Hey all!!
Back with another oldie, but real goodie!!
This go around, it's a very rare 1960's Rogue M150 spin reel. Hand-built by John Shaw in Grant's Pass, Oregon.
Made in the good old USA, but it incorporates many similar features to foreign reels
It has elements of Hardy, DAM, Helion, and Alcedo, but still very unique in its own right!
This old girl came with original zippered case and 150 manual.
I also aquired a rare NOS spare spool for her, too, to complete the ensemble.
There is no definite number on the quantity of these reels that were built, but I assume it was quite less than the Rogue 200 fly reel model.
This one is engraved with original owners name of, Jim Davis.
I am 4th holder of this rare reel, I have found out.
Jim Davis being the first, a Mr.Bob Parks being the 2nd, and a Mr.Josh Pratt being the 3rd, which is who I purchased reel from and myself, as number 4.
Josh stated that Mr.Parks received the reel as a gift from Davis, but never used it. Unused by Mr.Pratt, as well, so I assume, only action it has seen was from original owner, Mr.Davis.
All previous owners from Grant's Pass. BTW
Overall, reel is in fine shape with a few very minor use or storage flaws.
Some minor screw slot scruff and plenty of old grease, to stiffen things up!
It does have a very slight catch on rotation, but it may be stiff grease.
All gears look good, so we'll see after reassembly, if that clears up.
I gave this one a full, yet very careful, stripdown, minus the worm gear assembly, as I didnt see a way to safely remove one of the sun gears on the worm gear/ floating disc gear assembly, in order to extract these parts, plus, being fragile cast parts, it wasn't worth breaking a tooth or such, trying.
I can't see the caged bearing assembly or any breakdown of these parts, due to this fact, but, no biggie. I just cleaned it still assembled in the body. With all other parts out of the way, I was able to get all the old grease out easily.
The sealed bearings are marked by mfg.
"Fafnir/ made in USA"
As seen, this has a very unique drag setup.
It uses a floating disc and two asbestos fiberfriction pads to apply drag to both the front and back of disc, via a rotating drag collar.
Use the collar dial to set the default drag and then, it incorporates a finger trigger that can apply more drag by pulling back or less drag by pushing forward, up to a complete free spin of spool.
No drag knob, washers, or such on the spool, at all.
All of the floating disc drag assembly is housed in a two piece cast housing that also acts as flier dust cover and drag trigger mount, as well.
The trigger has an adjustment screw on the side that,when rotated,applies pressure to the trigger base, which in turn, puts pressure on the drag adjustment collar.
If rotated clockwise, the ring is loosened and is easier to rotate.
Counterclockwise rotation increases pressure, thereby increasing pressure on collar, making it tighter to turn.
Full increase pressure, actually locks the collar in place preventing any drag adjustment via collar.
Flier disassembled easily with bail arm being unique in the fact that you can remove dome spring cover and rotate the castle bushing, that holds spring, to apply more or less spring action on bail arm closure.
The arm trip lever is pin riveted to flier, so it can't be removed. Only the return spring can be serviced on it.
The crank is held to drive gear shaft with a roll pin, as is the connecting link, internally.
The connecting link is held to drive gear with a c-clip. This must be removed first, so link can be rotated in order to drive out roll pin fastening the saddle yoke end to the non rotating shaft.
Everything getting a full cleaning and tidied up before reassembly!
Stay tuned!!
More pictures
Wow, what a nice reel -- you are a lucky person!
Quote from: jtwill98 on November 07, 2025, 10:54:56 PMWow, what a nice reel -- you lucky person!
Thank you! This is right up there with some of the rarest seen reels out there. I was very lucky to get this complete package deal.
It really needed nothing, but a cleaning and that probably could have been done without a stripdown, but if you know me by now, I gotta see how it works and I'm not afraid to hit it with zero strip info.
I figure all my stripdown threads are some of the only ones out there.
That's why I do it, not only for my own curiosity, but to assist others later on.
Thanks for taking on the task, it will save me a lot of analyses time. I plan on going through mine, which was gifted to me from some unknowns ;D on this site, sometime this winter. Your experience will surely help a lot. I was going to tear into mine to right after I received it but I got way too busy fishing. I haven't worked on a reel, except for 2 or 3 with standard service we've been fishing with, since early March. My wife & I have probably fished, at the very least, 175 days since March, so between all that fishing, mowing & other property maintenance there hasn't been much time to do a whole lot else.
I'll bet Joe is happy you dug into to your reel. He was pretty anxious to see the design and mechanics of that lever drag system. ;)
Glad to help! If you do tear into yours, post up some pictures!
Spent an hour or so getting the M150 reassembled after cleaning everything thoroughly.
It all went really smoothly with no issues.
I took plenty of pictures and went at it slowly.
I wasn't sure what the chrome disc button was on the side of the body, but upon reassembly discovered it is the drag clicker.
The copper tabs engage the drag gear when the button is slid downward and disengage, when button is pushed upward.
So, you can manually adjust drag click on or off, when the drag is operated, for either, silent or click noise.
The anti reverse lever is exactly like a DAM, as it uses a knurled rotateable stem and click piston with angled end, that engages the hole ports on the drive gear diameter to create click, when it is engaged, but prevents backspin.
When disengaged, the piston is "pulled" upwards and out of the range of the drive gear ports, allowing backspin.
Getting the roll pin pressed back in gently on the connecting link to prevent any damage, entailed the use of small vice grips, to press the pin back in vs any hammer tapping.
Adjusting the vice grips in tiny increments and squeezing shut on pin and yoke to press pin inward.
Keep turning the vice grip adjustment knob in tiny increments between each press.
Eventually, the gradual pinching of vice grips on pin and yoke, press the pin fully in place.
I also did this on the crank handle pin, but used a small piece of leather wrapped on the handle, to prevent vice grip jaw marks on the painted metal.
It worked great and got both pins placed fully with no damage to fragile parts.
I fully lubricated all parts with both faucet valve grease and light machine oil.
The line roller, spin rotates fully on the bail arm assembly, instead of the line just passing over a fixed roller.
Allowing less drag on line and smoother retrieval.
The reel spins very freely and has a great feel to it.
The catch, it had before stripdown, is now gone, so it must have been old grease related.
It does however, have a bit more rotation drag with the spool installed.
This is due to the red pipe cleaner material wrapped on base of spool.
Still a good smooth rotation, but not as freely as a spool free spin.
The aluminum spool carrier, that is threaded onto non rotating shaft, has an internal adjustment screw, that allows the aluminum carrier to be threaded higher or lower onto non rotating shaft, changing the spool line lay vertically, by altering spool up and down travel distance.
I included pictures of the carrier end and adjustment screw.
Since this girl only had a couple very minor paint scuffs, I touched those up to perfect the finish.
I usually don't mess with touching up a reel I am keeping original vs. hot rodded, but the scuffs on this reel were so tiny, but still noticeable, that I got rid of them.
She now shows so beautifully inside and out!!
I will be using this reel to experience the disc drag set up, but I will mask the reel foot to prevent any marring of paint.
Hope this helps answer any questions out there regarding this rare beauty of a reel made in the old USA!!
Privileged to be it's new caretaker and love working on these rare old reels that have parts that haven't been touched by a human hand, since original assembler installed them.
It's like stepping into these masters shoes and feeling the pride of the finished piece the same as they most likely did.
Holding the finished, working reel in hand after a full stripdown... the best!
Peace!!
Final assembly pictures
Another gem, thanks for taking the time for such a detailed post!
Quote from: Swami805 on November 09, 2025, 01:39:28 AMAnother gem, thanks for taking the time for such a detailed post!
Thank you and you're welcome!
This is really quite a jewel of a reel that I'm still surprised I was able to aquire and after a little research, learned of their rarity.
He made a lefty. I have one.
Very attractive reel, with some seldom seen or unique features. I had never heard of this maker or model before, so a new experience; although I see a few of you are a leg up on me & familiar with this brand/model.
Frank
Quote from: happyhooker on November 09, 2025, 03:53:25 PMVery attractive reel, with some seldom seen or unique features. I had never heard of this maker or model before, so a new experience; although I see a few of you are a leg up on me & familiar with this brand/model.
Frank
Yes, a very unique and fine looking and constructed reel.
It is a really nice sized reel, too. Not too small, but not too large, to handle a wide range of species.
I've got it spooled with 6lb test and paired with a Eagle Claw Denco Super II 5' ultralight rod.
Very nicely balanced and ergonomic feel to the reel and drag trigger set up.
I'll be sure to update on its catching ability and drag system in actual use!
Quote from: Gfish on November 09, 2025, 04:54:07 AMHe made a lefty. I have one.
Nice! I bet that's a rare one.
Love to see a picture!
Very nice reel . The outer numbered ring is ramped for fine adjustments ? Beside the screw for base setup .
Quote from: oldmanjoe on November 10, 2025, 03:20:04 AMVery nice reel . The outer numbered ring is ramped for fine adjustments ? Beside the screw for base setup .
Yes. The collar ring is to set the drag at inrements from 1-10. 10 being the max drag.
Tha trigger body side screw has a spring attached to it, that when screw is rotated, it puts pressure down on the trigger base, via the spring, which in turn, puts pressure on the collar ring.
Adjustable from complete free spin of collar to actually locking the collar in place at set drag rate, where it can't be modified.
Pretty cool little add on
Took the freshly stripped and restored Rogue M150 out today and my, my, was it sweet!!
Took a few catches to get the floating disc drag dialed in, but once set, performed great.
Awesome feel to this reel and trigger drag is pretty dang cool for playing fish.
This old girl is definitely going to see some regular use!!
Caught 81 for 25 nice keepers!!
Lake of the Ozarks, Missouri
Excellent work on that Rogue 150, WB!
The engineering, materials, and thought that went into those reels is impressive.
If that reel was made to the same standards today —- it would be a $400 reel.
Best, Fred