Fishing guide are the components of a fishing rod that help to direct the fishing line from the reel to the tip of the fishing rod. These guide are important for helping to determine how easly the fishing line move through the fishing rod. If the guide is too small for the fishing line, the fishing line may catch on a knot along the fishing line.
This creates friction in the line that can cause the fishing line to break or the hook to pull free from the fishs mouth. Therefore, the size of the fishing guides must match the size of the fishing rod and the fishing line. The size of the fishing guide must match the diameters of the fishing line and the size of the knots in the line.
Fishing Guides: What They Do and How to Care for Them
The fishing guides are organized in a sequence along the fishing rod. The first fishing guide in the sequence is a stripper guide. This guide is the largest fishing guide and it sits closest to the fishing reel because it must accommodate the large coils of fishing line that come off of the fishing reel.
The other fishing guides along the fishing rod will be smaller than the stripper guide and will eventually lead to the tip of the fishing rod. The size of these fishing guides will taper along the fishing rod to help to keep the line straight when the fishing rod is under tension. Depending upon the type of fishing rod that you use, there are different appropriate sizes for the fishing rods guides.
For finesse spinning rods used to catch small fish, you should use micro fishing guides because they remain close to the blank of the fishing rod. For fishing rods used to catch bass or steelhead, the fishing guides should be taller to allow for the heavier fishing leaders and knots to pass through the guides. For surf fishing casting rods, the strippers should be large to help the fishing line move through th
The material of a fishing guide is also an important factor to consider because the material of the fishing guide impacts the way that the fishing guide perform.
For example, stainless steel frames are common for freshwater fishing as they are durable, but they have the potential to rust if they are used in salt water. Titanium fishing guides are lighter than those with stainless steel frames, which is beneficial for anglers that want to reduce the weight of there fishing rod. Ceramic inserts are also common within fishing guides because they help to reduce the friction of the fishing line within the fishing guides; ceramic inserts are especially useful for anglers that use braided fishing lines.
Finally, anglers often use roller fishing guides for big game fish because the rollers help to reduce the amount of heat and friction that the fish creates as it is being reeled in. When purchasing fishing guides, avoid the mistake of purchasing fishing guides that are only light in weight. Fishing guides that are low-profile are typically light in weight, but tend to provide little room for thick fishing line or knots.
Fishing guides that are tall in size provide more space for thick fishing lines and knots, but add to the overall weight of the fishing rod. Therefore, anglers should select fishing guides based off the thickness of the fishing line and the size of the knots that will be used. You can test fishing guides by pulling the leader of the fishing line through the fishing guides while the leader is dry, and again while the leader is wet.
If the fishing line moves smoothly through the fishing guides, the size of the fishing guides is appropriate for the fishing rod, but if the fishing line feels gritty as it is pulled through the guides, the size of the fishing guide should be changed. In addition to size, you should also inspect the sharpness of the fishing guides to ensure that the guides will not cut the fishing line. You can test the smoothness of the fishing guides by running a cotton swab through the fishing guides from front to back.
If the cotton swab becomes snagged on anything within the fishing guides, the fishing guide has a burr that will cut the fishing line. Additionally, you can pull fishing lines by hand through the fishing guides to ensure that the fishing guides are smooth; if there is any heat or drag within the guides when the fishing line is pulled, the guides are not smooth. Finally, you can inspect the ceramic inserts within the fishing guides with magnifying loupe for any micro-chips in the ceramic material; these chips can also slice the fishing line as the fish are being reeled in.
If you are wrapping your own fishing guides, you must follow a systematic process. First, lay out your fishing guides in a straight line from the reel seat to the tip of the fishing rod. Prepare the feet of the fishing guides to ensure they are smooth, and then wrap the fishing guides with even tension.
Seal the fishing guides with epoxy so that they are protected, and allow the epoxy to fully cure; if the epoxy does not fully cure, the flex of the fishing rod will crack the epoxy. Additionally, rinse your fishing guides with freshwater after each use in salt water, and replace any fishing guides whose frames have bent or whose inserts are grooved from frequent use. Ensuring that your fishing guides are properly maintained will ensure that they properly function and that you dont lose any fish that you catch.
You should of checked the guides too.