Fuego not fully engaging after the cast.

[webertime]

I've got a Fuego that I love, hopefully not to death. When I depress the thumb bar and cast, all is good. Turn the handle to engage it and the thumb bar goes back up 90% of the way and there's some clicking, it obviously not fully engaging. What is the typical cause for this? Anyone?

[IlliniDawg01]

If the drag is correctly set then it is usually a failing spring inside the handle side or the reel just needs to be cleaned and regreased.

DaveJ

[USA-RET]

I had a similar issue with a TD-Z after having it painted and tuned, It would cast fine, but when I'd turn the handle to re-engage the spool, it didn't "snap" like it did prior. It did engage most of the time but about 1 out of 10 it did not. The handle would turn freely and the spool would not move. I could smack the reel's side plate and the turn the handle and the spool would engage.

I sent it off to e-bassfisher and he fixed it for me. He said he replaced one part and it did the trick. Drop him an PM or email and see what he says. Often times wear on a part, weakening of a spring or even the adding of additional paint may have changed tolerances just enough to cause this problem. It should be an easy an relatively inexpensive fix.

Good luck, The Fuego is a great and often overlooked reel.

[BigG]

I had similar problems with my PT 33's when they got old. Good cleaning fixed them for a while. This worked but if I had it to do all over again, would replace the spring while I had it apart. Call Tackle Trap, they will get you the part. If you haven't upgraded the bearing and drag you need to. O/S 7's make the Fuego a casting machine. I sent all my reels to e_bassfisher and let him do his magic on them, he's the man.