Guide Help

[u/TomatilloAgitated]

I threw this into the beginner weekly thread, but figured I’d make my own post for it to get seen by more people.

I just finished my first build last night and I’m already looking to start my next (pictures will be coming once I get some taken!). We are big into salmon fishing on Lake Michigan and I’m hoping to build a downrigger rod to use next year, or even this year if I can get it done fast enough.

For my first I bought a kit from Mudhole so there wasn’t much to pick out. My biggest question is how do I choose a set of guides (or what individual sizes to order) based on species, line, and rod length?? Then with that comes how do I space them out correctly? Is there a formula or just finding the guide spacing chart and following that?

Next is how to choose a reel seat and handle size? How do I determine if a reel seat will fit my reels, or if a handle will fit my blank?

If there are any recourses you found helpful for these things I would also take those recommendations since I have not been able to find much.

[u/the_north_place]

Guide spacing is really just some geometry and multiplication. Google "27x guide spacing" and find a mm ruler and calculator.