Recoil guides

[gonehunting]

I am looking at getting a couple custom DH and TUCR rods this year.  Just want everyone's opinions on recoil guides.  Are they worth the extra money.  I will be having a couple 32-34" rods made for larger walleye angling.  I fish both out of an Otter Lodge and outside.  Let me know your thoughts on the recoil guides.  Mainly using 6-8lb Fireline Crystal. Thanks

[BaitBucket]

I was looking at them when i built my custom rods. Honestly, no idea what the benefit is of them over regular guides. Being all metal leads me to believe they would build up ice faster/easier (freezing cold metal + water = ice build up). I think some of the eye with the inserts would work better for ice fishing. They shed water better and will be easier to pop the ice off when it does build up as well.

[stpaulslouch]

Heres my $0.02...

I have purchased a number of rods made by TUCR, DH and Thorne Bros.  I chose Recoils for those rods because I wanted to get a top of the line setup and was willing to pay for it.  Now that I am making my own rods I am reassessing what guides to use.  If money were no object and I could afford to spend $20+ on each rod for guides alone I would.  However, I am making a combination of rods with single foot fly guides and some with recoils.  I am putting recoils on the highly sensitive blanks like the TB Quiverstick and fly guides on walleye style rods or noodles.

Here's what I would do in your situation, buy a TUCR and get Recoils (their only option) and get a DH with Fly guides.  Dusty at DH will likely steer you towards the fly guides as that's what he is building a majority of his rods with now apparently.

With regards to the question about ice build up, the Recoils are far superior to any guide with a ring based upon my experience.  If the rod with Recoils gets iced up (which is rare) you simply flick the ice and it goes flying but if you use Alconites they freeze up a lot faster in the MN winters I fish in and are much harder to keep clear of ice with the smaller diameter ring.  Also, I personally do not like the look of an oversize Alconite style guides on a rod as it makes it looks bulky compared to Recoils or Fly guides.

Last thing, I'd wait a few weeks before ordering a TUCR as they are pimping on another Forum a brand new rod that will revolutionize the custom rod market.

[BaitBucket]

From what I have read the only real perk to the recoils is durability, being they are made from titanium. I cant imagine ice would form on them any less than standard eye.

[ryno]

I'm a fan of the recoils!  At the minimum I use a #12 recoil spinning guide as the knock down and stainless single foot fly guides for running and tip top.  The black pearl recoils look very nice on any rod.  I would agree that on a medium to medium heavy rod recoils are not needed for weight reduction.  There are some nice single foot fly guides with rings that American tackle makes that are colored and also solid titanium frames for durability and less weight.  These would look awesome on a walleye stick!

[stpaulslouch]

From what I have read the only real perk to the recoils is durability, being they are made from titanium. I cant imagine ice would form on them any less than standard eye.

It may not form less but is easier to remove in my experience and has a larger diameter ring compared to similar size alconites which is a huge advantage when fishing in extreme cold.

[Stinkybaits]

Depends on what your doing. I put them on my rods because I can bend them on accident and bend back. They don't rust don't scale pretty awesome imo.  On big fish rods it's great as a tip more sensitive than stainless and if using braid with a big mono leader attached the guides with inserts have a tendency to get knocked loose leaving a sharp edge.

[evobassfish]

Heres my $0.02...

I have purchased a number of rods made by TUCR, DH and Thorne Bros.  I chose Recoils for those rods because I wanted to get a top of the line setup and was willing to pay for it.  Now that I am making my own rods I am reassessing what guides to use.  If money were no object and I could afford to spend $20+ on each rod for guides alone I would.  However, I am making a combination of rods with single foot fly guides and some with recoils.  I am putting recoils on the highly sensitive blanks like the TB Quiverstick and fly guides on walleye style rods or noodles.

Here's what I would do in your situation, buy a TUCR and get Recoils (their only option) and get a DH with Fly guides.  Dusty at DH will likely steer you towards the fly guides as that's what he is building a majority of his rods with now apparently.

With regards to the question about ice build up, the Recoils are far superior to any guide with a ring based upon my experience.  If the rod with Recoils gets iced up (which is rare) you simply flick the ice and it goes flying but if you use Alconites they freeze up a lot faster in the MN winters I fish in and are much harder to keep clear of ice with the smaller diameter ring.  Also, I personally do not like the look of an oversize Alconite style guides on a rod as it makes it looks bulky compared to Recoils or Fly guides.

Last thing, I'd wait a few weeks before ordering a TUCR as they are pimping on another Forum a brand new rod that will revolutionize the custom rod market.

You pretty much nailed it. Recoils are lighter, one piece construction therefore more sensitive, and extremely durrable. I fish outside 95% of the time and recoils are the way to go. If you are fishing in a shack it doesnt matter, just stick to regular guides.

[scmelik]

The only real benifit I have seen in recoils as compared to single foot wire fly guides is the weight which is very negligible. 

[BaitBucket]

The only real benifit I have seen in recoils as compared to single foot wire fly guides is the weight which is very negligible.

Indeed, would be interesting to see the weight difference between a match set of recoils and single foot wire fly guides.

[Yankee Troller]

I have RECs on all of my custom TB rods. They are super light, and durable. Ice up on them isn't bad either, but I am in a flip over 90% of the time.

[Retiredbum]

My jigging rods I build, Have titatium Guides, And are larger, for ice build up. I try to use as few as I can, when building a rod.

[scmelik]

Indeed, would be interesting to see the weight difference between a match set of recoils and single foot wire fly guides.

I will have to weigh them, I bet it can't more than a gram or two

[fishlessman]

its hard to beat those tucr rods, i like to be able to feel the bite and now leave my noodle rods at home. never had a problem with ice buildup with the recoils

[Big_John]

Recoils are a lot more durable then standard guides. Ice fishing is rough on guides. Constant taking them in and out of the case is hard on an ice rod. TUCR does built standard guided rods. ( You have to ask)  I have fished with both an fly guides are slightly heavier and not as durable.

[BaitBucket]

Recoils are a lot more durable then standard guides. Ice fishing is rough on guides. Constant taking them in and out of the case is hard on an ice rod. TUCR does built standard guided rods. ( You have to ask)  I have fished with both an fly guides are slightly heavier and not as durable.

Never had a single issue with guide durability on any of my "standard guided" rods.

[jwetovick]

I can build an entire noodle type rod with standard fly guides for the money I save on not using recoils on one rod. Long story short, they are not worth $30+/rod in my opinion. 80% of the guys that buy a custom rod and get the recoils would not even know it if a custom builder put regular fly guides on instead of recoils (other than bending and watching a recoil snap back) I'm talking weight and amount of freeze up.

[Big_John]

Being able to flick ice off and have the guide move back is a very nice feature of recoil guides.

Has anyone ever had braid eat through a standard fly guide?  Titanium is a long hard surface. Just wondering.

[BaitBucket]

Has anyone ever had braid eat through a standard fly guide?  Titanium is a long hard surface. Just wondering.

Steel is harder than titanium. Titanium is just lighter.
http://www.differencebetween.net/object/difference-between-steel-and-titanium/

[jwetovick]

I have used braid on every combo i have for the past 6 years and have not had a problem with even the cheapo guides.

[tswoboda]

I've used 4 TUCR noodles, 1 with Recoils and 3 with single foot fly guides.  Zero advantage to the recoils, go with the fly guides.  Stay away from "traditional" guides, and by traditional I mean guides with an insert. They add noticeable weight which hurts bite detection, and they ice up faster.