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[Humpy]

Planning on getting into centerpin fishing. Want to get something that is easy to maintain and reliable. Not looking to spend too much.
How are the older(1950's) JW Young Seldex Reels? They seem reliable and fairly cheap. Any other options? Opinions? Anybody have any experience with the JW Young?
It will be used mainly in the vedder and other smaller rivers. For the rod, I am planning on getting a convergence or hmx.

[Noahs Arc]

Both of those rods have down locking reel seats, so depending how you hold the rod, youll Probably be getting a handfull of threaded reel seat to hold onto while fishing instead of cork. Not a big deal for some, for me it's a deal breaker.
Pins take longer to retrieve line so arbor size might be taken into consideration.
Both the reels you mentioned are good reels, just look for excessive wobble and hold it in your hand and spin it, play with it a bit. If it feels right buy it.

[Humpy]

Thanks for that Noahs Arc, Don't mind holding onto the threaded reel seat. What arbor size do you recommend? I believe I was looking at a 3.5.

[Noahs Arc]

Depends where you're fishing. My islander is a 4.5" my Milner is a 4".
Both work great for your Popular systems around LML. Sometimes I wish I had a smaller reel for a couple small systems I fish. Personally I wouldn't want to fish a 3.5" on the Vedder.
Another thing to consider is caged or open face reels. I get frustrated fishing my old mans Silex, but I'm not used to a caged reel.

[dave c]

Avon Royal Supremes are excellent reels and durable.  I picked one up as a back up and am really impressed at how nice it is.  Email me at tysonandrambo@yahoo.ca and I'll give you a number of a guy who has about a dozen of them for sale.  He is asking $150

[DanL]

3.5” sounds a little small IMHO. I had a Silex which I’ve basically retired to a display spot on the shelf because it was too much a PITA with that 4” (or maybe 3 ¾”) spool. Nice reel but the retrieve was just so slow it was sometime frustrating to be spending more time reeling than drifting. I might still give it a go on smaller systems but not the Vedder.
   
I have a 4.75” Raven now and it’s much better but still no speed demon. Personally I would not go smaller than 4.5 for the Vedder unless you are the patient type and don’t mind.

The other thing I might suggest is to consider the distance of the handles to the centre of the reel (ie spindle). I’m not that familiar with the old JWYs but some of those have the handles set closer to the center (sorry, don’t know the proper terminology) which some find ergonomically awkward while others dont mind…

[Humpy]

Thanks for the replies everyone, its going to be my first centerpin. Mainly used in the Vedder. Stave, Chehalis, etc.
What is the difference between a caged and open face reel? I believe the JWY is caged.
Handles are close to the end.

[Noahs Arc]

Look up pics of the islander and silex. The islander is open meaning the line can come off the spool 360 degrees. A caged reel covers the spool, allowing line to only pay out in one spot. They both have there plus and minus'.

[Humpy]

Got it, the older JWY reels have a much wider spool and they can hold like 250+ yards of mono on top of the backing which makes up for the shorter diameter.
Its going to be my first centerpin, so if I like it I will upgrade later. I'm getting the reel, along with an hmx rod for 100 bucks, so I can't complain.

[westcoastercoho]

I have an HMX and its bottom up locking, totally love the rod, you won't regret it.

[Animal Chin]

I have an HMX and its bottom up locking, totally love the rod, you won't regret it.

Is it a med or med-light HMX?

[wonder]

Listen to what Noah's saying about the reel seat, I bought a convergence because my bait cast one had been so good to me, used it once. For about the same price maybe a bit more fenwick makes the eagle gt in 10'6 with an up locking reel seat it's a solid rod I've landed everything from springs to steelhead with it no problem.