Tatula LT vs. Fuego LT spinning

Reels are the hottest topic for TackleTour. Everyone wants to know what the latest and greatest is and how they compare to the old guard. What's the best for light stuff, or what's your suggestion for heavy cover. Do we really need different retrieve ratios? It's all in here.
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smalljaw
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Tatula LT vs. Fuego LT spinning

Post by smalljaw » Mon Aug 13, 2018 1:45 pm

I'm looking to get a new spinning set up in the mid range price point. I'm getting the new revised Tatula spinning rod and I'm hung up on the which reel. The Tatula LT is lighter with the Zaion frame but the Fuego 2500 is still light for a spinning reel and is mag sealed and I like that feature. My question to you guys is simple, is the Tatula LT worth the extra $90 over the Fuego LT? I was kind of leaning on going with the Tatula LT but the Fuego seems like a lot of reel for the money and it makes me wonder if there is something not on par with the Fuego but why then would they use the mag seal feature on it? Anyway, any help from you Daiwa guys would be greatly appreciated.
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Tim Kelly
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Re: Tatula LT vs. Fuego LT spinning

Post by Tim Kelly » Mon Aug 13, 2018 2:08 pm

I have a fuego and ballistic, both LT series. Honestly can't tell much difference between them.

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Re: Tatula LT vs. Fuego LT spinning

Post by DirtyD64 » Mon Aug 13, 2018 5:49 pm

I hate to say it, but I think the Fuego uses that "pot metal" zinc cast gear or whatever the cheaper gears are made of. The Tatula uses an aluminum main gear and a brass pinion (not sure on Fuego pinion). More than a few reviewers have stated how well cut the Tatula main gear is and just how big it is, so it should definitely hold up and last longer than the Fuego. Just me talking, but it always seems a company is more likely to fix a $150+ reel when it breaks rather than a cheap one.

I would honestly go with the Tatula unless you don't think you will put it through the paces really hard. I could probably honestly get away with much cheaper reels, even the cheaper ones are well made now.

reason162
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Re: Tatula LT vs. Fuego LT spinning

Post by reason162 » Mon Aug 13, 2018 8:06 pm

smalljaw wrote:The Tatula LT is lighter with the Zaion frame but the Fuego 2500 is still light for a spinning reel and is mag sealed and I like that feature.
Some very disgruntled Fuego LT owners on another forum, apparently the stem/frame flex deep on small inshore fish. Average bass? Maybe not...5lb smallie in current? I don't know lol

Personally, very happy with my 1k sized Tatula LT (for fresh) and 4k sized Ballistic (for salt). My 2500 ballistic wasn't as smooth as these two, I might pick up a 2500 Tat instead. For freshwater, do you really need magseal?

baoxlaox81
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Re: Tatula LT vs. Fuego LT spinning

Post by baoxlaox81 » Tue Aug 14, 2018 6:19 am

I can't comment on the Fuego LT, I went with the Exceler LT 2500 high speed.. didn't think the Fuego LT was worth the extra $20. I do plan on getting the Tatula LT though, since all of them come in a 6+ gear ratio.

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Re: Tatula LT vs. Fuego LT spinning

Post by DirtyD64 » Tue Aug 14, 2018 10:20 am

reason162 wrote:
smalljaw wrote:The Tatula LT is lighter with the Zaion frame but the Fuego 2500 is still light for a spinning reel and is mag sealed and I like that feature.
Some very disgruntled Fuego LT owners on another forum, apparently the stem/frame flex deep on small inshore fish. Average bass? Maybe not...5lb smallie in current? I don't know lol

Personally, very happy with my 1k sized Tatula LT (for fresh) and 4k sized Ballistic (for salt). My 2500 ballistic wasn't as smooth as these two, I might pick up a 2500 Tat instead. For freshwater, do you really need magseal?
Have you ever seen a Stradic or 1000 sized Shimano in direct comparison to your Tatula LT 1000??? Soon as either my wife's Revo Premier 30 or my STX20 goes out (assuming Abu won't replace, they are great for warranty work) I want to try one.

reason162
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Re: Tatula LT vs. Fuego LT spinning

Post by reason162 » Tue Aug 14, 2018 8:47 pm

DirtyD64 wrote:Have you ever seen a Stradic or 1000 sized Shimano in direct comparison to your Tatula LT 1000??? Soon as either my wife's Revo Premier 30 or my STX20 goes out (assuming Abu won't replace, they are great for warranty work) I want to try one.
I've owned both the FK and CI4+ 1k size. The Tatula fishes smaller than either of them, maybe bc it's even lighter than the Ci4+?

But the major difference is in the drag. For w/e reason, the Tat/Ballistic LTs, at light drag settings, don't seem to rip line the way the Stradics do. They both work to protect light line and #2/#4 hooks...but I kept dialing the drag lighter and lighter on the Tatula bc I'm *expecting* that amount of pressure to feed out more line...but it doesn't. When a fish is bulldogging the Tat will give line in single clicks, almost corresponding to individual head shakes, as if it's responding to momentum instead of simply pressure, whereas the Stradics will just peel line as the fish swims. It's a very interesting drag system that I think is designed that way by Daiwa. I know that Daiwa has a couple (maybe 3?) different drag profiles for their spinning reels, this one is definitely very different from Shimano's. Once I got used to it, the end result is basically the same: very few lost fish.

The absolute worst POS fishing reel I've ever owned was an abu spinner. I think it was the Soron? Looked nice, felt smooth...first cast hooked into a monster weakfish and the drag cap stripped right then and there. From what I see...there is absolutely zero reason to look beyond the big 2 when it comes to spinning reels. All that Stella/Saltiga tech just trickles down perfectly into our 100-200 dollar reels lol.

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Re: Tatula LT vs. Fuego LT spinning

Post by Tim Kelly » Tue Aug 14, 2018 10:35 pm

reason162 wrote: The absolute worst POS fishing reel I've ever owned was an abu spinner. I think it was the Soron? Looked nice, felt smooth...first cast hooked into a monster weakfish and the drag cap stripped right then and there. From what I see...there is absolutely zero reason to look beyond the big 2 when it comes to spinning reels. All that Stella/Saltiga tech just trickles down perfectly into our 100-200 dollar reels lol.
Quite agree, though I'm not that convinced about Shimanos. :lol: I made the mistake of buying one of those Soron reels too. Top of the range one, utter junk. Heavy, geary, generally not worth anywhere near it's price point. A Daiwa 1/4 the price was a better reel. Every time I'm persuaded that the other reel manufacturers have changed and stepped up with this new model or that one and try one, it's always been a disappointment. I won't even look now. Only so many times they can claim to have changed. LOL

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Re: Tatula LT vs. Fuego LT spinning

Post by DirtyD64 » Tue Aug 14, 2018 11:28 pm

Tim Kelly wrote:
reason162 wrote: The absolute worst POS fishing reel I've ever owned was an abu spinner. I think it was the Soron? Looked nice, felt smooth...first cast hooked into a monster weakfish and the drag cap stripped right then and there. From what I see...there is absolutely zero reason to look beyond the big 2 when it comes to spinning reels. All that Stella/Saltiga tech just trickles down perfectly into our 100-200 dollar reels lol.
Quite agree, though I'm not that convinced about Shimanos. :lol: I made the mistake of buying one of those Soron reels too. Top of the range one, utter junk. Heavy, geary, generally not worth anywhere near it's price point. A Daiwa 1/4 the price was a better reel. Every time I'm persuaded that the other reel manufacturers have changed and stepped up with this new model or that one and try one, it's always been a disappointment. I won't even look now. Only so many times they can claim to have changed. LOL
Well, I bought my wife a Gen 1 Revo Premier spinning, got it for barely over $100, was a good deal for a $250 reel. Held strong, she caught a +4 smallmouth (huge for our area) and tons of other fish. After about a year we were fishing the same area for smallmouth, caught about 15 each (1-3lb range). Toward the end of the day she said "something isn't right". It would free spin for about 2/3rds a turn the catch, BAD. Some rotations it wouldn't and it also wasn't in the same spot but it was obvious something was bad wrong. Disassembled all I could, polished gears, lubed bearings, etc. everything basic you can do. Still presented the same problem. Called Abu, sent it in, they replaced it with the 2nd Gen model. Pretty cool of them to do that I thought. I bought an STX for that customer service alone to show appreciation. Both of the 2nd Gen Revo spinning reels are still surviving. Her reel is still VERY smooth and works great, she doesn't fish nearly as much as I do though and my Revo STX20 isn't nearly as smooth. I am using mine now on a 6'Light and will continue to push it hard till it gives out, if they replace it cool, if not I'm getting a 1000 Shimano/Daiwa. Same goes for her reel, but it will be a 2500/3000. I have never reviewed any of my Abu stuff, but they would be my obvious 3rd choice for spinning (they are better designed than the other Doyo products IMO).

smalljaw
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Re: Tatula LT vs. Fuego LT spinning

Post by smalljaw » Thu Aug 16, 2018 5:11 am

Thanks for the help on this, I've decided on the Tatula LT and as luck would have it, I actually got to check out both reels in person. Yeah, you were right, the Fuego LT wasn't bad but it wasn't what I hoped it would be from reading the specs. The Tatula LT however was very nice and I was surprised at how solid it felt for being so light, so right now I'm happy but I'm withholding judgment until I get it on the water but if it performs as well as it looks and feels then the reel is a bargain under $200. Thanks again for all the advice.
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