Reels and weights

[Tpw]

Hi

I'm going away next week and need some advice on packing my gear for the flight, would it be better to keep reels,weights and other bits of tackle with me in hand luggage or should I put it all in the suitcase with the rods and lures.

Many thanks

Tom

[PanamaJack]

Hi Tom
Especially since 9/11 attitudes, globally, to hand luggage have changed.

(I can remember once taking a marine starter motor on board a flight from Heathrow to Lisbon and apart from some banter they didn't ask to open the packaging. But as least they did quiz me. When we flew on from Lisbon to the Azores no one say a thing! And once coming back from the 'States a friend took through a 14lb downrigger ball that, for all intents and purposes, looked like the proverbial anachist's B*MB!)

So weights are going to show up as dense, inpeneratable, objects on the X-Ray scanners and are almost certainly going to be confiscated as a dangerous object. I suspect it will be the same fate for reels - there you have the added 'complication' of line. You might end up attempting to garotte someone with it!

I'd therefore play safe and pack it in checked luggage. The last thing you want is complications as you're checking through and no possibility of going back to the airline desk.

Just a point though about locking cases. If you're going to the 'States it would certainly be worth reading this thread - http://www.worldseafishing.com/forum...ad.php?t=28611

[Tpw]

Thanks for your reply Dave, everything will now be in my main luggage in the hold.

ATB

Tom

[marktheshark]

Hullo matey
I hope this doesn't sound too anal, but I travel with fishing gear a lot, and this is what I've found (apologies if it contradicts anything Dave says). It'd help to know where you're going, and with which airline, but this is what I know. IMHO. Everything here is Post 9/11.
First, I take my expensive reels on as handluggage. I've been stopped and checked lots of times, including a private-booth session in the US, and not once have I had them queried as unsafe. I do this because a) some are heavy, and weight is an issue, especially on charter flights; and b) cos I know they won't get nicked. That said, I'm always prepared to put my carry-on bag in the hold and carry a loose padlock in the bag (see next item ...)
Second, if you fly to US, or via US, secure any baggage, but especially anything with dodgy parts such as leads, metal rod-butts, electronic gear such as bite indicators, with TSA padlocks that can be opened by customs.
Third, if weight is an issue (15kg on some flights), I'll wear a deeply untrendy fishing jacket with lots of pockets, and stuff them full of items such as batteries, camera, even reels, and lead weights. I put all the weights in a clear plastic bag and take them out for the xray machine - that way it's quite clear what they are. If you leave them in a suitcase, they'll show up on xrays but you won't be there to explain, and we've had the locks on our Samsonite busted twice now ...
Finally, some no-nos: sounds obvious but anything with hooks in (flies, lures, leadheads etc), or any fishing tools, are not wise as carry-on luggage. If you're off to Australia or NZ they're paranoid about protecting their agricultural industry, so clean any mud off boots, waders, rod butts etc. Similarly, beware of taking any bait into here and the US.
Hope it helps, rather than confuses.
Mark

[marktheshark]

Well **** me, what are the chances of that happening? Nice timing matey, you've beaten me by about 20 seconds (and now I probably HAVE confused things). Your choice!

[PanamaJack]

I hope this doesn't sound too anal, but I travel with fishing gear a lot, and this is what I've found (apologies if it contradicts anything Dave says). It'd help to know where you're going, and with which airline, but this is what I know. IMHO. Everything here is Post 9/11.

Mark, no problem at all. The whole point after all is to assist Tom in coming to a considered view.

I guess one point that you made that really is worth emphasising is that there is no standard, no set of rules, that all airlines and their staff adhere to. And I certainly had contradictory views from members of the same airline! There's a case in point about travel rods - fly rods in cases that easily fit in the overhead lockers. Some staff allow them, some refuse. So I go for safety first and check them through in locked rigid tubes with the other rods.

Living near Heathrow there's that expression banded around that you don't have to pay full price for anything. And unfortunately I suspect that's the case, but not only at Heathrow! Things do get nicked with monotonous regularity from unsecured bags.

That's why I prefer to play safe, just in case you're stopped by the x-ray scanning staff and forced to put it in the hold. A member of our Club, returning from a Catfish fishing trip to Spain this year was extremely lucky. The staff objected to the braid on his reels and he was forced to put them through in an unlocked bag. They actually arrived unscathed in the UK. Patently no demand for them?
Dave

[Jonny 3 rods]

I flew out to Ireland via Ryanair in August took loads of tackle items, some in the hold, reels and line in hand baggage. On the way out from Stansted no problem. On the way back Eire customs refused to let me carry the reels and line as hand baggage. Had a bit of a pleasant debatebut gave in and had to book it into the hold. I guess you could garot someone with 30ld braid!!!Ryain air were very good and on this occasion did not charge me, but I could of copped another £12.00
My advise is if in doubt put it in the hold. take your clothing in the hand baggage!


If in doubt whip it out !

[fishiee29]

Flew to Norway a few years back and my dad(for some reason!) packed leads in his hand luggage. Had to empty the bag at every single x-ray point on our trip. Never packed them as hand luggage since as it was a right pain in the arse!

A few years previous I travelled fron Namibia to Angola with breakaways in my hand luggage no questions asked. I wouldn't be sure the machines were actually working out there though!