Cabela's Mega Royal Plus Reels

Rimshot · 04-23-2003, 07:32 PM

Anybody own one of these? I have always fished with ABU reels but I shopped around a bit when I bought a new rod for something new to try. These look to have good components and are also a one piece aluminum frame. Also they have an oversize multi-disk drag and a 6 bearing setup, titanium line guide, blah, blah, blah. Anyway, they are resonably priced and Cabela's offer is to fish with it for 60 days and if it doesn't beat every other reel return it for a full refund! Can't beat that. I bought one and just got it today. Looks like a solid reel and feels good. Can't wait to try it out. I'll report on what I find out. Anyone have any good/bad experiences with these?

Ramstrong · 04-23-2003, 08:26 PM

Was there a black superfree sticker on the spool? I've got a buddy that works at a sporting goods store and he says the stickers used to be on them. I hope shimano stopped putting them on the reels or word may get out. Oops, did I just say that?

The next reel I get is going to be an MRP 200. If you add $10 you can also get a Fish Eagle II rod. Not a bad deal. Great rod and nice reel for $100 and the whole shooting match comes with a warranty.

Please, no buy local posts. When I start seeing Lami/Calcutta 400 combos at fishermans for $100 I'll buy there too. Until then what little rod/reel money I don't have gets spent at Cabelas.

Rimshot · 04-23-2003, 08:58 PM

No sticker that I saw. I do however see a lot of similarities between this reel and the shimano reels. Hmmm, I know Cabela's doesn't build them themselves.....
p.s. the 200's are on sale right now for $69. That is what I just got

.

garyk · 04-23-2003, 09:24 PM

Rimshot, thanks for posting that. I've been wondering the very same thing, although I've not placed the order yet.

The pricing looks sweet, so please do post your report on the reel.

Mojo · 04-23-2003, 09:28 PM

Please post a full review after you catch a couple of springers on it. If the drag is as sweet as the Calcutta's, I'm in.

I really like Cabela's rods. I've owned 2 steelie/salmon (Tourney Trail) rods, and they have treated me better than I've treated them. The only problems I've ever had were from me damaging them.

[ 04-26-2003, 10:56 PM: Message edited by: Mojo ]

Rimshot · 04-23-2003, 09:58 PM

I will post a full review soon. Hopefully I will break it in well over the next week :smile: . Also, I went to the shimano website and compared service diagrams from this reel and the calcutta's and catala's. Let's just say I'm not wondering who makes these for Cabela's anymore

. Take care and wish me luck.

garyk · 04-23-2003, 10:10 PM

Rimshot, from your research do you think the Cabelas reels are the equivalent of the Calcutta or the Catalas, or some hybrid specifically made for the private label market?

Thanks Mojo for mentioning the Cabelas rods, as I was wondering about them too!

WaterDog · 04-24-2003, 05:54 AM

garyk asks:

Quote:

Rimshot, from your research do you think the Cabelas reels are the equivalent of the Calcutta or the Catalas, or some hybrid specifically made for the private label market?

<font size="2" face="verdana,arial,helvetica">DITTO! I've been eyeballing these reels for a while. I'm a die hard ABU 5500/6500 guy but if I can step up for not much dollars, I'd be willing to add some diversity to my reel selection.

Lured In · 04-24-2003, 07:37 AM

I just wish they would make a MRP201 (left handed). I was considering getting the MRP101 with the Fish Eagle II combo and using the reel for steelies and the rod for Salmon. Kinda hard to beat a deal like that.

Ramstrong · 04-24-2003, 08:34 AM

Gary,

From my research, I'd say it's a hybrid with more in common with the Calcutta and a few propriatary parts. Catala doesn't have Super Free, Whiffle spool (100 model) and titanium line guide/spool and 5bb's + 1 roller bearing. Kind of like the prodigy casting reel. It's a mix of the Pinnacle Scion and Tetra. Any way you look at it, it's a good deal.

Rimshot,

Well I think it was smart of them to stop putting those stickers on. I hope it treats you right. And definately let us know how it performs under fire.

Rimshot · 04-24-2003, 10:31 AM

I agree with Ramstrong. It looks like a hybrid but with more Calcutta similarities than Catala. For example, the way the drag looks in the diagram is just like the Calcutta. The way the line guide is put together and the spool release..Calcutta. In any case it looks and feels like a very solid reel and I can't wait to try it. The $69($89 reg) price tag and 60 day risk free trial make it worth at least checking out. They actually say "If it doesn't beat every other reel, regardless of price, return it for a no questions asked refund". It's gotta be made with some solid components for that kind of offer. I'll let ya know.

steelheadslayer · 04-24-2003, 12:10 PM

Fellow Ifishers, these reels with the Cabelas name are made by a company called Shina America. They make rods too. A few years ago they decided to make and sell reels for themselves too. You may have heard of them, Marado. The Marado Evolution series are great,

I have four along with a sweet little steelhead low profile and two rods. These reels are a great deal. I got mine for 80 to 100 bucks apiece and I would put them to the test with any Calcutta. Dragwise that is. The only problem is that Marado is no more. I can't get parts or service on my warranties. [img]graemlins/berry.gif[/img] Unless things have changed, they should still be making rods and reels with the Cabelas name unless the catalog says otherwise. I really think you'll like these reels, they are made in Korea.

Tyeebuster · 04-24-2003, 05:48 PM

I happen to have a megaroyal MRP 101 that I bought a couple of years ago. In my opinion it is a piece of junk. I bought it for the same reasons quoted above. I also thought that it looked alot like a calcutta. I fish Calcutta reels and can say the megaroyal doesn't come close. The drag is very "sticky" and an is not at all smooth. This reel has been used only a couple of times an maybe the drag can be adjusted. However, if any one would like to buy it I will sell it for $50. You can save tax, shipping, and time.

Jignfloat · 04-24-2003, 06:05 PM

I bought two of the Cabelas Depth Master Golds this year to use when I need something a bit tougher then my 65oos'...They are said to be made by Okuma....and appear very similar. THey are a decent reel, quite a bit more substantial then the Mega Royals. Russ

LFISH · 04-24-2003, 06:30 PM

Just a word of caution about the Fish Eagle II casting rods. I bought 2 of them 2 years ago. They now come with single foot guides above the first guide. These guides bend very easily, even when fighting a large salmon or steelie. I have bought 2 Cabelas reels, one spinning and one casting, and neither one worked well. I returned the casting reel for a refund and have returned the spinning reel once for a replacement, which is also a clunker. This is the $80 Tournament Plus reel. It came with a rod for $100. I like the spinning rod very much, but don't recommend the casting rods with single foot guides.

Ramstrong · 04-24-2003, 11:42 PM

These are definately not corsair type reels. Everything I've heard about them is posotive. Like I said earlier. When I get some money, the next rod/reel combo I buy will be a MRP200 with the 10' heavy action Fish Eagle II. You can't beat that combo/price.

garyk · 04-26-2003, 09:15 PM

What a drag!

I contacted Cabelas, intending to get a present for my wife who likes bright, shiny objects - fortunately even if they're not always gem stones. [img]graemlins/hearton.gif[/img]

I only had two requirements, 1. left hand reel. 2. must have clicker (for K-fishing).

So the larger preferred one, the Megaroyal #200, which does have a clicker is right-hand only. :depressed:

The smaller #100, is available in left-hand, but no clicker.
:depressed:
OK, how about something else, maybe the Cabelas Classic? Sorry righthand only. :depressed:

About then (on Live-Chat Help), in great frustration, I think I may have typed something about them all being righthanded, Nebraska opossum squeezers - and then I lost the connection. I think I may be banned from the Cabelas board.

Rimshot · 09-09-2003, 04:06 PM

I thought I would drag this topic back up to the top because many of you asked for a report on these reels and I forgot to give one. So here it is...I got my first reel(notice I say first

) and played with it out of the box. I was very impressed with the construction and feel of the reel. It also looked great. I took it out for it's maiden voyage on the Willy for some springer fishing. It was there I discovered it had a flaw. After pushing the thumbar spool release, turning the handle would not engage the spool :shocked: . I had to manually push up on the thumbar to get the spool to engage

. Not cool. The handle would just spin and make a very faint clicking sound. The weird thing is sometimes it would work and sometimes it wouldn't. My guess is that some part inside was loose. Other than that I would have to say I was very impressed with the reels performance. VERY smooth drag, smooth retrieve, it felt like a caddy compared to my 6500 and I thought that was a smooth reel. So, I was a little upset but I figured defects are bound to happen and I'm sure it was just a fluke. I called Cabela's and they were very sorry and sent a post paid slip to send it back. Turn around was fast and easy. Cool, good cust service. Now, I have had the new reel out a few times and everything was working great...until the other day. Yup, you guessed it, same problem

. What the heck? I talked to Cabela's and again they were very sorry and said I could exchange it for yet another reel or something else. I'm not sure I want to go for round 3 but the reel IS nice except for whatever that flaw is. I told them I needed to think about it and I wasn't going to give up the reel during fall chinook season anyway. They said no prob and just contact them when I was ready to do the exchange. Again, good cust. service. So, there it is, the report. Sorry it took so long.

Dr Strangelove · 09-09-2003, 04:35 PM

If when you put the sideplate back on a Calcutta you don't have the thumbar in an elevated position, it will do exactly what you described. Take off the plate and see if the thumbar elevator/depressor flange is bent, allowing it to pop out of place.

Twoshottom · 09-09-2003, 07:47 PM

Rimshot, funny you would bring this up. I ordered and received the rod and reel combo a few weeks ago from Cabela's after reading this post (Megaroyal 200). Great looking reel.

Loaded it up with 50 lb tuffline and tried some fall chinook fishing. I have a couple 6500's with the line release on the side so the line release on the spool with the Megaroyal was tough to get use to. A week ago I was lucky enough to hook into about a 20 lb Tule. At some point I apparently hit the thumb release and quickly had a birds nest. We were able to get the fish along side and release it but was still concerned about the location of the thumb release. The next day I was letting my daughter reel the line in and I had the exact problem you're describing. I thought my 4 year old had done something because when she would let go of the handle it would spin backwards letting out line. I went back to my 6500. Looks like I need to call Cabela's. :depressed:

Salmonator · 12-23-2003, 12:37 PM

Is it possible that the lube on that mechanism is too thick to work at "Oregon" temperatures as compared to some of the southern states? I know that when my 6501's are near needing service the spool button will not return on the colder days.