Daiwa Fuego LT Spinning Reel Review

Hey guys, welcome back to Beach and Fishing and my Daiwa Fuego LT spinning reel review. Now, as you are probably aware, fishing is one of those past times that holds two essential truths:

1. There are a great number of variations of every piece of equipment, tackle and accessory that you could be looking for.
2. Everybody has an opinion on which of these variations is best at any given time – which is generally due to the fact that that particular item has helped them catch fish.

So with that in mind, one thing I have tried to do on this site is review the products I use, as well as the ones that are popular at the moment to give you an idea of what may work for you as you head out to the water and chase the big ones.

Hence, for this review, I will run you through:

• What the product is
• How it works
• What I bought if for
• Pros and Cons
• Cost
• My recommendations

Also known as ‘open face’ reels or ‘eggbeaters’, these reel types wind the line onto a front spool which is held on by a ‘bail’. Line is wound in via a handle on the side which is ratioed to bring the line in faster than the handle is turned. In general, spinning reels are made from a corrosion-resistant metal, carbon fiber and/or aluminum body with variations of the following:

• Bearings – As with a car wheel, the mechanisms inside a spinning fishing reel generally incorporate ball bearings for smoother operation. From my experience, most come with between 3 and if the specifications are listed as 10 + 1 for example, this means that there are 10 ball bearings in the main housing and also a roller bearing incorporated into the bail to make line retrieval easier.
• Ratio – One advantage of a spinning fishing reel is the winding ratio. This is usually set anywhere for 3:1 up to 6 or 7:1 (often listed as 6.0:1 etc.) This simply means that for every time the user turns the handle a full rotation, the spool holding the line has actually turned 3, 4, 5, 6 or 7 times meaning less winding for faster line retrieval. Higher ratios are good for fast retrieval fishing such as with a lure or if there are a lot of snags etc. Lower rations assist with the big fish catches.
• Drag – The drag of a fishing reel is its ability to release a little bit of line when a fish strikes or is being pulled in. This is in place to reduce the chances of a bigger fish snapping the line as it fights. As with anything, the more you pay for a reel, the better the drag system should be with the more expensive models containing precision setting capabilities.
• Casing: This is the part of the reel that contains the springs, levers, gear cogs etc. that make much of the stuff above work. I’m my opinion, avoid any reel that doesn’t have this all housed in a sealed, waterproof casing. These are low maintenance and the components will not rust.

Check out my: Daiwa Tatula SV TW Baitcaster Review

Ok, so my experience with this reel is part of my recent practice of hassling all of my friends that I fish with to try out their reels for my reviews. In this instance I was fishing on my kayak with a friend of mine who was using the Fuego and luckily for me, he wanted to try my little Shimano Nasci as well.

So we swapped rigs and off we went. And as we started fishing, this is what I noticed:

1. This reel is extremely light – not as light as the Nasci – but still light enough to be noticeable.
2. Winding is smooth and it casts really well in one hand (It was attached to a 6ft rod).
3. The reel itself looks strong and feels sturdy as you wind in under the strain of a fish.

Nos sadly I didn’t catch anything large enough to really give the drag a work out however I did have a ‘play’ with it by feel and did like the sensitivity it had when adjustments were made.

• Product Name: Daiwa Fuego LT Spinning Reel – 2500 – 6000 models available
• Spool Size:Mono: 10/280, 12/220 J-BRAID: 15/250, 20/220 (3000 model)
• Bearings: 6+1
• Ratio: 5.2:1 to 5.7:1 dependent upon version chosen
• Composition: Carbon-infused housing, DigiGear computer-driven gear design with Magsealed waterproof protects
• Drag: 22lb

• Super light weight
• Easy to manage and clean
• Super strong drag
• Internal machined components and protection often found in higher end reels

• Whilst this did not occur during my use I did find a lot of feedback online in regards to uneven line spooling upon retrieval

I have seen these on the marketing for around $USD99 – Which I admit I was surprised about as I thought they would be more expensive based on their specs and manufacture.

So, as above I do not own one of these but to be honest, after using this one if I do choose to go back to the store for another spinning reel for general use (I mean, you can always use another reel right?), based on use of this one and my experience with my Tierra LT 6000D, I would definitely consider picking up one of these.

It is smooth and easy to use and on the smaller fish I did catch on it, the drag was definitely adequate. My friend who owns the reel did mention how much he likes it and to be honest, I was not disappointed.

All in all, for general use chasing fresh and saltwater species alike, you could definitely do a lot worse than this one – especially if you are new to fishing or working in a number of different areas.

So there you have it, my honest review and appraisal of the Daiwa Fuego LT spinning reel. I hope it has been of assistance but as usual, if you have any questions please do not hesitate to reach out by commenting below.

Are there any other products you have been looking at but want to know more about? If so, please comment below and I will do my best to get some details for you.

Until next time

Have fun

Paul