Traveling with rods?

Jason P · Post by **Jason P** » Tue Sep 13, 2005 6:49 pm

Next weekend I'm leaving for Texas for 4 days for the Jay Yelas Bass Camp in Tyler,TX. My question is what is the best way for putting your rods on airplanes? Any suggustions? Thanks

Jason Pardini

Mike · Post by **Mike** » Tue Sep 13, 2005 6:50 pm

PVC tube

David McKenzie · Post by **David McKenzie** » Tue Sep 13, 2005 7:06 pm

you can use a PVC tube as suggested or you can do the following. Remember airline personel don't care about your rods as much as you do so it's best to make opening and closing the contianer/carrier as easy as possible for them to reduce the chance of damage. A good quality rod carrier that has a NON locking but secure latching system. Most good ones will carry 4-6 7' rods well and have a handle to make getting through the airport easy. I was charged a 50$ oversize fee coming through LAX on Southwest recently so also keep that in mind. Carry your reels on your carry on and leave all hooks,pliers or ANY other sharp items in your checked lugguge. I have heard some storys about reels with line on them but I have been through a bunch of airports since 9/11 and havn't had a problem. I'm sure you can get a rod carrier at one of the retail sponsors above. Or you can UPS them now if there is a safe place to send em to ahead of time. Have fun !!

Dave

gt5bass · Post by **gt5bass** » Tue Sep 13, 2005 7:39 pm

Jason,

I have flown back to several tourneys back east since 9/11.

I use a Bazooka rod carrier. I also wrap a towel around the tips to make sure they are protected and use a rod strap around the butts to keep them tightly secured so they don't bounce against each other. I have only had one time when the TSA took the towel when the inspected the tube...done at Sacramento as they don't inspect your luggage in your presence like most other airports. Even then I still didn't damage any rods. I almost forgot to mention they are less likely to charge you for oversize on a Bazooka tube vs. PVC as it is a specific type of luggage. At least that is what the lady at Alaska Airlines told me the first time I flew back east.

As David suggests pack your reels in your carry-on. I have never had a problem and I have traveled with them in my carry-on during an Orange alert.

Make sure all your sharps and tools are in your checked luggage. Do not try to take aerosol Reel Magic as it is a combustible and combustibles are not allowed to go on aircraft.

Some airlines may charge you for oversize on the bazooka, I haven't had this happen but I have had to pay for having an extra piece of luggage. Make sure to check the airlines policy for the number of checked items they allow. I usually checked a boat bag of gear, the rod tube and sometime another piece of luggage with raingear and my life jacket. The life jacket was the biggest pain to pack as they don't compress well and you are not allowed to take SOSpender type life preservers if they have the C02 canister attached as this is considered and explosive/combustible device.

Good Luck and Have a Great Time!

Gator · Post by **Gator** » Tue Sep 13, 2005 7:59 pm

Figure out where it can be sent to you and box and ship your items UPS. You can send rods in PVC and ship your vest, tackle, etc. May cost you a little but it will be worth it to have your equipment with you.

backdeckpro · Post by **backdeckpro** » Tue Sep 13, 2005 9:02 pm

Jason,

I always ship mine. Usually UPS but I've also used FedEx. I pre-pay for the rods to be shipped back at the same time I pay to have them sent to where I'm going. When I'm done I just put my rods back in the Bazooka tube and put the pre-paid return on it. I leave my rods at the hotel and call the shipping company to come pick them up. My rods show up at my house a few days after I get back.

I usually just wrap the plastic packing bubble sheets around my rods to keep them from being damaged. I think I still have the same plastic bubble wrap from the first time I sent my rods this way. I put half of my rods facing one way and the other half facing the other. I pack around 10-12 rods in the store bought bazooka tube I have. I also pack a lot of my soft plastics around my rods. This keeps me from having to pack so much tackle on the plane. I keep all my reels in my carry on bag. I just use the same bubble wrap on them also. I make sure I do not have any tackle (hooks) in my carry on.

I put all my tackle in one of my two check in bags. I usually fit my rain/cold weather gear in this bag too. The other check in bag is all my other clothes.

I've shipped my rods to Florida, Arkansas, Maryland, and Georgia without any problems doing it this exact way.

I've used the Bazooka tube as one of my check in bags. I only did this when I have taken rods out of the country though. I did not get charged any extra for an oversized bag but I have heard of this being done by some airlines.

Hope this helps and have fun down there.

Pat Wilson

ttb31183 · Post by **ttb31183** » Tue Sep 13, 2005 11:44 pm

I have flown several times with my rods in my fenwick rod tube and was never charged. However I just had a friend come to visit me and they charged him $50 for an oversized package (Southwest Airlines) Weird, since I have flown this airline 4 or 5 times and was never charged.

Bassin · Post by **Bassin** » Wed Sep 14, 2005 7:28 am

As mentioned above, The Bazooka is the way to go if you want to take 5-6 rods, maybe more. They are about $40. I have used mine to Fly down to Cabo San Lucas three times now, never a problem, no fees. But watch out for those wierd looks you get from everyone...lol...And yes, pack all the other stuff (reels, tackle) in another checked in bag.

FATGUY · Post by **FATGUY** » Wed Sep 14, 2005 9:53 am

The bazooka works great once people figure out what it is at the airport.. only problem i've had on trips to mexico is that the airport baggae guys open them sometime and i've actually watched them inspect the insides and i had to hollar and say take it easy those rods are expensive.. and if you complain to the airlines they just say hey those guys don't work for us ... AND don't have hooks in your carry on . my partner had some senkos in his carry on coming back and they set off the alarm he had forgotten to remove some hooks from the used senkos. by the time they inspected all his stuff we had 30 people waiting in line and they weren't too happy ..

Bassin · Post by **Bassin** » Wed Sep 14, 2005 10:50 am

Only had one instance out of the three that someone wanted me to open it up (I keep a lock on it, Another great feature to the Bazooka) in Mexico the guy wanted to look inside. I opened it and he saw the rod tips and then closed it. No problem.

I am working on marketing a cloth bag to wrap the rods with for traveling in a Bazooka or the like.

Trace · Post by **Trace** » Thu Sep 15, 2005 11:55 am

I have the Bazooka Pro. I just velcro the rods together so that the tips don,t hit the ends, then wrap with a towel. Then put a zip tie on the case and tell the baggage handler that they are fishing "poles." I should put a Zebco sticker on the case.
Tracy Patton

Peter Lloyd · Post by **Peter Lloyd** » Thu Sep 15, 2005 3:38 pm

You should probably go the UPS route. I know American charges an oversized fee of $80.
Just pack half the rods one way and lay the other half the other way, so the tips don't stick out.
I always pack my reels in my carry on. I haven't had any problems. I pack my tackle in my check-in.

Bring your rain gear. You never know when a thunderstorm will come through. Are you just fishing lake Tyler? Do you get to go to Lake Fork? You will be suprised. The fishing in California is way better than it is in Texas.

Seeya,
Peter

Jason P · Post by **Jason P** » Thu Sep 15, 2005 5:57 pm

I'm fishing just Lake Tyler. How is it out there on that lake, Peter?
3 days of fishing with the best in the world, life just sucks, I'm really hoping to fish with Kelly Jordon. It should be interesting.

Jason Pardini

Peter Lloyd · Post by **Peter Lloyd** » Fri Sep 16, 2005 11:16 am

You will have fun, no doubt. I haven't fished Tyler yet. It is too far.
I usually fish Lake Fork and Texoma. I haven't been out much latley because it is so damn hot. All the fish seem to go deep in the summer. I only caught good topwater fish in the spring. The lakes are going to start turning over soon. This should bring the larger fish up. Just bring a little of everything.
If you can, stop by BPS. It is only a few miles from DFW.

Seeya

Basslab · Post by **Basslab** » Sun Sep 18, 2005 9:26 pm

I guess it all depends on who is on duty for the airline for the day you fly as I have gone to Texas twice with my rod carrier and both times on American and never charged. They did try the $80 trick on the last return trip but informed them it is sports equipment, the same as a surf board or golf clubs and they never charged a penny.