[dropcap]W[/dropcap]e have been fishing this award winning reel for 3 months now and nary a hiccup has occurred. Danish fly fishing manufacturer, A.Jensen Fly Fishing Products, has produced an original looking, and functional beauty here with the da Vinci reel. I have been fishing with the 9/10 and find on it everything I want in a reel. The drag system of da Vinci is fully sealed, air and water tight. At the core of it stopping power and
Design meets function at A.Jensen.
smooth start up inertia are the use of multiple carbon discs. The drag adjustment knob is quite original in design. It is extremely easy to adjust, covering the full side of the reel housing allowing adjustment with the palm of the hand or the tips of one’s fingers. Coming in respectably at under 9 ounces, the 9/10 da Vinci balanced my 9 weight perfectly.
The da Vinci reel won “Best New Fly Reel” in 2012 by EFTTEX (European Fishing Tackle Trade Association) and deservedly so. All of the details from finish to design are well thought out with a very consistent tendency towards quality design and craftsmanship. As I have a preference for clear/silver finish on reels to avoid unsightly scratches, I look forward to that possibility with the da Vinci in the future. As of now it only comes in gloss black. I know some folks prefer the supposed stealth of a black reel but I am guessing that my nine foot rod and six foot stature will give me away before my silver reels would. This is not a faullt but simply one anglers aesthetic preference.
Inspiration.
Features:
- Precision CNC cut from High Grade 6061 Aircraft Aluminum
- large arbor
- Unique brake knob design
- Fully closed and sealed Multi disc brake made of carbon fiber.
- Brake house has higher air pressure to prevent water and sand to enter.
- Possible to change from right hand to left hand retrieve
- Closed house design for extra strength and stability
- Saltwater resistant
- ”Leader friendly” reel foot
Field testing the the da Vinci reel. (Photo by A. Derr)
The “Inspiration” photo in your article reviewing, “Danish fly fishing manufacturer, A. Jensen Fly Fishing Products . . . the da Vinci reel.” does not make sense to me.
The photo shows the altar wall of the Sistine Chapel, which was painted by Michelangelo in 1509, da Vinci was not involved in the painting of the Chapel. So why not call it the Michelangelo Reel?
If the photo image was slightly higher, you could see the giant tarpon behind Jonah’s left leg, now that should be inspirational to any devout fly fisherman.
Nedun- You make a valid point. While these artists were nearly contemporaries, in our haste, we managed to feature the wrong artist. As it seems easier to change the image than it would to convince the manufacturer to rename his reel, we have taken the liberty of doing just that. Thanks for your astute attention.