The trend in fishing rods is to make them longer, lighter, and stronger.  Bigger and better you might say; however, now the rod builders are taking a step back and using micro guides.  These smaller, lighter guides are new to the bass rod fishing industry; however, they have been around for a long time.  Custom rod builders have fallen in love with the micro guides.  One custom rod builder, Tim Knox, owner of TigeRodz has taken to building custom rods with micro guides for anglers.  “It’s-micro guides are the hottest thing in the rod industry right now; anglers are looking at rods being built with them to increase casting ability and accuracy,” Knox explained.

Building a custom rod (www.tigerodz.com) begins with an angler deciding on what blank material, action, handle style, fore grip, rod guides, and butt cap they want.  After all these decisions are made it comes down to building it to fit the anglers desires.  “When building a custom rod with micro guides or any guides, I start by finding the spline so I know where to put the guides,” Knox continued, “I put on the rod handle, butt cap, fore grip then I mark where the guides go, wrap them with thread and epoxy them in place.” 

Micro guides are all the rage with bass anglers because the guides help reduce rod blank weight.  This makes it easier for anglers to hold on to all day without wearing them out.  “When I build a rod using micro guides it requires less thread because they are smaller and single footed,” Knox continued, “rods built with micro guides require more guides then a regular rod; the more micro guides the less likely the line is of drooping down when the rod bends rubbing or hitting the blank.”  Another advantage to rods built with micro guides is they reduce or eliminate fishing line from slapping or bouncing as it comes off the reel; this means anglers can cast their favorite lures farther.  “Right now the number one rod that I am building with micro guides is a crankbait rod, but other anglers are getting rods built with micro guides for wacky worms or fishing soft plastic baits with,” Knox went on, “I am also building a crankbait rod with micro guides just for casting handmade custom built balsa wood lures.”  As for which line Knox would use with rods that have micro guides he said, “Most anglers are fishing with fluorocarbon line and monofilament, I have not received any feedback from guys using braid while crankbait fishing.”   Micro guides are built the same with a ceramic insert or insert of some type material with a stainless steel foot and body.  The cost of these micro guides depends on the material they are made out of and how many you need to do your rod blank.

In the fishing world rarely is anything smaller better.  Would you rather catch a smaller bass?  “Hey Bubba, that fish is way too big to take to the weigh-in let’s throw it back in and catch a smaller one.” Or “I sure hope that smaller net you bought instead of that bigger one will land this new world record largemouth bass?”  No way is smaller better, except when it comes to guides on your fishing pole.  Hopefully, micro guides are the only small thing you get in the boat.