Ultimate Performance Rods

[Bob Riggins]

Have any of you heard of Fox Statler or Ultimate Performance Rods?  The reason I ask is that he is from Arkansas and I know several of you have connections there.

Anyway, he has some interesting ideas about rod design.  One being significantly increasing the number of guides on a fly rod.  For example, 15 guides on a 9 foot rod.  I have started doing this on spinning rods I build and it really works.  I was wondering if anyone had cast one of his fly rods.

[keith b]

Bob, forgive my ignorance, but what do the additional guides do for the casting performance?
Keith

[Bob Riggins]

There are two forces that reduce line speed when shooting line, one is friction against the guides and the other is line sag between the guides that causes the line to slap against the guides as it is shooting out.

[Zach Matthews]

Bob –

I think this is a good idea in theory, but I suspect the advantages could be objectively measured and would be outweighed by two factors: (1) the rod will become significantly stiffer with all that epoxy coating it at the guide feet, and (2) any friction from line sag or slap might be better eliminated at the source, by using a fresh, high-end fly line.

Fast action fly rods throw line a long distance by generating high line speed.

[Mike Anderson]

If you use single foot SIC guides you’ll cast even further.

[anonymous]

If you use single foot SIC guides you’ll cast even further.

Except in the salt.

[Mike Anderson]

Try the zirconium rings. They are very nice and come in several colors to match the blank. The blue ones look awesome on an Xi.

[Bob Riggins]

I use single foot guides almost exclusively on my fly rods.  If I do this rod, I will probably use Fuji titanium gold cermet guides.  They are much lighter and harder than SIC guides, but also considerably more expensive.  I’m also thinking of using an exposed blank reel seat, a la, the Cabelas L-Tech and a woven graphite grip and fighting butt.

Most of my rods are traditional, but this one would be way out of the box.

[Mike Anderson]

You’ll be pleased Bob

I not suggesting a 3 or a 5 wt should have non conventional guides but I do think a rod made for big lines, big flies, and big fish, should be built for max performance. Snake guides plain and simply aren’t the best you can put on a fly rod.

[Bob Riggins]

This one would be an 8wt or 9wt, built for speed and distance for saltwater beach and flats fishing.

[Andrew Barclay]

Whoa…really on the SIC guides in the salt.

[Bob Riggins]

I use SIC guides on saltwater spinning rods without any problem, in fact, I have never heard of anyone having a problem with them.

[Author]

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