Ring or Roller Guides?

**wasljs** · Nov-23-2010, 10:48 AM

Am thinking of getting a new XXXH cow rod. I can get either ring or roller guides. What is the current thinking as to which is best?

Walt

**fshholc** · Nov-23-2010, 12:49 PM

Best is really personal preference. The advent of short top shots and spectra have changed the way many anglers view roller guides. For me personally, I've switched to all ringed. It makes the rod much lighter, very little maintenance and less expensive. I also see no need for the heavy duty ringed guides because again heavier and more expensive. JMO

**kawakawa** · Nov-23-2010, 12:58 PM

Lines of any kind, particularly braided super-lines, will always run much smoother and with less running-friction over roller guides. They also cast as well as rings and the weight and cost difference is negligable.

Besides...would you rather pull your anchor line over the bow rail or the bow roller??? This is the main difference between rollers and rings...

Disclaimer: Affiliated, but have built rods and caught big fish for many years before affiliation.

Best of luck with whatever rod you choose!

**screamingreel** · Nov-23-2010, 02:10 PM

Either will work.

I have both...and prefer rollers for the heavy stuff. It feels smoother and they are almost indestructable. I also like that rollers make the rod stiffer. While softer rods are perceived easier on the fisherman, they are also easier on the fish potentially prolonging the battle.

However, if you are sensitive to weight and your arms get tired easily or if you have difficulty keeping your reel on top of the rod under constant tension while fighting big fish, I recommend the ringed guides. They are a bit lighter and more forgiving.

Try both types and see which you prefer. Ringed guides are very popular right now, but so what? If you follow these boards you would think most big fish are caught on ringed 7' rods with 30 sized reels on just one boat. Hah! Doubt it!

Several of the most prolific posters on these boards are sponsored by companies and boats they recommend so it skews reality just like traditional media. It is the internet. Caveat emptor and take it all with a grain of salt...

Call the boats and ask them what works best. Remenber they also have alliances with specific manufacturers...but are usually very helpful.

Good luck on your trip!!!

**G-Spot** · Nov-23-2010, 02:35 PM

The XXXH is pretty heavy I would put rollers, but just the heavy duty not the big foots......

If you want a stout rod with rings get a rod that is more designed for it like a 2 X 4, softer tip for feeling your bait, longer rod, and a XXXXH butt section for the beef when you need it....

If you truly need a XXXH then I think you need rollers in it.... That's how I wrapped my personal rods.....

**yft1979** · Nov-23-2010, 03:06 PM

Just finished a xxxh for my dad with ring guides, and have one myself. Not a roller fan, but just mho!

**tpeach** · Nov-23-2010, 05:05 PM

Having built a few of these cow rods and caught Cows and a Super Cow on them I prefer ringed guides. All three of my Heavy bait rigs Avet 50SDS had 1 Aftco Wind on roller guide and the rest were just heavy duty rollers. The wind on was there to get the height only. On my Super Cow this year I saw the line was roughed up a little about ten feet from the splice of 100 foot of 200 JB to the 130 JB main line. I was able to get it on the reel and never let it back off. My thought or guess was that the line jumped a roller guide. It is not necessary to use rollers for the Spectra line we use. If I was building a trolling rod I would be using rollers religiously and especially if using a longer topshot of mono or all mono. All my Cow rods are built with the American Tackle turbo titians. The ones that have rollers on them will be replaced with those titians. For the exception of my trolling rod. That one is specialized and sits in the rack most of the time.

The roller guides as with any guides built on top of the blank will want to twist to the bottom of the blank. With ringed guides this still happens but you don't have to pay particular attention that it is happening. A ringed guide is more forgiving when using the rail.

**Atuna** · Nov-23-2010, 06:06 PM

Kawakawa's analogy is a good one. "Besides...would you rather pull your anchor line over the bow rail or the bow roller???"
All of my heavier stuff is rollers. We all know that most fish are lost at color and the line can go back and forth under great pressure. I fish wind-ons and seeing that serve I worked so hard on (or worse Sato cripmps) go over ringed guides gives me the willies. So for ME I'll stick with the rollers ...I even had the factory wrap my 2X4 with rollers.