Shimano C3000 Spool Capacity for Braided Line

This is something that I wanted to document for a long time. But never ever get to start doing it use to the lack of standardization of measurement between fishing tackle manufacturers, gathering information could be a pain in the arse.

Since I have recently spool in new line into Hybrid Shimano reel, so start to record for future reference.
Would appreciate if anglers would contribute as well.


Spool - C3000
Manufacturer Specs
No.2.5 / 180m

Line - Spiderwire EZ Braid
Manufacturer Specs
Strength - 10lbs (4.5kg; 3lbs Test Diameter)
Diameter - 0.18mm
Length - 300 yds (273m)
This is close to PE1.2 (Reference)

Result - I manage to spool the entire 300yds spool of the 10lbs braided line into the spool with minimum mono backing (Just to prevent line slip only).

PE Rating

PE Line rating is the Japanese way for standardized the fishing line, it is in actual fact for line diameter. No idea when and what happen, it seems now it is being used for rating rods as well. No matter as for now, I intended to use it as a reference for the diameter.

Since I am going to document various Spool Capacity, this could be helpful in future and perhaps the only standardized measurement for the fishing industry. 

Here is the list for reference.
                                         PE #                                      Diameter
                                       PE 0.6 ………………………….. 0.128mm
                                       PE 0.8 ………………………….. 0.148mm
                                       PE 1 …………………………….. 0.165mm
                                       PE 1.2 ………………………….. 0.185mm
                                       PE 1.5 ………………………….. 0.205mm
                                       PE 1.7 ………………………….. 0.218mm
                                       PE 2 …………………………….. 0.235mm
                                       PE 2.5 ………………………….. 0.260mm
                                       PE 3 …………………………….. 0.285mm
                                       PE 3.5 ………………………….. 0.310mm
                                       PE 4 …………………………….. 0.330mm
                                       PE 5 …………………………….. 0.370mm
                                       PE 6 …………………………….. 0.405mm
                                       PE 7 …………………………….. 0.435mm
                                       PE 8 …………………………….. 0.470mm
                                       PE 10 …………………………… 0.520mm
                                       PE 12 …………………………… 0.570mm
                                       PE 14 …………………………… 0.620mm
                                       PE 16 …………………………… 0.660mm
                                       PE 18 …………………………… 0.700mm
                                       PE 20 …………………………… 0.740mm
                                       PE 22 …………………………… 0.780mm
                                       PE 24 …………………………… 0.810mm
                                       PE 28 …………………………… 0.870mm

Hybrid Shimano?

Left - Aernos Body with Alivio spool; Right - Alivio body with Aernos spool

This trick have been done by a lot of anglers, buy a Shimano 2500 sized reel and buy a spare spool of C3000. Easily convert their reel to a C3000 for the extra line capacity with a 2500 spare spool.

For me, the Aernos XT C3000 have seen very little action as my initial intention is to pair it with my noodle rod, however due to it's heavier body, I have stuck with the Alivio 2500 for a long long time. But recently, after I top up  the spool with some freshly bought Fireline Fused 4lb burst whenever I try to set hook. Losing the fish is bad enough but the time spend to tie the leader and all is killing me. Later found out that I am not the only one, there seems to be one faulty batch for the 4lbs Fireline only, other poundage is okay.

So got my hand on a 300yds of Spiderwire EZ Braid 10lbs, the attraction is that the line feel so thin (like fireline 6lbs maybe) but is at 10lbs rating. Thus decided to spool the entire length of the line into the reel, no joining knots and all. However, I have been adviced that my Alivio 2500 might not be able to take the entire length of the braided line, C3000 might be just nice or have a little excess. Hmm...... give it a quick thought, and decided to swap spool of these 2 reels I have.

Now it is an Alivio body (Modified with extra bearings and ball bearing roller) with an Aernos C3000 spool.  And the Aernos body is now kitted with Alivio 2500 spool. Glad that I am hit with this brainwave, todaks and queenies, here I come........ and there's no escape this time round!

Words of Caution (A few in fact)
Do try out on the same generation of reels, I have just got a cheapo newer generation Shimano reel, yet to try out, but the overall length of the spool is shorter on the new spool
If one spool have bearing support and another dun have, of course it will not be plug and play that easy.
There is a difference in the spool for cheapo and more expensive reels, Die Cast vs Cold Forged.
Finally, you might need to play around with the washers on the shaft if the newly fitted spool does not lay the line evenly at top and bottom.

Tackle Shopping @ Beach Road, my intro to light jigging?

It have been a long long time since I do shopping for fishing stuff at Beach Road, when a non-fisho friend called to meet me there for lunch, well I agreed mainly because I can do some shopping.

Basically I have an idea what I needed, so shopping is pretty fast and easy for me. First stop is Lure Haven to pick up some Sasame swivel, as I have no idea which other tackle shop stocks them. I couldn't resist to pick up an Ima GUN 7g jig as well, heard so much good review about it but I dun really do jigging. My guess it is more of a case of just buy and keep the Ima GUN till someday to try it out.

While waiting for my friend, pop by one of the tackle shop and spoke to Alan Chan. I am looking for gold colored prawn hooks, as the thin wire gauge would be great to hook gargo bait, alas the shop have only black colored ones. Since have time, spend some time to find out more about light / micro jigging from Alan, as I don't do boat fishing, I am keen to try shoreline jigging only. Found out that is possible, but need concentration and risk losing jigs, well at least it is possible. It invoke interest in me to try out some day soon, since more or less I think I have the tackles needed, just need to buy some jigs to try out on one of those southern islands trips.

My journey with Noodle Rod

Me with Silstar Teal 10ft

When I first start out with this form of fishing I uses an very old Silstar Teal 10ft, which is brought 2nd hand from an angler. He gave up using the rod because he have no idea how to use it. Then when Nimo found a huge stash of these rods at Siow Chiang, he organize a mass-order which clear out all their dead stock. Now there are at least a couple hundred of the Silstar Teal on our sunny island, but I seldom seen them in action when I goes fishing.

I still remember then first time I uses the Silstar Teal, it is on a kelong in Sibu Malaysia. The targeted species? Todak of course. With the lack of expert guidance, even with the correct rig, I have a high percentage of miss. Doubts start to creep into my mind, what an I doing wrong? When I get to know DesT, he gave me a lot of feedback and shared his own experience for catching todak, my rate for landing those todaks increase and give me more confidence to use this rod / form of fishing to target other species such as half beaks.

Wolf Herring On Silstar Teal

The next obvious target is the queenie, however queenie and my noodle rods doesn't seems to like one another, try as I might but that elusive queenie just wouldn't take my baits when I uses the Silstar Teal. However, I have much better luck with other species, it is during one of the nights at the kelong that I try to use the rod while hunting for ikan parang (wolf herring). It is not the most ideal rod for the job on actual fact, as when the fish is near, you have a hard time trying to steer it clear of those boats. However, it is damn bloody fun to catch them on these long soft rods. The rod did just what it's labels says 'Designed to put the fun into light line fishing'. It is quite possible that during these period that invoke my interest to pursue into light lines and tackles.

While I am very happy using this rod, I did notice that DesT is still having a higher landing rate then me. So what's the difference? Apparently it is the rod, while most of us would happily call the Silstar Teal as a noodle rod, it appears more like a float rod to me. Nothing wrong with using it with light lines, however I really wanted to feel the difference between the GLoomis and Silstar Teal. But by the time I intent to purchase the GLoomis factory noodle rod, then I learn that GLoomis no longer produces the factory noodle, but only the blanks. It is quite a heavy investment really when you are looking at around SGD400 to get one done. It took me a while to finally lay my hands on a custom built with GLoomis NR1382 blank. (How the rod finally landed on my hand is another interesting story by itself.)

The first time I fished with GLoomis

Once I have the GLoomis there is no turning back for me, I love the feel of the rod and fighting fishes on the other end of the line. It is more difficult to cast then the Silstar Teal for sure, but the feel and the way the rod feels is different. Hard to really put it in words, but heck there is a difference.

Again, todaks are my choice of target species and maybe because that's the de facto species whenever I uses the noodle rod. As times goes by, I wanted to try out how it will feel to have some other species on the other end of the line other then todaks. Luckily for me, the GLoomis and Queenie are not in conflict, i have hook up 2 or 3 queenies so far with the rod, but alas yet to land one yet. Twice the leader rub against some underwater structure and 8lb mono leader is no much for such obstacles.

I am drooling when DesT had this barracuda on his noodle rod at a kelong. I too wanted some other species, my guess is that I will need to work hard and go on trying out and experiment with different rig setup to target some other species.

My noodle rod journey have started for a few years already but by no means that it will end anything soon. It alreadys have been a trill whenever I have something on noodle rod, I don't think I will get tired of this form of fishing. While those species I mentioned can be landed with any regular fast action rod, it is simply more fun using a long soft flexible with that distinctive slow action with light lines.



Next on my wish list in a 15ft noodle with North Fork Composites blanks, no idea when they will be pushing out this product, will just keep my finger crossed.

A little private island in SG..... well almost

PS - This article is written specially for SureCatch (Siow Chiang) website on the 'Catch Experience', certain portions and pictures are a repetition of my earlier posts.
No payment or in kind are receive from SureCatch (Siow Chiang) or Sentosa Corporation for this article. All expenses and tackle equipment used are out of my own pocket.

Sister islands, a pair of small island on the southern part of our small country. Many will not find these pair of island a familiar place as there is no regular ferry trip to these island unlike St John and Kusu islands. So would one expect a run down, ill maintained island then? Far from it, both small it might be, but both are nicely maintained with proper restroom facilities, thanks to Sentosa Corporation. To get to these island, one would have to charter a ferry service at Marina South Ferry terminal which cost less then SGD200 for a two way trip with a 12 seater ferry.


Once at the island, most likely you will notice the lack of crowd, on most weekdays, almost a total lack of human presence, saved for a couple of workers which tidy up the entire island. Isn't this like having your own little private island in the concrete jungle you are in right now?

Well manicured grass, resting huts,foot path, the smell of sea and a great view of the vast open sea. You can walk around the island in less then 10 minutes, so why not spend some time to explore the place while you are there.

Anglers have longed been accused of ditching their other half while they pursuit the trill of having a fish at the end of their line. This is one place that anglers could bring their families along to have a picnic while they can wet their lines too.

On top of having proper restroom facilities, there are swimming lagoons on the islands.

Adults will appreciate the break from routine life while this is one good way to tear the kids away from their computers and LAN games.




This is obviously not a travelogue and let's turn our attention back to the angling, with nice pristine water all around you, an decent angler will be keen to wet their lines. So bring along your favorite rod and reels and cast away! While you are doing that, you might be keen to introduce your love ones to the joy of fishing, get them some light lines and small hooks, and have them wet their lines too. Small fishes are almost always in abundance at where you alight from the ferry, who knows they might be hooked onto the hobby as you are.


Lure Anglers will like the contrasting landscape available to them to try out different lures.
Fly fishing anglers will like the space available to them to cast their flies.
Bait anglers, well..... they can do whatever to target the species that catches their fancy.

When it's time to leave you little 'private' island, it is sure to leave an impression on you. With the ferry moving further and further away from the islands, with the sun setting in the horizon, when you cast your eyes back onto the ever diminishing island, all the earlier frustration you have trying to impart the artistry of fishing to your family, all the frustration your have from your work will simply melt away and replace with a smile on your face. Cause you know that the quality time you have just spend with your family would be priceless and bring the family closer and more tightly knitted.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

If you are a first time visitors to the island, some info for you.
There is NO food or Drinks stall there, do bring your own.
There is a proper toilet facilities, showers included, BUT no power supply at all, so No lights at night should you plan to spend the night there.
Do contact Sentosa if you plan to stay overnight there, it is FOC but you will need to inform them though.
There are monkeys on the island, so take care of your belongings and especially your food. And do NOT feed them please.
Important - Current outside the swimming lagoon is Very Strong, do NOT venture beyond the swimming lagoon if you are having a dip in it.

Here some sneak preview of just some of the species that's available at the island, other species spotted are parrot fish, groupers, coral trouts, bait fishes like tamban, kunning, selar, etc. Hopefully, you will pick the correct tackles, baits, lures, flies, etc for a fruitful trip.

Sister Island once again

I almost didn't make it for this trip, needed some last minute juggling with my schedule to make it happen. Boy am I glad I did the switch. Trips to this island have been a contrast of luck for me, due to the different species that is being targeted, it is usually been good for others while I will have a lower yield then others. On this trip, it is the opposite, the yellow tails and kunnings are just not around for the entire day, thus I am able to fish at the particular 'hot spot' to target for the silver moony.

Will the usual bait of gargo and prawns available, I decided to take just some bread as bait. With the tips from a regular angler there, breads must be fluffy when targeting silver moony, I decided to cut them into cubes instead of the usual practice of pinching the bread on to the hooks.  Also modify my rigging method so that I could drift the baits into the strike zone.

I am not keen to do the usually method of berley to entice to come out of the hiding, thus instead I let the water current to do the job of pushing my baits to them. Also upon the regular angler's advice, I need to pull the fish out fast else I could easily spooked the rest of the fishes.  With all these valuable advices, I manage to land 10 pieces of silver moony at around noon time, but not without landing my now customary remora twice. Almost all are on bread with just a piece of 2 on prawns or gargo.