Fishing might be your favorite pastime activity because apart from experiencing some thrilling moments when you make a big catch, the activity allows you to go to a serene environment that revamps your soul.

Since you love fly fishing rod, you surely go to nearby waterbodies whenever you get the chance. But what about fishing in a distant place that requires air travel. Can you carry your fishing gear in an aircraft? Let’s help you with some information regarding traveling with fishing gear on a plane.


How to Bring a Fishing Rod on an Aircraft Board?

Most airline companies will not prevent you from taking a fishing rod with you. However, the rules regarding carrying a fishing rod may vary from company to company.

The rule of thumb that every airliner follows is that your fishing rod must accommodate into the overhead compartment of the plane. But, here arises two issues. First, what if the rod is too large that cannot fit into the storage? And if it fits in there, would you like to leave it unattended? There is a concern that the rod might get broken there.

Regarding the second issue, however, one piece of good news is, some aviation companies will allow you to carry fishing rod beside you when the plane starts to fly.

How Much Airliners Will Charge You for Bringing a Fishing Rod

This is a common question of anglers. But, there is no straightforward answer. There are some companies in the aviation industry that don’t charge anything extra for your fishing rod given the condition that the rod securely fits into the overhead storage. But finding those companies with flexible rules is difficult. You need to do a thorough online search.

Regarding other companies, that charge fees for bringing a fishing rod, there is no industry standard fee. The carrying fee depends on the particular aviation company.

The best practice is first to sort out some companies. Then call their helpline or sent email querying regarding the cost. And, then, select the company that charges the minimum. In this way, you will get the best deal.


What About Bringing Fishing Hooks Onboard?

Regarding carrying fishing hooks, well, its contentious issue. The TSA, or transportation security administration, is an agency of the USA homeland security department. In case of a fishing hook, the officials of the agency have no problem with small fishing hooks. But the problem is the agency did not stipulate the size of the hook.

So, here is a confusion regarding the size of the hook. Small means how much little?

If you want to bring hooks on board, call the airliner first. Ask them explicitly, the hook size issue. What size do they allow?

Are Fishing Lines Allowed Onboard?

Whether you can carry fishing lines in your carry on depends on the TSA officials. The security officer can either allow you or not. One important tip regarding braided fishing lines are, they don’t fit into your carryon luggage. So, don’t attempt to put it there.

Instead, put braided fishing lines in your checked-in luggage. Then, you will be able to carry the fishing gear without any issue.

Here Are Some Important Do's and Don’ts Regarding Bringing Fishing Gear on Board

We want to wrap up this discussion with some Do's and Don’ts. Let’s see what are those:


Contact with the Aviation Company

Different airline companies have different sets of rules regarding what they will allow in the cabin and what they will permit in the checked-in luggage. In case of fishing reel, for example, some companies allow carrying fishing reel in the cabin but don’t allow fishing lines on board. So, you need to carry them separately

Make a Plan Ahead

Make a well-organized plan before your fishing trip. Make an itinerary will ensure you that everything happens smoothly. Decide where will you go and stay and with whom will you fishing. If you plan to stay in a hotel, call the reception and book your room before your arrival.

If you plan to fish in abroad, hire a fishing boat there, since, it is not possible to take a watercraft on board.

Finally, if you plan to hire a local guide, don’t forget to check his background.


Check the Weather Forecast

Success in fishing largely depends on the condition of weather. You will make some good catch in sunny weather. While downcast weather is ideal for catching bass fish. So, before heading to place, get the forecast first.


Don’t Bring Sharp Objects in the Cabin

Check your list of gear very carefully to ensure that there are no sharp objects there. Make sure that there no knife or line cutter in your tackle box.

Conclusion:

People tend to think that carrying fishing gear on an airplane board is an awkward thing. It is because different types of fishing rods, reels, lines, hooks all are unusual things for bringing on an aircraft. However, after reading our above discussion, we hope you will feel confident that traveling with fishing gear is not so difficult. Good luck!

Related post