Luggage Restrictions?

[Steve K.]

I figure what better place to discuss this subject than at the Itinerant Angler!

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Packing for a trip and need tips to thwart the baggage nazis at the airport and alleviate all the luggage drama.

I’m seeing one checked bag limits (without incurring extra costs) and a carry-on with one personal item. Weight and size limits on checked luggage typically are at 50 lbs and and 61 linear inches. So here’s what I’m thinking:

1. To help stay under 50 pounds, ditch the rolling duffel since a large typically weighs about ten (10) pounds. I’m now using a heavy-duty duffel of similar size (no wheels) at four (4) pounds.

2. My personal carry-on item is my Pelican 1400 with camera gear. Fishing reels store in there as well, saving more weight from the checked bag and keeping valuable goodies in my possession.

3. My carry-on is a small backpack (most airlines limit the carry-on to 51 linear inches). I keep two (2) travel rods in the backpack. I might even put my 70-200mm F2.8 lens in there as well. I haven’t tried carrying my flyboxes on-board yet.

4. My expensive wading jacket as well as other expensive Goretex goodies (waders) go in the carry-on backpack….maybe a fleece jacket as well and a change of clothes (nylon fishing shirts/pants).

You get the idea…..heavy and expensive is carried on while everything else is checked in the duffle.

Of course this can be taken to an extreme if you are over the 50 pound weight limit. You could:

5. Wear your heavy hiking or wading boots (yes I said wading boots)

[Mike Cline]

I have carried on (and checked) almost everything you mention in your post without any issues.  Fly boxes have never been a problem.  Even saltwater flies with hooks biigger than box cutters have been allowed on.

Remember even with carry-ons, if you end-up in a CRJ or similar small jet, your going have to allow baggage into the hold, out of your control.  I always carry my travel rods on the plane with me even if the RORO has to be checked planeside.  I’ve never been denied carrying a computer bag and three rod cases on Delta.

The only piece of equipment I’ve haven’t had the guts to try to carry thru security is a wading staff!

[Carter Simcoe]

I feel you, I’m taking off a week from today and I won’t have the luxury of waiting long if the bags don’t make a connection.

[Buzz Bryson]

I carry on camera and computer stuff, maybe a clean shirt and extra glasses, but . . .

I check pretty much everything else.

[Carter Simcoe]

Print out a copy of their webpage where it says you should pack your expensive reels in your carry on.

[mike j]

I would caution against using printouts of TSA rules, it’s actually the airlines discression & the gate/flight crew.

[craig phillips]

Carter is dead on.

[Eric DeWitt]

I had to clip a fly off the end of a line on a rod that was stuffed in a rod case.

[Carter Simcoe]

The print outs work.

[Neal Osborn]

Good comments by everyone, thanks.

[Steve K.]

Excellent ideas!

I wanted this thread to concentrate more along the lines of how to pack your bags so that:

– you are legal as far as the airlines go (bag within dimensions and weight limits)
– how to get all your crap to your destination without incurring extra costs
– minimize financial loss by minimizing theft and damage of your high-dollar goodies.

As you all have experienced……size and weight restrictions are purely subjective to a degree. I fear that I will get to the ticket counter to check-in with my $800 non-refundable ticket and the agent says…….“..your checked bag is 3 pounds too heavy and one inch to long……that’d be $150 dollars please.”

Your flight leaves in 45 minutes and it’s already overbooked. So whaddya do except bitch and moan and hand over the cheese. Extortion at it’s best. I see it happening quite a bit now that all the airlines are hurtin’.

[keith calhoun]

This is a great thread.

I’ve never tried taking flies onboard – always checked them, but it sounds like many of you have had no problems taking your flies in carry on luggage. Where have you been able to do this? I fly to/from Atlanta to Florida and Bahamas – any problems with these airports?

Also, in Bahamas recently, my luggage exceeded 40 lbs – Bahamas Air was not going to let me take all of my luggage; finally convinced them to let me since I was an international passenger – but I’m concerned about my next trip down there. Any one have any recent experiences with Bahamas Air?

Thanks. Keith

[Brett Hoskins]

I have been through many security lines in the past 2 years with no trouble at all with rods. reels, or flies.

[Carter Simcoe]

What size of flies are you getting through?

[Brett Hoskins]

I recently carried about 15 large saltwater flies and spools of leader material, two reels with line, two rods through security in Fort Lauderdale.

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