Any feedback on PD Black Diamond 77

[Lenny Lim]

Happy New Year, everyone !

I am planning to get the Patriot Design Black Diamond 77 for the coming trip to Oman.

Has anyone used this rod for medium to heavy GT popping ?

Any feedback would be great 

Thanks,

Lenny

[Aaron Concord]

Lenny,

I had one and it was a great rod.
It is very similar in power to a Carpenter SP 78UHL (which I have) though it casts easier IMHO, than the Carpenter.
It had the Titanium Low Rider Guides.
Best cast on the water was just over 90m with a 200 Ebi Pop.  It would cast 70m all day with a 130-160gm lure.

Hope this helps,

Aaron.

[Mark Harris]

90 metres with an extra-heavy rated rod of that nature is most impressive!

[Aaron Concord]

Mark,

I was gobsmacked!!!
I did probably 18-20 casts in the high 80's-low 90's during that session and watching the colour marks on GT Avani streak through the sky was pretty cool!

The rigging was a twisty out of 150lb Shogun and the lure was swinging twin 8/0 GT Recorders.

I dunno whether I could do it again......I was in better shape 2 years ago when I was doing this!

Cheers,

Aaaron.

[Chris Webster]

Thats a cracker cast. Did you have a tailwind?

[Lenny Lim]

Thanks Aaron. That really helps as I figured the yamaga atlas might be too light for Oman. Furthermore, I m not big sized so a 7.7 ft rod certainly helps.

Most of chuggers I m using is only 130 - 170g.

Thanks again guys

[Aaron Concord]

Chris,

Actually it was a cross wind of around 15-18knots!  It was a funny spot to fish on the day.

Just a good ole stubborn streak at the time and certainly, I was in much better shape too!

The Kevlar just seemed to make it load easy for a "heavy" rod and it slung a popper without the tendon-snap that the SP 78UHL and other heavy popping sticks I have owned needed to get distance.

I might add, the earlier attempts to get this sort of distance occured on Terra Firrma. 
It's a whole lot easier than in a rocking boat, though I found out not impossible!

Cheers,

Aaron.