What is a Custom Fishing Rod - Part 4 of a series

A lot more goes into building a quality rod than just assembling parts on a rod blank.  There are many choices to be made that determine the functionality of the finished product that also relate to quality.    In this post we will discuss the line guides that are placed on the rod blank to manage fishing line.

Guides come in many different shapes and configurations, sizes and materials.  There are spinning guides, casting guides, roller guides, fly guides.  These guides have toes, feet, arms, rings and inserts, they can be made of soft metals to stainless steel, may be chromed or anodized even vapor deposition coated to add brilliant color changing effects.  Traditional inserts are made of aluminum oxide and newer guides are made with exotic materials of space age technology, zirconium ceramics to silicon carbide.  Each have their use and benefits.  Some are very inexpensive others top out at expensive in the price range.

Line guides or "eyes" as some call them, are attached to the rod blank using special rod thread and epoxy, placing them in-line with the reel seat and aligning them for strength and stability to the rod blank.  They are spaced depending on the curvature of the blank so to not have sharp angles that cause friction to occur.  The main function of guides is to manage fishing line from the hook or lure to the reel.  When properly aligned on the blank the line will never touch the rod and will help increase the power and action built into the blank by the manufacturer.

There is an art and science to placing guides on the rod blank.  It takes time and study to do all of this and each blank is different.  Charts help, but do not fit every application, they only are "ball-park" estimates of where the guides should be placed.  Static distribution deflection tests  are necessary to make everything functions properly.  Custom rod builders have a play ground to work with when it comes to line guides.  There is a trend to use much lighter materials and even "micro" guides to reduce weight added to the finished product.

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