Rickard wrote: ↑Mon Aug 21, 2023 7:25 pm
Could you share the layout of guides you use on the HT6 please?
Keep in mind that Paul sells the HT6 with torzites (what size I don't know) and will share numbers with you. Mine are different.
I have two HT6's
One built with 1/2 wells grip, Lemke LC10 seat, 1.5" fighting butt attached via a blank extension rather than mounted directly on the blank.
I had initially built this rod with REC size 5 titanium wire guides, same grip and seat, but 1" FB mounted on blank. The guides wore out and then the butt was broken in a wind/car door/stupidity incident. When I rebuilt the butt section I decided to extend the butt in order to move my hand down a bit, figuring that this would be a closer reel seat position to the way Paul sells the rod either without the FB or with the REC seat and removable FB insert he uses. I liked the rod either way although guide placements would change a little with the seat mounted closer to the tip.
The second I built for bonefish. It uses a full wells grip (reshaped to my preference), a Lemke LC20 seat, a fixed FB mounted on a blank extension.
The LC20 seat is heavier and longer with two locking nuts. Fits better with Paul's full wells grip but adds about 1/2 oz (under the hand to the build). I use light reels so this is no issue.
Guide placement for both rods is
Arowana size 6/1.6 tip.
Then seven T2-TKTTG size 6 torzites at (from the tip ring in mm to front base of guides, not ring):
13,27.5,45.5,64.2,84.5,105.7, 127.8.
Then a single size 7 T2-TKTTG guide at 148.5 from tip
Then a size 10 and size 16 Fuji T2-TLKWTG (a lighter version of the typical KW guide) at 173.3 and 198.3 from tip.
Finally, front of reel seat trim ring is 263.7 mm from tip.
Note; I used some size 5.5 torzites on the tip section of my practice rod because I couldn't get enough 6s at the time. It works fine but I'd not recommend it because of knot clearance issues.
Regarding knots, I catch bonefish, striped bass, bluefish and false albacore on 6 and 7wt HT rods using these size 6 torzites (for an 8wt I used size 7s and they also work well). I've no issue passing loop to loop backing/flyline connections flying out (though I wouldn't use single foot guides if I planned to throw typical shooting heads). Coming in I lower the rod momentarily as I reel them through. Likewise leader knots have not been a problem unless I high stick the rod. Snarls rarely pass, however. There is a risk of having a tip section pulled off so if a snarl catches I stop the line and break the tippet. This is infrequent, however. You can greatly reduce snarls by holding your line hand very close to the deck or water (instead of closer to the collector guide) and feathering things as the fish takes off.
George
