A few years ago, before I started building my own rods, I bought a custom 7' 4wt. 3pc. Diamondback All-American from Dan Craft. I loved the rod because of it's lightness, deep flexing action, and sheer fun for fishing a short 4wt. line in pocket water type fishing and small stream work. And of course Dan's work is beautiful if you haven't seen it - subtle and flawless thread and epoxy work.

Like an idiot, last year when I needed some cash and wasn't doing a lot of small stream fishing I sold it and figured that since I build my own rods now, I would just rebuild one for myself over the winter. Well, Diamondback doesn't sell that blank anymore. Orvis makes the 7' 4wt. superfine but wants $145 for it. I fish wets, nymphs and small streamers mostly and when I fish dries it's usually a 14 or 16 Wulff pattern for brookies or a small hopper or beetle for smallmouth or sunfish. For this reason, I don't like lines lighter than 4 very well. I have a longer 4/5wt. that I love but would like to build myself another short 4wt. for the small stream stuff. Preferably as similar to the All-American 704-3 as possible.

I am considering Steffen Bros., Lamiglass Appalacian, and Diamondback Diamondglass. Any other suggestions. Or, if anyone out there has the All-American 704-3 blank stashed away, e-mail me for a sale or trade. The blank retailed at $105. The factory 704-3 is still available and it's $160 but I just can't enjoy fishing with a factory rod anymore - weird pride thing.

Thanks,
Steve

The All-American 704-3 loaded up nicely with as little as 10' of line past the tip and since I never needed to reach farther than 40' or so this was perfect. The 3pc. configuration made it easy to travel with. I would consider the 703-2 SCIII or Orvis 704-2 superfine more seriously if they were 3pc. The Lamiglass Appalacian 704-3 interests me a lot but Lamiglass describes it as "smaller diameter blanks with faster action" which doesn't sound like what I want. I know there are some small stream specialists out there who can advise me first hand on some of their favorites.

Also, before I get a lot of suggestions for the Tiger Eye 7034-4 and 764-4 Forecast, I have tried both and they are not similar to the 704-3 All-American. Very nice blanks but not similar.

Steve,

I'd think your choices would be expanded a bit if you would look at 3 wt. blanks.

Use a 4 wt. line on them, of course, and you'll get that easy loading feel and it will handle your bulky flies just fine. It's the line that carries the fly, and the blank has no idea what line you put on it. The blanks are rated for a WEIGHT RANGE, and will cast in that range whether it's a 3 wt. line or a 9 wt. line.

I don't have any particular blank in mind for what you want as I've not done much with three piece rods. For the application you need, I use the Rainshadow 2 piece 6' 6" 2 wt. with a three weight line. It works fine in spring creek/freestone streams for brookies in pocket water, and does well for bass fishing with small deer hair bugs and such at ranges out to 40 feet or a touch more.

Good Luck!

Buddy Sanders

Thanks Buddy. Yeah, I use that overlining approach a lot which is why I mentioned the SCIII 703 blank as one option. But I travel on planes a good bit and the 3pc. one is easy to carry on without a hassle. I built the 662 Rainshadow also but I think I prefer the 7' length. I've heard you talk often about bass fishing with a 3wt. Must be a blast. I've used a 4wt. a lot and just prefer it for turning over bigger flies. Nothing like hooking a decent fish and feeling like he's basically tied onto your wrist.

I will be getting some Fisher 6'9" 3/4wt Rubys 3 piece in about a week these are excellent blanks.. Thanks Dave's Rods