That brings me to yet another post in my Rod Love series. In this one I will rave about my Diamondback Diamondglass 805/3, which holds all of the attributes that I discussed above.
Diamondglass rods, especially the older black rods, have picked up a sort of cult following within the already cult-like world of fiberglass rod aficionados. Made for a few years in the early 2000s, it can be extremely difficult to find somebody who is willing to part with one. And for good reason. They are wonderful casting tools that are smooth yet surprisingly powerful. They don't feel soft and whippy like some glass rods, but they also aren't extra stiff like most graphites. They are some of the best glass rods ever built.
A lot of people believe that the best rod in the Diamondglass lineup was an 8' 4wt. I hope to cast one of those some day, but for now my only Diamondglass is the 8' 5wt. I wanted a high-quality 5wt rod that was packable, and boy did I get one. This thing is so smooth I can't even describe it. Usually I would say it is buttery smooth, but butter doesn't do this Diamondglass justice. Maybe super-pureed liquid butter... However you want to describe it, it's one of the nicest casting rods I have ever owned. And its looks exude class. Kind of like it's wearing the fly rod equivalent of a tuxedo. And the thread wraps are its dark red cumberbund...
Since it's such an attractive fly rod, let's look at some pics, shall we?
No one starts fishing by picking up a fly rod, but those who are drawn strongly enough to fishing will at some point find themselves, for no clear reason, attempting to cast a fly.
ReplyDeleteFly casting is not easily learned, but once begun it can lead to endless obsession over the nuances of the sport. The greatest of these is the Quest for the Perfect Fly Rod.
All those who become fly fishermen embark upon this quest. And at first we are like young girls sorting through a sea of suitors. We select, sample and test those that have caught our attention; searching for an undefinable combination of proper fit and sweetness. We accumulate many, we reject many, and we eventually find ourselves settling for something that is not perfect, but that we know we like.
I've been through the sorting out process, and I have settled upon a stable of rods that I like. I don't need more, and I'm not easily attracted to the new flashy ones that the boutique rod producers trot out across the runway every year. My Diamondbacks and I are growing old together, but we have an open relationship. They share company with some Fenwicks, Corland FR's, an Ijuin, some bamboo rods and a Steffen or two, but their actions and price points really do suite me just fine and I don't need more.
The 8' 5-wt is a great roll caster, smooth and powerful enough to handle the largest smallmouth you'll ever encounter. The 8' 4-wt has more finesse with a lighter feel, and is a wonderful dry fly rod with lots of sweet feedback. The 7.5' 3-wt is accurate, responsive, and it will let you place a dry fly in a tight spot waaaay out there. The shorter rods in the series are light, deep flexing, and good in close - but I always pick up the longer ones on the way out the door.
Sweet, subtle, light in hand; the phrase "paint the water" BELONGS to the DG's I own.
Well said, Accounting Tutor! I would say my Quest is in its middle ages right now. I am not quite ready to say I have found the perfect stable of rods, but my searching is starting to slow down...
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