[Taylor B. Hess]

I'll be leaving Monday for Florida and I'm taking my fly rod with me for some fishing. Does anyone know about regulations on wether or not you can take flies on board? Any help would be appreciated.

[Stippled Popper]

Check out the appropriate items at this link.

TSA Link

Also check the web site for the airline(s) you will be using for their particular policies.

[flytire]

1. do not believe everything you read on the TSA website.

2. 1 cranky TSA worker will make you believe what i said in item 1 above.

3. i traveled to bozeman, mt from hartford, ct with a 4 piece rod in a cordura covered plastic rod tube and had no problem putting it in the overhead bin.

4. 1 cranky TSA worker will make you believe what i said in item 1 above.

[tidewaterfly]

Check with the airline you'll be traveling on too, some of them charge an arm & both legs extra for sports equipment. Flies should be OK, but watch the tools you try to carry. That 12" Bowie knife you carry to cut tippet might not be acceptable!

I went to Florida last year and carried my flies in a small carry on tackle bag, along with leaders & reels. I stowed my rod in my checked luggage, a 4 piece pack rod in a tube, and didn't have any problems. I likely could have carried the rod on board, but didn't want the hassle if someone decided it could be a weapon!

However, like flytire said, the TSA personnel each seem to have their own interpretation of what is legal to take on board, and from another thread, what is legal to confiscate from checked baggage, so you take your chances!

A friend of mine told me when he travels, and he travels often to fly fish, he ships his rods via UPS or Fedex ahead of time and insures them against loss & damage. He carries his flies & reels with him. Better to trust UPS or Fedex than to trust TSA I guess!

[Stippled Popper]

I hope you don't think the people who work for the TSA at airports have infallible memories as to every one of their specific regulations. Print out and bring the documentation you find about what fishing materials are permitted at the TSA website with you. If even this doesn't work with the boobs, get their names and include that information when you report their ineptitude to their higher-ups. Above all do not lose your temper. A person always looks the worse for it when this happens, even if totally in the right.

[lykos33]

I hope you don't think the people who work for the TSA at airports have infallible memories as to every one of their specific regulations. Print out and bring the documentation you find about what fishing materials are permitted at the TSA website with you. If even this doesn't work with the boobs, get their names and include that information when you report their ineptitude to their higher-ups. Above all do not lose your temper. A person always looks the worse for it when this happens, even if totally in the right.

I would suggest a nice little digital camera so you can take pics of what the ....person denying you passage is calling "not permitted", and perhaps his/ her picture also. This may let them know that you are not going to be pushed around and you will follow thru on your promise to pursue the matter with their superiors. If I sound like I despise the turds...I do, along with the immigration fools who stop all the wrong people. My wife (before we were married) was coming to visit me for a few months in Florida.She does a lot of cooking and baking and so she brought her favorite cook book with her. They searched her carry on and found the book and a card from her sister saying"have fun, don't do anything I wouldn't do". They pulled her from the line and proceeded to question her and yell at her for 2 hours. They accused her of trying to illegally immigrate to the US and a lot of other BS. When she asked how long it was going to take cuz she didn't want to miss her flight , they got in her face and screamed,"What makes you think you are going anywhere but jail?" She ended up missing her flight, having to pay more for a flight the next day, and I had to drive 90 miles 2 days in a row to get to the airport to pick her up. I also lost a hotel room for that night (no refunds). If I sound hateful..Tough, I am! By the way , my wife is 5'1" and a sweet round lil angel....like all terrorist I guess...

[JSzymczyk]

I would suggest a nice little digital camera so you can take pics of what the ....person denying you passage is calling "not permitted", and perhaps his/ her picture also. This may let them know that you are not going to be pushed around and you will follow thru on your promise to pursue the matter with their superiors. If I sound like I despise the turds...I do, along with the immigration fools who stop all the wrong people. My wife (before we were married) was coming to visit me for a few months in Florida.She does a lot of cooking and baking and so she brought her favorite cook book with her. They searched her carry on and found the book and a card from her sister saying"have fun, don't do anything I wouldn't do". They pulled her from the line and proceeded to question her and yell at her for 2 hours. They accused her of trying to illegally immigrate to the US and a lot of other BS. When she asked how long it was going to take cuz she didn't want to miss her flight , they got in her face and screamed,"What makes you think you are going anywhere but jail?" She ended up missing her flight, having to pay more for a flight the next day, and I had to drive 90 miles 2 days in a row to get to the airport to pick her up. I also lost a hotel room for that night (no refunds). If I sound hateful..Tough, I am! By the way , my wife is 5'1" and a sweet round lil angel....like all terrorist I guess...

That's it pal, you're going on The List!!!

If I sound like I despise the turds...I do

The MAJOR issue as I see it, is TSA screeners were made low on the food chain at the inception of the TSA, and they were given alleged authority WAY beyond (on average) their training, skills, knowledge, and abilities. A great many are not even full-time positions, and are making about the same pay they would be if working at Lowe's or Sears etc. It's simply a matter of "You get what you pay for" and it could have been set up differently to work better--- but of course it was more of a feel-good response than a well planned, thoroughly thought out program... and of course they are Unionized.

Here's a link to a TSO job listing--- as you will see if you read it, a huge percentage of TSOs don't appear to meet the qualifications...
http://jobview.usajobs.gov/GetJob.aspx?Job...24+20%3a48%3a00

[Taylor B. Hess]

Thanks for all the help and humor guys! I appreciate it!

[FishyboY]

united urges you to take your fly boxes and rods on because they dont want them stolen from checked

[flygirl]

I fly Delta on my trips out west..9 yrs & so far there hasn't been any problems...I carry my travel rods/reels in a double travel rod/reel case....I also carry a wader bag with my waders/boots/vest....my checked in luggage has my nippers/hemostats /flies all packed in a clear bag so they can see whats in there. Like others have said...it seems to depend on the person screening you. they will definitely take their bad day out on you. I just got back from having to fly to Florida & noticed alot of people trying to travel with carry ons & caused delays because their luggage wouldn't fit the overhead & they had to check them in. I so much would like to see some kind of passenger rights so we don't feel like we're giving them our money to be mistreated. The $$ of my flight from Ct. - $560

[JSzymczyk]

I so much would like to see some kind of passenger rights so we don't feel like we're giving them our money to be mistreated. The $$ of my flight from Ct. - $560

Pretty much you have the right to not fly commercial air. We voluntarily submit to this BS in exchange for the convenience of fast travel. It ain't like it used to be, and like it or not, things are not going to get better. I've never flown anywhere on vacation, never been affordable to me, but I've flown an awful lot for other reasons. Bottom line, if you don't want to deal with the hassle, or variables, don't fly.

[notenuftoys]

I haven't had a problem taking a 4 piece rod on board, but I've checked my waders and other gear. Mainly because my wader bag is a little too big to carry on.

For the first time I took fly tying tools on a trip last week, and the only extra trouble was my heavy pedestal base. I guess a large chunk of metal raised some concern, but once they saw what it was it was no problem. But as a precaution I printed out the TSA page of what can and can't be carried on board in case they gave me problems with my tying scissors.