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Broken travel rods?

PostPosted: Fri Jun 16, 2017 2:33 pm
by aka anglinarcher
Larry, I have had fun, and will have fun, asking questions that have come up from the show over the years. But.....this one may be a bit more important.

My Daughter works for a major Airline and keeps telling me I need to use my "free flights" ability. She sat down with me and I found I could almost fly any place for free or very little. I guess when my knee is healed it may be time.

So, the question(s).... I have noticed on at least two shows that you got to the river and your fly rod tip was broken off. Once it was about a foot and once it was a few inches, but in both cases it appeared the rods were in cases.

1) Were the rods broken in flight travel or in transit on the river/lake/road?
2) What, if anything, could have been done to prevent the rods from breaking?
3) How long of a rod (sections) are allowed on the plane?
4) Are rods strictly checked baggage or carry-on?
5) How often have you had rods break in travel?

This international travel-to-fish thing will be new to me so anything you can tell me will help. In the past my travel took me to places where it was business and I would take a day or two to fish with lodge or loaned equipment (sometimes quite disappointing equipment at that).

Thanks Larry

And thanks for any other advice.

Re: Broken travel rods?

PostPosted: Sat Jun 17, 2017 10:29 am
by dahlberg
Actually both got broken in the boats. The really short one on the current trip and the one with just a few inches on the trip before but I forgot it was broken..
With flyrods, I use three and four piece for travel. can usually bring on plane. however, not always allowed are flies, hooks, even line on reels. I send rods reels and lures along with baggage. As long as rods are less than 6 feet or so I have never had a problem. important to pack them so they cant slide back and forth in the tube.
best
L

Re: Broken travel rods?

PostPosted: Sat Jun 17, 2017 11:45 pm
by aka anglinarcher
Thanks Larry. I got a 4 piece 10 weight Switch Fly Rod for some long cast, quick roll cast work, but I am not quite sure how well it will work on poons etc.

Long rods mean less leverage but the extended butt gives back some of the lost leverage. Just not sure it is worth the hassle to try it for salt, but it sure woops King Salmon fast.

Re: Broken travel rods?

PostPosted: Sun Jun 18, 2017 11:18 am
by dahlberg
Always worth a try, but pretty spongy for tarpon! I'm sure fine for the little guys.
best
L

Re: Broken travel rods?

PostPosted: Sun Jun 18, 2017 7:56 pm
by aka anglinarcher
I figure the poons already have me down two nothing. When I was 20 I went with a couple of friends to the keys and I took a couple of Herter's 10 weight fiberglass fly rods. I came back with neither, but it was funny to see them break.

In all honesty, we knew nothing in those days. Maybe we saw something on "The American Sportsman", but that was about all. The idea of "bow to the king" was something we had never heard of and.......

Maybe I should take it to a place like Belize where they specialize in 90 to 100 pound poons?????

Re: Broken travel rods?

PostPosted: Wed Jun 21, 2017 12:25 pm
by Bob Daly
Depends on the airline and who waits at you on the counter. ON recent trip to the Maldives I made 2 phone calls and was told no problem checking in my 6ft rodcase. When I got at O'Hare I was charged $75 for oversized item. ON return was charged nothing. Many airlines are now allowing only 62 linear inches, plus some International flights such as to Argentina some airlines allow 1 checked bag. So I switch to a double sided rifle case where I can get all my tackle, rods, reels plus some clothes in. Years ago when going to Itapara Lodge flying from Miami to Manaus, TSA sawed my large rodcase in half along with all the straps on my duffel bags. They blamed TAM but there was TSA tape holding the case together with 6 broken rods inside. Was not too happy and after months of phone calls got my money back for the rods. Call the airlines and copy any info on their site regarding weight,size, etc.. as some have special item exceptions such as fishing rods.
Good fishing, doradokiller

Re: Broken travel rods?

PostPosted: Wed Jun 21, 2017 5:02 pm
by aka anglinarcher
I think this is the reason I have not taken the plunge and fished more out of country. It seems like the rules change daily and no one knows the rules.

What excuse did TSA have for cutting the case in half? I can see charging more money, but cutting it in half?

Perhaps you failed to grease the palms of the right person? :twisted:

Thanks for your help Bob. I guess it is a gamble no matter what.

Re: Broken travel rods?

PostPosted: Thu Jun 22, 2017 1:37 pm
by Bob Daly
TSA gave no excuse. The original investigator assigned to my trip gave me the runaround and was finally replaced. BAck then no long distance free phone calls to TSA. The new investigator said this is ridiculous and immediately sent a check in the mail. This is the only issue I have had with broken items. On most International flights they do not allow line to be on the reels on return. Going there through the USA is no problem with the line. Argentina once gave me a problem with hookless lures. Guess I was going to tie them up with fishing line then hit them with Super Shad Raps!! :shock:
see where some of the US carriers are now charging to put a bag in the overhead!!! Greedy to say the least! :evil:
Good fishing, doradokiller.

Re: Broken travel rods?

PostPosted: Thu Jun 22, 2017 2:26 pm
by aka anglinarcher
Bob Daly wrote:
> TSA gave no excuse. The original investigator assigned to my trip gave me
> the runaround and was finally replaced. BAck then no long distance free
> phone calls to TSA. The new investigator said this is ridiculous and
> immediately sent a check in the mail. This is the only issue I have had
> with broken items. On most International flights they do not allow line to
> be on the reels on return. Going there through the USA is no problem with
> the line. Argentina once gave me a problem with hookless lures. Guess I
> was going to tie them up with fishing line then hit them with Super Shad
> Raps!! :shock:
> see where some of the US carriers are now charging to put a bag in the
> overhead!!! Greedy to say the least! :evil:
> Good fishing, doradokiller.

Glad to hear it does not seem to be a common TSA thing.

So, what about line? Do you pack your line spools, then spool up once on site? Or are you expected to buy the line there? Do you then "toss out" the line once the trip is done? Seems to me the line is as dangerous on spools in boxes packed in luggage as it would be on a reel packed in luggage?

Am I missing something? These sound like crazy questions, but ...... better to find out now.

Re: Broken travel rods?

PostPosted: Thu Jun 22, 2017 2:35 pm
by Bob Daly
You can have line on your reels as your carry on travelling to most spots. However on the way home most do not allow line on the reels so you have to check them as baggage. Hate to check a thousand dollar reel as always worried it will get stolen. However so far no problem with theft. 8)

Re: Broken travel rods?

PostPosted: Thu Jun 22, 2017 2:45 pm
by aka anglinarcher
Ya, probably one of the reasons I don't plan on thousand dollar reels. At my age, I could not use one enough to justify it. LOL

Re: Broken travel rods?

PostPosted: Fri Jun 23, 2017 2:33 am
by Bob Daly
Needed top of the line reels for GTs. It get it clear, there is never a problem checking reels with line attached as a checked bag. There can be a problem carrying on the plane a reel with line. :cry:

Re: Broken travel rods?

PostPosted: Fri Jun 23, 2017 9:58 am
by aka anglinarcher
Bob Daly wrote:
> Needed top of the line reels for GTs. It get it clear, there is never a
> problem checking reels with line attached as a checked bag. There can be a
> problem carrying on the plane a reel with line. :cry:

Thanks Bob, and I do understand that GTs could tear up a lessor reel.
Line on reel ok in baggage, just not on carry-on in some areas of the world.

:idea: