By Captain Matt Kelleher
Headed someplace warm for fishing this winter? I’ve got your tips for fly rods and gear on airplanes.
It’s been a few months since the striped bass have started migrating to their winter spawning grounds. The holiday season has passed and you may be thinking about the warm waters of the Caribbean and those bonefish and permit. If you haven’t travelled before with your fly fishing equipment, there may be a few things you might want to consider. With all the new regulations our airlines have established, getting your gear to your destination can be a bit tricky. But these few tips can make it a bit less painless. The first thing is to go on the airline website and check to see what the regs are for fly rods and gear. For example we looked at American Airlines policy for flights and found the following:
Allowance and requirements. You can travel with: rods and reels in a case, one bag with fishing tackle, a landing net, and fishing boots. (Please note that for the purposes of excess baggage, two pieces will count as one item).
Let’s talk about cost. You’ll be charged the same fee as the 1st or 2nd baggage fee of your destination for your fishing rod case and/or fishing equipment bag. If you have excess baggage, you’ll be charged the excess fee for each item you travel with.
The maximum weight and size requirements include the following: a fishing rod case – 126 inches; an equipment bag – 50 pounds and 62 inches.
Based on that description, a travel case such as the ones from Fishpond or LL. Bean are great options for carrying multiple four-piece rods on the plane as a carry-on.
Another idea if you want to get more rods or more tackle to your fishing destination is to mail it. I have had plenty of anglers do this and it saves money and the hassle at the airport if indeed you are out of the regulatory guidelines. Call the lodge or destination concierge and tell them your plans and if possible mail your stuff well in advance, that way if there is an issue you still have time to track it down.
A few other tips I have for you are:Pack light if you can, but put the most important things in your pack and carry on such as sunscreen, documentation, sunglasses, a hat. Stuff you know you can’t live without. Call the lodge and ask what they have for available tackle. Sure we all like to fish our own gear but I would be that the setups they have available are totally adequate. That way you can just leave your stuff at home. Talk to someone that has done travelling such as this before. They know the ropes, and guidance can be priceless.
We hope you enjoy your next trip. These are just a few things to consider. There are plenty of websites and forums on the subject so it’s good to take a peek and make sure you know a little bit about the travel part before you go.
FORECAST BY: Captain Matt Kelleher is a certified fly fishing guide with Fat Tuna Guide Service. A native of Beverly, Massachusetts he fishes the waters on the North Shore. Matt is the owner of Capefish Clothing Co. located in Hamilton, MA. The store offers premium fly tackle equipment as well as lifestyle apparel such as Patagonia, Simms, and Mountain Khakis. Visit www.capefishclothing.com.