Spiral eye wrapped fishing rods

I was wondering if anyone has used this type of rod before, and if so, what are your thoughts? I have put a few pictures of what they would look like below from what I could find online. I have done a little research on them, and while there are some varying opinions, I can't really find anything negative other than people aren't used to them. In fact, from what I can tell, they have several advantages actually.

I am currently talking to a custom manufacturer and they want to sponsor me, but I want as much info before going with them. I have 2 rods now that I will use this weekend for the first time. So far, they are very light, and I can see why it has been mentioned that there would be less fatigue on your wrist from the rod wanting to twist under load, and it seems to cast/flip/pitch a bit better and smoother.

I thought it was a gimick at first, but seems legit and they are really nice, well made custom rods. Any info or advice would be great.

I bought a JB custom rods like this and I liked it, it did seem the line came off a lot smoother while pitch sling skipping (I call it pitch sling skipping because that's basically how I get a bait under and to the back of a dock) until it broke just past the 3rd spiraled eye before they straightened out.

We have offshore rods wrapped this way. It's to keep heavy braid from rubbing against blank when fighting large fish. These are on reels that pull 50 to 90 pounds of drag. I don't think you would ever see any benefit to it on conventional weight stuff

I have 12 JB Custom rods with spiral guides and I love them all. Have you talk to John about your rod breaking?

They definitely look different, but have advantages.
Line not rubbing on the blank or the tip
The force on the rod tip when fighting a fish would be more equally distributed among the bottom side guides, instead of the last two guides top on a traditional baitcasting rod (the last two top guides before the line crosses to the other side the blank)

I have built rods this way and the conventional way for bass fishing and crappie fishing. I have not noticed any advantage or disadvantage either way.

All personal Preference but I truly believe they make it much easier to fight a fish...

Most of my rods are Spiral Wrapped... I use only LDC's (Low Down Custom Rods)

I also feel casting is more accurate but a lot would disagree with this

This matches what I've heard and read and felt. Like I said so far no down sides, just a different look.

My mechanic has one. He likes it, I think he drop shots with it. It's cool.

The only thing I found with them was that they were a little harder to target cast with. The bait wanted to go right of where I was casting. Had 2 made up on Shikari blanks, a P803 and P804. Once you got used to it, it was easy to aim a little left with it. Don't know if it was just the way they were wrapped or what. They did seem to cast a little further with ease, too. It depends on which way the wrap goes as to if you are left handed or right handed, so you do not break the guides off when you lay it down on the deck. Hope this helps. Tight lines, keep safe and good luck.

Thad Rains

The only "disadvantage" I've ever heard is when the rods are laid on deck that some of the eyes facing down can get damaged with a bumpy ride. I've personally never have had that problem and enjoy the ones I have.

Make sure they have rod socks on when you put them in a locker with racks. They will hang up going in or out without the sock.
I've got a couple and they are ok but nothing spectacular, certainly weren't as good as they were hyped up to be. I won't go out of the way to purchase another one.

How many major pros who do whatever it takes to earn their living use them vs traditional guides?

I'm sure most view it like anything else, if they were sponsored they would use them.

I think that would drive me crazy after a day of fishing with it.

Looks like they would hang up in my rod tubes on my Skeeter. I'll pass.

I fished with a guide once that used them. There was nothing advantageous with them that I noticed. There were no disadvantages either though. Was just like any other rod for me. I have never priced one so I would say if they are comparable to your limit no big deal but if they are higher in price don't waste your money.

They have a few theoretical advantages.i have a handful of spiral wraps ldc, and custom angle i like them. I've thought about having Mr Dave at custom angle wrap my dobyns cranking rods.

couple my buddies gave me a shimano chronarch reel and custom wrapped loomis rod with the spiral wrapping as a retirement present.....it was 7 ft medium light action rod,perfect for throwing crankbaits except when you were throwing at targets(blow downs,stumps etc) and as mentioned above,the bait would land 2-3 ft to the right of where I intended for it to land....
I could overcome this by purposely throwing a little to the left of where I wanted the bait to land.....great rod and a much appreciated gift and I used the rod 8-10 years before I broke it ...I've got another rod with similar action and the micro-guides that I like better for the accuracy....
maybe somebody smarter than me can explain why the spiral wrap makes the bait go to the right........

My experience with them has been they seem to cause some excess torque at the handle. Throw it all day and could feel it in the wrist. But that could be just me being weak. But there is definitely some torque there.

BTW, the ones shown above are incorrect. Those are for a left handed reel, NOT a right handed reel. This will keep you from knocking guides off when you lay your reel down, WITH THE REEL HANDLE UP, that avoids knocking guides off when laying down, they do NOT get knocked off, because they are too the side. Just thought you should know. Tight lines, keep safe and good luck. Thad Rains

I build both types but all my personal rods are spiral wrapped. Eliminates torque on the blank and theoretically the blank should be less likely to break under a load.

I've built a number of rods with spiral wraps, I like them. When I set up the rod I verify the spine is on top and the line passes as close as possible through the center of the guides that transition from the top of the rod to the first guide on the bottom. Rodbuilder.org has a lot of info.

I feel the same. I have one spiral wrapped crank bait rod and I have never noticed an advantage or disadvantage over the traditional style. You have to rotate them to get them out of rod tubes unless you use a rod sock on them and then still they aren't as easy to get out as the traditional style.

I use a right hand reel and my guides rotate to the opposite side of the ones in your pictures. I agree with Thad, it appears yours are for a left hand reel.