Fishing Rod Guides

Two or three centuries ago, fisherman in rural Japan took to cutting long stalks of bamboo and tying strands of line to their ends, then bending needles into hook formations and tying them to the strings’ other ends. Tenkara fly-fishing rods were the finished product. Tenkara fishing is now a popular type of fly-fishing in Japan and the United States, too.

Tenkara rods are a highly unconventional type of rod, for they have no fishing rod guides. Most rods, fly or otherwise, are lined end to end with rows of metal guides that hold the line as it exits from the reel and slips through the tip at the top of the rod to fly out into the water. Tenkara rods have their lines tied to their top ends, so no reel is used and hence neither are any fishing rod guides.

But in most other rods, fishing Rod Guides are present. You’ll generally see them run from the bottom of the rod to the top. Arranged to contain and to transfer force from the line to the rod, they play a critical role of supporting and directing the line.

Steel, plastic, and ceramic are all potential materials used for making guides. Ceramic is a popular choice because it protects the line.

Guides are a relatively low-maintenance fishing item, compared to the reel and other gear. Since they themselves don’t come under that much pull in any direction (the rod bears the brunt of the fight when a fish is on the line), a good set of guides should last you a long while. Nonetheless, a lot of rough use, combined with corrosion caused by air and water exposure, will wear them down after enough time has lapsed. Then they can break, unless you’ve noted their worn appearance early enough and duly replaced them.

When replacement time comes, a simple trip to the fishing-supply store should be as far as you need to go to find new guides. Make sure that the replacements are the exact size as the originals, since wrongly sized ones may be poor fits and could fail on you out on the water.

However, a judicious departure from the original size can work well if you know what you’re doing. Different sizes can allow for different kinds of casting action. Guides that are smaller and lighter will enable stiffer action, while guides that are bigger and heavier will make action softer.

Posted July 5th, 2010 in Fishing Rods, Shopping.

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Fishing Rod Guides

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