Tips for Air Travel with Fishing Rods | Local Knowledge Fishing Show

Some of the best fishing to be had often involves traveling to different destinations. Ali Hussainy shares some tips on how he travels by air with his fishing rods.
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About The Local Knowledge Fishing Show:
The show Local Knowledge explores the culture of fishing itself and follows real life characters that spend their lives dedicated to fishing and the outdoors.
Local Knowledge focuses on the differing and often humorous viewpoints of two drastically different fishermen from opposite sides of the country. Ali Hussainy of San Diego, California is the President of BD Outdoors, the largest fishing site on the web. Capt. Rush Maltz is a born and raised Florida Keys fishing guide. Each is a master on their home turf, but the playing fields are leveled as they travel to strange waters to explore and learn new local knowledge.
Follow two friends as they explore both local and exotic fishing destinations in search of a new flavor of local knowledge. They not only dig deep into the fishing aspect, but the food, people and the culture of fishing that permeate a local and make it unique and special. They seek out a new kind of adventure off the beaten path.
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[@TylerKTanaka]

Ok all my tips below & I am wayyy more paranoid than you Ali… I have the exact same rod tube (agree it’s the best. The non-wheeled version is great as well for bass/inshore rod travel for 7’3” rods max length, I have that one too). Using the same rod tube I fly to San Diego, Cedros, Mexico and Florida with a quiver of 8-10 rods but… I fly 4-5 times per year with my rods but there is no way I use it without the following tips and modifications: 1. A use non-TSA combo lock on the adjustment hole so that the pin can not be removed, break or fall out in transport. This also prevents someone pulling the pin, separating the two sections, taking the rods out and putting it back together. I write DO NOT CUT on a piece of duct tape on the lock so TSA doesn’t think that it is the way to get into the tube. 2. I use an 8’6” length of 1/2” diameter pvc pipe placed in the middle of my rods, that I snugly wrap all my rods around. That way I know my rod tips can never touch either end of the tube since the pvc pipe is 6” longer than my longest 8’ rod inside. I also use the top piece of a Club Glove golf club travel protector slid inside it, for strength & to prevent the tube from collapsing if it gets compressed in a conveyor belt or jammed on the airport luggage carts. The Club Glove plastic “umbrella” protector is what the end cap closes onto. 3. All my rods are in neoprene rod sleeves to prevent rubbing and guide damage from banging around in the tube. And most importantly, if there is any shifting of the rods back and forth, it prevents guides from catching on the tubes middle section lip and busting. Tackle Warehouse makes the best neoprene sleeves IMO. They are the longest length on the market and best quality for the price. The spinning versions fit over all my off-shore conventional rods large guides and of course spinning models too. My speed/slow pitch rods and bass/inshore rods all fit the thinner casting version sleeve. 4. I drilled a hole in the end cap to be able to use a TSA openable cable travel lock to secure the top to the main tube and hold it on. 5. I always politely ask the TSA agent scanning oversize luggage to help them open and remove my rods for x-ray scanning and swabbing. at the oversize luggage area. I have always been given permission by the TSA staff to help remove the rods for swabbing and visual inspection and then re-insert them into the tube to help re-lock the top cap. Almost every airport requires the case to be opened since most airports can not fit an 8’6” tube through the scanning machines. Expect your rods to be pulled out, inspected and slid back into the tube. Say a lot of prayers for your guides and rod tips if you don’t use rod sleeves. 6. I placed fragile stickers on the outside of the tube in multiple spots. It does help with baggage handlers. Everything helps. The tube is big. It’s long. It’s awkward to handle. Expect it to be tossed, dropped, thrown onto the ground and into the plane. I put a TOP sticker on the top side to help prevent it from being placed vertically upside down. 7. I use stretchy neoprene velcro straps to wrap the rods together to provide constant compression without being able to ever over-tighten the rods and do self-harm. 8. I also put two 24” flat metal supports (cheap metal ‘door threshold plates’ from Home Depot) and Gorilla taped them halfway on each side of both tube sections to provide strength/support and prevent the tube from being able to be bent or folded in half at the weakest middle point when extended. I also use giant zip ties through the holes on each side of the tube to wrap around the metal supports and give itself as much sturdiness in the middle when fully extended. 9. It’s a massive investment but IF you travel with lots of rods and tackle a lot, or need to travel with enough gear for multiple people, check out the ProLite 9’ or 9’6” longboard Armored Wheeled Coffin Surfboard Travel Bag. Two Plano tubes fits inside along with lots of other tackle space in a wheeled padded and protected carrier. Bonus info: American Airlines and Alaska Airlines have the best oversized luggage accommodations. But American has the best by far. They allow 120” max length for the rod tube! Way more than all other airlines. American also allow bags up to 75 pounds at no extra charge if you have loyalty status. With my loyalty tier I can fly with two checked bags up to 75 pounds, plus my 110” rod tube for free! If you don’t have status American also has the lowest fee on heavy bags I think. Last advice, I always take my reels with me on the plane carry on. If your rods and tackle don’t make it on the plane, rods and lures are way easier to rent, borrow and figure out a solution at the destination. I also always check-in lures and tools in another bag. Every TSA agent is different it seems and it’s a judgment call on whether a circle hook, a treble hook or even a jig without assist hooks on it gets called “a weapon”. Don’t take chances of getting blocked at the security checkpoint or having to abandon lures they won’t let through. Just put them all in a checked bag. Edit: check out the Plano Expedition reel case and Aftco’s new reel bags. I switched to using both the medium and large Aftco reel bags this year for my fishing trips. They are awesome. Well designed and easy to unzip in half to put into my travel duffle bag while still staying perfectly protected. Can’t recommend the Aftco reel bags enough. Medium fits 6-8 conventional offshore reels and the large can fit 8 medium conventional and multiple larger 20/30 size Penn Internationals in it. Hope these tips & tricks help someone protect their rods. You never want the feeling of arriving at your trip and finding busted gear. Tight lines everyone 🎣

[@gpm4147]

i use the same tube and love it. I also put and AirTag in the rod bundle for added security and tracking the tube while traveling.

[@LocalKnowledge]

Good idea!

[@Deepimpactocean]

Thanks for the tips…. I tried to bring two rods in a rod tube through CBX Tijuana airport and was made to exit and go back through the Tijuana side. It was a nightmare. Not sure if anyone else has had the same problem.

[@markvogeler7564]

I have the little brother to that case. A bit smaller in diameter and no wheels. Its a 3 piece tube so it extends out a mile. I pack about the same way except i use velcro strips to lash everything together. Its a great setup and though it hasn't been around the world, it has been to i think 28 states.

[@LocalKnowledge]

Yeah. We like the wheels for the big, heavy gear but these Plano cases are like tanks. I can't beleive how long this one has lasted.

[@norcalhobiefishingadventur7400]

Thanks for the tip, keep em coming…

[@LocalKnowledge]

More to come!

[@anthonyfasulo4690]

Excellent tips. Can you do something similar for your tackle

[@LocalKnowledge]

We will add it to the list.

[@user-xq1hh4id7v]

Do you guys have any videos or know of any videos on setting drags?

[@LocalKnowledge]

Another good topic. Added to list.

[@McSledger]

Seems like these new ceramic (and similar non SS) guides can still break no matter what you wrap them in 🥴

[@LocalKnowledge]

We haven't had a guide break like that in years.

[@RevelFishing]

Ali, Don’t know if you realize you gave out your phone number on the luggage tag.