I first met Diamond Dave while he was working the deck of different game boats in Kona. Dave had recently moved to the Big Island from Maui in pursuit of his dreams of capturing large marlin. Although you could catch large marlin off Maui, the frequency of it is few and far between compared to the same effort spent off the Kona coast.
Diamond Dave was seventeen years my elder. He had salt-and- pepper hair and vaguely resembled a slightly overweight Brett Favre. He spoke in a heavy, drawn-out California accent that followed him from being raised in the San Fernando Valley. He called North Hollywood his home. He spoke loudly, yet humbly. He spoke simply, but full heartedly. He inherited his nickname from a skipper named Skillet with whom he had worked in Maui. The name referenced that some days the Diamond shines and some days the Diamond does not.
The Diamond is a simple man with a fifteen-pound heart. He wears his emotions on his sleeve and leaves himself vulnerable to people who take advantage of kindness. He has simple thoughts about what’s right and wrong and often gets hurt by people who don’t have the same morals he maintains. He is generous to a fault. On the same level, he routinely makes himself his own worst enemy with certain dealings. You will also find how truly beautiful he is in cut and dry simplicity. I really enjoyed this podcast, Diamond Dave is humble and honest. Listen to Diamonds tales of big fish, sobriety and honoring Kona traditions. I think anyone who listens to this podcast will understand why I love this guy. #fishing #marlin #diamonddave #fish #hawaii #hawaiifishing #tuna #sportfishing #flyfishing #biggame #hunting