The Fuego CT on the water

[LonnieP]

11 hours ago, new2BC4bass said:

I've got to say you must be nearly as good with a baitcast reel as I am. 

LOL. I've been using baitcasters for over 20 years now. I had just gotten my 2nd SV. I spooled it up, set the tension and went to make a few test casts in the yard. I forgot to set the brakes on it though. 

[new2BC4bass]

Usually......not always....I remember to set brakes on a new reel.  It is the used reels that I often forget to check.  Sometimes the seller sets to zero before shipping.  Poof.  Instant bird's nest. 

 

However, I am good enough to backlash any reel even with the brakes set. 

[Beetlebz]

Nice catch lasher! I was at the reservoir for a couple hours this morning when I went to leave some guy walking his dog started chatting me up. He was telling me about how he bought a "bass" reel at one point, meaning a bait caster, but he never could cast it without backlashing. 

 

I told him to try mine and handed him my 7 foot 6 inch heavy favorite Defender with a fuego 8.1:1 that still had a ChatterBait tied on from yesterday. I turned the brakes up a few notches but the guy stood there in amazement that the reel didn't backlash... not one loose wrap lol converted another one!

[sdsc357]

Just in the past 3 weeks, I've sold 3 lews speed spool, 3 lews lfs speed spool, 2 abu garcia revo4 and replaced them all with the fuego ct.

[Matt_3479]

On 5/10/2018 at 8:18 PM, Luke G. said:

Fellow Canadian, Ontario. Just got a Daiwa Fuego CT in an 8.1 ratio on Amazon.ca for $113. They just dropped it to $107. Jump On It.... free shipping as well. arrived in 4 days. 

Debated on getting one myself. Looking for a frog reel. Have the tat sv, Curado K. Been looking for a cheaper reel as I keep going up or staying around the 250-300 plus dollar price point. Be nice to try a lower end reel and everyone says Fuego!

[LCG]

37 minutes ago, Matt_3479 said:

Be nice to try a lower end reel and everyone says Fuego!

Do it... You know you want to seriously though you won't regret it. It's a solid reel. Compares favourably to my OG tatula 100. 

[Tywithay]

1 hour ago, Matt_3479 said:

Debated on getting one myself. Looking for a frog reel. Have the tat sv, Curado K. Been looking for a cheaper reel as I keep going up or staying around the 250-300 plus dollar price point. Be nice to try a lower end reel and everyone says Fuego!

I have several $200, and even $400+, reels, along with a couple Fuego CT's. I will still use the more expensive reels more often than not, but when I pick up the Fuego, it doesn't feel like I'm using a cheap reel. I have no issue setting it right alongside a Tatula SV, top of the Line Lews, or Steez. They're solid reels. I got both of mine for $50 and I'll continue to buy several more if I find them again at that price.

[Matt_3479]

25 minutes ago, Luke G. said:

Do it... You know you want to seriously though you won't regret it. It's a solid reel. Compares favourably to my OG tatula 100. 

Like I said I have a rod without a reel and over the past couple months I sent way way too much and I really want another sv or k but just think I should find a cheaper alternative 

[LCG]

30 minutes ago, Matt_3479 said:

Like I said I have a rod without a reel and over the past couple months I sent way way too much and I really want another sv or k but just think I should find a cheaper alternative 

The fuego is a really good deal for a solid reel. I was in the same boat, but it was a reasonable price and I figured I would use the rod without a reel attached so it was either sell the rod or buy the reel. No regrets. 

[Matt_3479]

On 5/11/2018 at 10:12 PM, Luke G. said:

The fuego is a really good deal for a solid reel. I was in the same boat, but it was a reasonable price and I figured I would use the rod without a reel attached so it was either sell the rod or buy the reel. No regrets. 

Awesome thanks! Looks like I might have to get a Fuego for frogs

[Lasher]

I am requesting one of these for fathers day.  I wanted to make sure they do well with Floro.  Does anyone have experience with Floro on the Fuego?

[Beetlebz]

8 minutes ago, Lasher said:

I am requesting one of these for fathers day.  I wanted to make sure they do well with Floro.  Does anyone have experience with Floro on the Fuego?

Not specifically, but i run 15lb YZH on mine. I might swap it out to 15lb big game this week which is just as wirey as 15lb abrazx.. hell I might even try abrazx. Haven't had any problems with the YZH... I'll keep you posted about the big game. 

[Junger]

58 minutes ago, Lasher said:

I am requesting one of these for fathers day.  I wanted to make sure they do well with Floro.  Does anyone have experience with Floro on the Fuego?

I run one with 12lb FC Sniper for spinnerbaits, it does just fine, spools nice and even.

[Dangerfield]

How many of the Fuego owners on here selected the 8.1.1? and what made you go with it over the 7.3.1? I'll be using it got frogging/pitching/jigs/swimbaits.

 

The high speed retrieve isn't ideal for swimbaits, so I'll be slow rolling my glides but burning my spro bbz-1 shads. Hopefully that technique will get it's own rig by next season

[LCG]

1 hour ago, Dangerfield said:

How many of the Fuego owners on here selected the 8.1.1? and what made you go with it over the 7.3.1?

I bought the 8.1:1. I currently have a Daiwa Tatula 100 HSL in 7.3:1 that I really like. At the end of the  day I guess I figured it's easy for me to slow down my speed and have the speed when I need it. 

 

A chatterbait is the only moving lure I plan on throwing. Most other stuff I do is jigs, Texas rig, and frog. All of those I move with the rod not the reel. 

 

Also 34" of line retrieval is based on a full spool. It won't be that much line moved at the end of a cast. Some food for thought. My spinning reels move 31" of line and they work well for me. 

1 hour ago, Dangerfield said:

so I'll be slow rolling my glides but burning my spro bbz-1 shads.

Just coined it... The slow burn

[Beetlebz]

I bought the 8.1 for Jigs, flipping and froggin. 

 

What I'm throwing moving baits, like you guys said, I can just slow down. I throw a ChatterBait on it but also in the dead of Summer I'll use it for big cranks running deep, extra heavy Carolina rigs and 1 oz spinner baits and chatterbaits. It's still pretty easy to get a "slow burn" out of it ?

[Tywithay]

3 hours ago, Dangerfield said:

How many of the Fuego owners on here selected the 8.1.1? and what made you go with it over the 7.3.1? I'll be using it got frogging/pitching/jigs/swimbaits.

 

The high speed retrieve isn't ideal for swimbaits, so I'll be slow rolling my glides but burning my spro bbz-1 shads. Hopefully that technique will get it's own rig by next season

I have an 8.1 and a 6.3. Only reason I bought either is because I got them for a good price. I don't even have the 8.1 on a rod yet, because I'm not sure what I am going to do with it. It has given me time to upgrade it a bit though. Added levelwind and knob bearings yesterday. I hope to see how much it differs in feel from the stock configuration my next time out.

[Dangerfield]

4 minutes ago, Tywithay said:

Added levelwind and knob bearings yesterday.

there's no bearing in the levelwind?

2 hours ago, Luke G. said:

Just coined it... The slow burn

As you said, easier to slow yourself down then to try and speed up. I'm gonna go with the 8.1.1, pick up slack quickly is top of mind.

 

Slow burn.. I do that before I get on the boat

[J Francho]

26 minutes ago, Dangerfield said:

there's no bearing in the levelwind?

Many, Many, even expensive reels, use a bushing here.  It's not a high stress contact point, and a bushing serves well enough.  The upgrade adds a bit of smoothness and piece of mine, plus it's a cool upgrade to do.  Definitely not a rookie upgrade.

[Dangerfield]

2 hours ago, J Francho said:

The upgrade adds a bit of smoothness and piece of mine, plus it's a cool upgrade to do.  Definitely not a rookie upgrade.

I think I would send this to someone to get done. I might do the bearing upgrade after this season ends. 

[Dangerfield]

Picked up a Fuego CT 8.1.1 at Cabela's for their big May long weekend sale (Canada) for my Fury 735. Spooled it up with 50lb j-braid with a long 18lb FC Sniper leader for swimbaits. Caught a 4lb SMB on a dark sleeper fishing for pike. My brother caught a 40" (~20lb) pike on the exact same lure, 2nd biggest fish we've caught on Deep Bay. d**n thing was a crocodile.

[new2BC4bass]

Nice pictures.  Nice fish.  Nice lake.  Why do I have to live where I'm at now?    Oh yeah.  That's right.  I like to eat.

[Beetlebz]

Nice fish! To be honest I got my 8.1 fuego for flipping and pitching. I've been spending all spring throwing heavy moving baits with it (on the 7'6" heavy still) so much I might have to get another one. I always thought guys who primarily fish with heavy power rods were crazy, but the magforce brakes let you still cast decently even though the rod is barely loading up. Now, I get it.

 

Oi, try explaining that one to the wife ?

[CroakHunter]

On 5/15/2018 at 8:23 AM, Dangerfield said:

How many of the Fuego owners on here selected the 8.1.1? and what made you go with it over the 7.3.1? I'll be using it got frogging/pitching/jigs/swimbaits.

 

The high speed retrieve isn't ideal for swimbaits, so I'll be slow rolling my glides but burning my spro bbz-1 shads. Hopefully that technique will get it's own rig by next season

I've got 20Lb big game on one of mine. Handles just fine for pitching ultra heavy cover with a 3/8 to 3/4 ounce weight. 17Lb fluoro on the other for big spinnerbaits and chatterbait. Once again works perfectly. 

[Dangerfield]

14 minutes ago, Beetlebz said:

Nice fish! To be honest I got my 8.1 fuego for flipping and pitching. I've been spending all spring throwing heavy moving baits with it (on the 7'6" heavy still) so much I might have to get another one. I always thought guys who primarily fish with heavy power rods were crazy, but the magforce brakes let you still cast decently even though the rod is barely loading up. Now, I get it.

 

Oi, try explaining that one to the wife ?

Same here, it's meant to be my pitching/jig/frog rod, but it can handle my swimbaits so why not? This was my first time on the water with only baitcasters and I had maybe 4 bad backlashes from strong-arming my cast or not paying attention. The heavy rod gave me a lot of confidence putting a little extra whip in my cast. My wife thinks I should be good with a two rig set up haha.

5 minutes ago, CroakHunter said:

I've got 20Lb big game on one of mine. Handles just fine for pitching ultra heavy cover with a 3/8 to 3/4 ounce weight. 17Lb fluoro on the other for big spinnerbaits and chatterbait. Once again works perfectly. 

I would have gone this route too (heavy mono/FC line) if I didn't plan on frogging with this set up too.