trend in high end production rods like Loomis GLX and NRX series, the most expensive off the self rods, are micro guides.

Tom

Edited January 16, 2013 by WRB