Flying with rod as a carry-on question

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joebe
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Re: Flying with rod as a carry-on question

#21

Post by joebe »

I have found it depends were you are. I live in New England and fly out of Boston and Providence. Always get the second degree about the rods and flies, but comming out of Florida they never say a word. I think it is all what they are used to. Obviously the shorter multi piece rods are easier but when you are dealing with 9 foot 2 pieces I would check them in a gun case.

formerlyteacher65
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Re: Flying with rod as a carry-on question

#22

Post by formerlyteacher65 »

Flew from Providence on August 2 with 2 bamboo rods in aclear creek
tube 34" long with many flies and reels in my carry-on absolutely no
questions or comments. Will be repeating next month to Montana and
I hope for the same.
formerlyteacher65 aka Bob Orpen

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Fryeguy
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Re: Flying with rod as a carry-on question

#23

Post by Fryeguy »

I took the safe route and made really nice PVC tube. One short for one rod, the other long and big enough for two rods. The only question at security was "is it fragile?". I said not in that tube. She thought it was cool when I told her they were fly rods. They didn't say a word about the net, 6boxes full of flies, or anything else!!! Now I just need some time to fish!!!

ScottThornley
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Re: Flying with rod as a carry-on question

#24

Post by ScottThornley »

Maybe I'm lucky, but I've carried on rod tubes from spring to fall for the past 4 years, in order to fish after work. PVC and aluminum. Probably in the neighborhood of 100,000 miles worth of air travel, to dozens of US states. Not a single issue with carry on rods.

Of course, 100% of the time, a checked bag containing a vise with pedestal base was searched. I used to leave a stack of TSA notices in the bag, it got to about 1/2 inch thick when I got tired of it.

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Brian K. Shaffer
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Re: Flying with rod as a carry-on question

#25

Post by Brian K. Shaffer »

10 years later - I use two piece rods and drive everywhere... but I wonder if guys using bamboo are flying with it these days at all.

My favorite rod tubes for travel are the plastic two chamber ones - with a clamp or even twist... the kind you would want to ship.

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" There's no such thing as a fly fisherman wholly satisfied with his casting performance. " ~ Jim Green (1971)
" Just once I wish a trout would wink at me. " ~ Brian Shaffer

Use the SEARCH for justification and reasoning.

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Bucktrout
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Re: Flying with rod as a carry-on question

#26

Post by Bucktrout »

I’m still not taking much chances traveling with rods and rod tubes. I have two rods that fit into my carry on along with most of my other expensive fishing gear. I place the rods in a cardboard mailing tube. The cardboard still offers plenty of protection and I’ve never had any issues with damage or the TSA. When I have to change planes and get on a small one that doesn’t allow carry ons, I remove the rod at the plane door. Then, I place it in the small overhead bin.

So far, so good.

Eric

jimwright
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Re: Flying with rod as a carry-on question

#27

Post by jimwright »

I fly Southwest to Spokane and drive over to fish western Montana. A few years ago I became concerned about encountering problems along the way. I got on the phone to Southwest and after a couple of transfers was put in contact with a Supervisor. She explained Southwest policy was that as long as fly rod tubes fit in the overhead storage section (which I believe is 60") they were treated the same as walking canes or umbrellas and they did not even count as carry-on luggage. I asked her to please put that information in an email with her position and signature and she did. I've never never had to show it to anyone but I will probably check before I go this summer that the rules are still the same.

AlexP
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Re: Flying with rod as a carry-on question

#28

Post by AlexP »

Hi,

I have four 4 Piece 2 tip bamboo rods that fit perfectly in this bag:

https://www.patagonia.com/product/trave ... &cgid=root

I flew to Denver back in October without any problems. It is pretty sturdy and provides plenty of protection. Obviously it is not as strong as a tube, but as a carry on, very convenient. I fished and camped for a week out of my friend's car /camper and I was not concerned with the rods stored in this bag. It is not that expensive for a Patagonia product.

Back in July I flew to Spain with two of those rods in their aluminum tubes without any problems. Nobody asked me to show them the rods, something that I had to do plenty of times with graphite rods in the past.

Tight Lines

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ffftroutbum
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Re: Flying with rod as a carry-on question

#29

Post by ffftroutbum »

I flew back home and fished in PA with a 39 inch REC delta case (had 4 rods in it) in July. No issues at all.
https://reelseats.com/products/delta-3

About 5 years ago I flew with one of those 58 inch plastic tubes covered with fabric, no issues either just put it in the overhead connecting bins. I think on one of the smaller flights, the attendant just put it in the coat closet.

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ibookje
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Re: Flying with rod as a carry-on question

#30

Post by ibookje »

No chances for me. I take rods that fit inside my large rolling duffle.
Three piece bamboo is a hit or miss unfortunately

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owenscaddis
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Re: Flying with rod as a carry-on question

#31

Post by owenscaddis »

I think it is the same answer- you are at the mercy of the particular TSA agent that checks you in and flight attendants boarding the plane. Airports that see a lot of fisherman will likely be accommodating. Lots of 2 piece rods in metal tubes wandering around the Bozeman and Denver airports this summer. I usually travel with 3 piece rods in a Fishpond soft case with rods in their metal cases (no longer made). I fly in and out of San Diego and never have had a problem. The only time I was required to check the rods was in Argentina.

Bill Terry
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Re: Flying with rod as a carry-on question

#32

Post by Bill Terry »

Some years ago, the only airline flying from Anchorage to Petropavlovsk (Kamchatka), Magadan Airlines, went belly-up, and the only ways to get to Petropavlovsk from the U.S. were through Seoul or Moscow. I took the latter route, and I spent a few days in Moscow on the way there, and a few days in Paris on the way home. I had two three-piece (graphite) rods in a sturdy case with PVC tubes, which I carried on all the flights without incident until the flight home from Paris. As we went through security, the agent said I couldn't carry them on board "because of the hooks." I tried to explain to him that there were no hooks in the rod tubes, but he was intransigent. I had to race back to check-in, check the rods, and race back through security and to the gate. I barely made my flight.

Since then, when flying commercial I have always packed four-piece graphite rods in appropriate checked luggage (currently a Fishpond Grand Teton bag). I don't fly with bamboo. I would hate losing any of my graphite rods, but I would hate losing my bamboo rods more.

The modern baggage system, with its computerized tracking technology, is very reliable. The airlines have not lost my luggage for years. However, there are still ways in which your luggage can be diverted. On one trip to New Zealand, I didn't find my luggage on arrival in Auckland. I reported the problem to Air New Zealand and went on my way to Taupo and on to Poronui Ranch. When I got to Poronui, some other guests were looking for me. They had mistakenly picked up my luggage in Auckland and taken a car to Poronui. What were the odds that the people who nabbed my bags were staying at the same lodge where I was staying?! Sometimes, you just get lucky.

By the way, the sojourn in Moscow was fascinating. I would recommend a visit there, except that I won't visit Russia again as long as Putin, or some other Fascist that succeeds him, is still in charge. I don't want the taxes levied on my expenditures there to fund their efforts to undermine U.S. interests.
Ad piscatoribus sunt omnes res secundi.

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