Having a custom rod built. Micro guides or regular?

[DaveT63]

I'm looking to have a custom casting rod built.  Thinking 7', MH, fast action.  I can get titanium guides, regular guides, etc.  Looking for opinions on micro guides.  For you guys that have used them, would you recommend them?  If not what WOULD you recommend?

Thanks,

Dave

[BASSclary]

Also, think about spiral wrapping.

[Nine Miler]

Here is more info than you can read on the topic from the pros. I searched "Micro Guides" to make it easy on you, but I recommend reading all of the topics as I am sure you will have a much better understanding of the performance improvements available to you if you take every aspect of your custom build into consideration.

http://rodbuilding.org/search.php?2,search=Micro+,author=,page=1,match_type=ALL,match_dates=0,match_forum=ALL,match_threads=

The basic idea is that guide sizing depends on what is required to pass any line size, leader knots, etc that you intend to pass through them, and no larger is necessary. Remember, the first guide is the level-wind guide on your reel. Pretty small isn't it? A lot of the builders are trending toward using fewer and fewer guide sizes. Spirals also seem to be recommended mostly for tip-up type retrieves where the line wants to move below the blank. Examples are bottom baits, like jigs, C-rigs, worms, etc.

If you have a good builder, they should be talking to you about your intended use of the rod, what lines, lures, etc. you will be using and provide a recommendation based on your needs.

Titanium is light, corrosion resistant and expensive. It may be over-kill, but based on your budget maybe not. I would defer to the builder for recommendation on the best value. Generally, the harder the ring insert, the better. The builder will know which guides have typically worked the best for them for the price. I am sure they have done lots of experimenting. Don't get stuck on Fuji components, there are lots of others that are quality as well, like Batson, American Tackle, Pac Bay (their Minima line is popular) etc.

[RussBert]

I have never fished a rod with micro guides. I would personally buy and try a factory rod with micro guides before I ever had a custom rod built with them.

[BossHoss]

As far as micro vs traditional... That is a decision you have to make for yourself. Both have plenty of +'s and -'s that have already been discussed at length on here.

If your gonna go micro the K-series from Fuji has to be the best set going right now.

If you wanna go the other traditional route then I like REC Recoil guides. I tend to have the worst luck and pretty clumsy feet, so the recoil guides have saved me a lot of trips to the tackle store to replace guides. They are noisy with braid, but if you think that will be an issue then just go with SiC. I have them on a lot of my rods and have never had one go bad.

If money was no issue I would make every rod I ever owned with Fuji's Gold Cermet guides. IMO they are the best traditional guides out there right now, but they are HIGH.

[Redlinerobert]

I would go for regular.  I juset cant seem to get over the look of the micro guides.  you get a knot in the line and it is not passing through those guides....

The regular guides in a spiral wrap is the best way to go imho.  no rod torque and farther casts are the benefits...

[.RM.]

I would go for regular. I juset cant seem to get over the look of the micro guides. you get a knot in the line and it is not passing through those guides....

The regular guides in a spiral wrap is the best way to go imho. no rod torque and farther casts are the benefits...

As a builder I agree with Roberts knot statement here. While I also agree that the spiral wrapped rods are more torque/twist stable, in my 17 years of wrapping them I haven't seen any increase in cast distance from a spiral wrap.

Good Luck & Tight Lines!   

[Gone_Phishin]

I'm not totally familiar with the climate in your area, but do you plan on fishing with this stick in early spring or late fall?  If so, and if you have freezing temps during these periods, iced-over guides could be a problem.

I have had to bust/suck ice off of my guides more times than I can count, and all my sticks have conventional sized guides; I can only imagine how easily micros ice over.

[bassnleo]

I own 4 Kistler Z Bone rods, 1 spinning and 3 casting, all with micro guides.

I absolutlely love them and if I could I'd have all my rods rewrapped with micros.

[Delaware Valley Tackle]

Micro guides, like everything else, have their place, but they are not a cure all. Micro guides come in a range of sizes and the ID of rings of a certain size varies slightly between manufacturers. As stated, any knots you intend to pass should be one of many considerations discussed. There are micros that will pass braid/leader knots. Ideally, the builder will have the reel intended for use on the rod. This aids in balancing the rig as well as choosing and placing the first guide or two. I also like to perform line in/out tests on a spiral wrap to be sure the line isn't slapping or stacking on one side.

[AndrewVT]

Like most have said, micro guides are really personal preference based on your line/leader choice and passing knots.  I think a lot of people are turned off by them because they assume they are fragile, but in my experience the hold up the same as other guides and are less likely to be snagged on something because of there size.  No bass rod/situation will be to heavy to use micros.  If the knots will pass through them, I would use them because they result in a lighter rod.  One thing I prefer however, is a normal sized braced tip (size 5.5 or 6 ring) because I seem to get fewer backlashes than with a micro tip.  Might just be me, so you might want to try them both.

[J Francho]

I have a custom swimbait rod built on a St. Croix 4C79HF with micros, spiral wrapped.  I love them.  Yes, they are a bit delicate - bent a few - and I agree on the bigger tip.

[rubba bubba]

Vegetation clogging the guides is something to be considered, particularly if you fish a lot of hair-algae.  More of a nuisance than anything.