Still on Fire? Daiwa's new Fuego-A Spinning Reel
(continued)
Ergonomics:
The original Fuego spinning reel was already quite good ergonomically speaking
but the new Fuego-A definitely dials up the heat when it comes to refinement.
The magnesium based original 2000 sized reel weighed in at a respectable 7.9oz.
while the new Fuego-A 2000 weighs only 7.0oz., and the difference is actually
noticeable when paired with lightweight rods. The new internal drag system now
makes it easier to advance the reel no matter where the open bail is angled.
Each reel comes with a machined aluminum spare
spool
Durability:
So does the Fuego-A feel like it is constructed out of metal? No. The reel’s
Zaion frame actually feels like aluminum when you tap on it. It is important to
note that the entire reel is constructed out of Zaion, not just the frame, this
includes the sideplate and the rotor. During testing I did observe some boat
rash to the finish of the Fuego-A and while it did get scratched up the good
thing is that unlike magnesium scratches do not increase the chance of
corrosion. These scratches are purely cosmetic and did nothing to alter the
performance of the reel whatsoever.
The drag knob features a gasket to seal the
system
Price & Applications:
The Fuego A performed well throughout our tests but when it comes to price the
new reel may simply be too expensive for some mainstream consumers. The previous
generation Fuego retailed for $249 dollars and the new version costs an
additional 30 dollars. That small increase can probably be stomached by most
anglers but then you have the competition to contend with. The Shimano Stradic
CI4 retails for only $199-$219 depending on size, that’s significantly less than
the Daiwa offering.
The drag system is pinned in place by a wire
spring
Daiwa fans will still
likely buy the Fuego but don’t mistake the Fuego for a more affordable Steez, it
is by no means even close to being as refined or smooth on retrieves. If you
fish with the Fuego-A by itself I caution you regarding picking up a Steez. The
Fuego-A will feel extremely smooth up until that moment when you crank the
handle on the Steez, fished side by side the Steez is in a class of its own. Of
course the comparison really isn’t fair when you consider that the Steez is 220
dollars more expensive than the Fuego.
The handle is easily screwed on either side for
right or left hand retrieve
The Zaion body on the
Fuego-A does make it a much more viable option for saltwater inshore fishing and
anglers can use this reel for multiple species. The Fuego-A series of reels is
available in a wide range of sizes from 1000-3000 and the larger reels pair well
with medium action rods and sport beefy drags capable of handling larger
species.
The entire handle arm is anodized red in keeping
with the Fuego "fire" theme
Ratings:
(We've
re-calibrated our
ratings standard for
2008 and have
included a key at
the bottom of the
following matrix as
a guide):
|
Daiwa
Fuego-A
Ratings
(?/10)
|
|
Construction/Quality |
The new
Fuego-A
makes
use of
Zaion
throughout
the
reel's
construction
and
while I
was
originally
skeptical
this
material
was
rigid
enough
to make
a
refined
reel by
the end
of the
tests I
grew
confident
in the
reel's
construction |
9 |
|
Performance |
Great
casting
and
retrieve
but a
little
on the
light
side
when it
comes to
the
drag.
The 2000
size is
great
for
finesse
fishing
and the
reel is
very
light
making
it great
for
pairing
with
lightweight
rods for
drop
shot and
shaky
head
fishing
|
8.5 |
|
Price |
The
Fuego-A
is 30
dollars
more
than the
previous
version
and
faces
stiff
competition
from the
more
affordable
Stradic
CI4 |
7 |
|
Features |
Lots of
features
here
starting
the
corrosion
resistant
yet
lightweight
Zaion
construction.
The
washable
design
and
spare
aluminum
spool
are both
nice
additions
as well.
|
8 |
|
Design
(Ergonomics) |
Lightweight
and easy
to fish
with all
day
long.
The
Fuego-A
is a
very
smooth
reel and
lighter
than the
previous
generation |
8.5 |
|
Application |
Good for
both
fresh
and
saltwater
applications,
there
are
multiple
sizes so
anglers
can pick
the
right
reel for
different
species |
9 |
|
Total
Score
|
8.33 |
Ratings
Key:
1 =
terrible
: 2 =
poor : 3
=
lacking
: 4 =
sub par
: 5 =
mediocre
: 6 =
fair : 7
= good :
8 =
great :
9 =
excellent
: 10 =
unbelievable!
For More
Details
of the
updated
rating
system
visit
our
explanation
here |
Pluses and Minuses:
|
Plus
Minus
|
|
+
Durable
Zaion
construction
is more
corrosion
resistant
than
magnesium
|
- More
pricey
than the
previous
version
and the
competition |
|
+ Light
in
overall
weight,
lighter
than
previous
version |
- Smooth
drag but
not as
strong
as
competing
drag
systems |
|
+
The
internal
bail
trip is
a major
upgrade
from the
previous
version |
|
|
+
Washable
design
with a
sealed
drag
system |
|
|
+
Included
spare
identical
aluminum
spool |
|
