Now that time has passed, opinions on recoil guides

[lifeofRiley]

Hey Hot Dog,

I was looking at doing a custom build on a new spinning rod, probably from a st. croix blank for throwing 1/16 to 3/16 oz. jig/plastic combos. I'm looking into using some non-traditional guides, and also larger size guides, to deal with freezing issues. Anyones experiences with REC Recoil guides are welcome. I'll most likely be throwing mono or nanofil on this setup, both very smooth and excellent cold weather lines.

I'd also be interested in anyones experiences using spinning rods with larger than average guides and how this might affect casting distance and control. I'll either be using recoil spinning guides, and perhaps single foot fly guides.

[Slazmo]

Hope you don't mind me chiming in... just noticed that your post is guided at somebody in particular.

Well for one with recoils you'll have more surface area and hold for water due to the coiling on the NiTi wire.

While it doesn't freeze here I know that water flows of the guides and if that water is kept in the guides crevices via capillary action it'll freez.

I rebuilt a rod recently for my Stella FE and that in total had 11 + tip, all strategically placed however the stripper guide was kept smaller and placed around 75 / 80cm from the face of the spool to introduce a soft choke, some of the gopro footage of the casts showed how the Ti K guides did their work and they worked well.

Super easy to cast even with all those guides and even when wet with 8 carrier braid.

Would I personally use recoils, no. Too noisy and while NiTi is super strong and has all the polymorphic attributes I like, the drag coefficient on the line wouldn't stand with me, also the crevices that could harbour abrasive particals (I fish salt with sand conditions)...

[Frosty]

I like them for bottom contact baits. On a spinning rod in particular having the first guides ringed guides, like on the NRX, really helps casting distance and noise. I've had customs done on same blank with and without them, and the ones with recoils are more sensitive to me...I believe it's due to not having a dense ring to dampen vibration. I am in the minority, as a lot of people on here don't like them. It really comes down to personal preference.

[Tavery5]

I own a few Gloomis and St. Croix rods with recoil guides. They seem to make the tip end slightly lighter and perhaps a touch more sensitive overall. I have had no ill experience with using them.

[lifeofRiley]

I think what I'm looking at doing is a spin pole with the first guide being a recoil guide and the rest of the guides being single footed titanium fly rod guides and a fly rod tip. These have no coils.

[GOOD YEAR 71]

I have owned but just one assembly to feature them and found no benefit at all. I didn't care for the sound or look of them. As posted above, maybe I can see it with a spinner but I'll never try. And I love spinners. No offense to personal preference and best wishes.

[DavidSA]

The most sensitive 2 rods I've ever owned both have them on it. I use both for bottom bouncing and use a fair amount of braid. No issues for me.

[TahoeDust]

I can tell you they are tough. WHile fishing in a friends small boat I was casting a 1/2oz lipless crank and managed to hit the 2nd guide of the NRX 852s that was sitting next to me. Complete spastic move, but the guide remained fishable, although mangled. It actually landed my PB the following day...11.3lbs.

[fishindad]

I'm with the others. I have both baitcasting and spinning rods with recoils. Other than they seem to be more 'noisy' with braided line, I feel recoils have no disadvantages compared with SiC or Alconite. Do they enhance the feel of a rod in my hands I cannot say since I don't have two identical blanks built with SiC and one with recoil guides to make a fair assessment. I will say I've stepped on my share of rods to where the ringed guides broke but the recoils did not.

If I had the coin I guess I'd have all my rods custom built with Torzite guides. If they are truly as light as claimed, I imagine they'd be the best of both worlds - except for the durability aspect vs my big feet. I fish Great Lakes rough water often, thus always dancing around on the front deck, lol.

[Jeffbro999]

I don't have any issues with actual use of the guides, but have broken several, and have a friend that broke a couple. Funny thing is, it's only happened on NRX MBR rods. My 842 had 3 or 4 guides break at the foot, an 843 that had 1 break the same way, and my buddy had an 842 as well. Not sure how this happened but hasn't been a problem on any of my NRX JWR rods. They all feel great now with SIC or Torzite micros though

[Teal101]

Recoils are softer and less rigid than an insert guide so theoretically they will be less sensitive. I found no advantage to them other than durability. In building they are very light as wee. The Ultima and one of my X7s was just as sensitive if not slightly moreso than the NRX, both use non recoil guides.

[Sore Thumb]

Dont know about over there, but Torzite guides have dropped in price here in Oz. Just had a BFS rod built to suit one of my Pixies, price SIC and Torzite almost the same.

[dirtygeary]

Recoils are softer and less rigid than an insert guide so theoretically they will be less sensitive. I found no advantage to them other than durability. In building they are very light as wee. The Ultima and one of my X7s was just as sensitive if not slightly moreso than the NRX, both use non recoil guides.

I agree, lighter weight, but other guides just transmit better. On similar builds.

[Frosty]

Recoils are softer and less rigid than an insert guide so theoretically they will be less sensitive. I found no advantage to them other than durability. In building they are very light as wee. The Ultima and one of my X7s was just as sensitive if not slightly moreso than the NRX, both use non recoil guides.

I agree, lighter weight, but other guides just transmit better. On similar builds.

Everyone has opinions/preferences on sensitivity... But there's no way a metal ring coated in ceramic transmits vibrations better than bare metal. Imagine for instance a gong and how it transmits vibrations. Now imagine putting a thick ceramic cover on the gong and beating it, the result would be muffled sound. Ceramic is just not a material that transmits vibrations...go hit a toilet and tell me how it reverbs... I've never heard anyone argue the reason behind recoils, sensitive...what you hear is people concerned about the long term durability of recoils.

[Teal101]

This has been discussed before and I'm still in agreement with the guy who has built hundreds of custom rods. Recoil guides only benefit is durability. A soft springy ring like a recoil acts as a dampener where a hard ceramic ring with a rigid steel or titanium frame doesnt dampen the vibration near as much.