I've got a trip coming up next week with my dad and my bother to the boundry waters of northern Minnesota. We are getting a guide and going after walleye, pike and smallmouth.

My dad said that he usually ships his rods up to the camp and carries his reels in his carry on bag. I'm thinking that I will take my rods with me if possible.

Do any of you guys have any experience taking rods on a flight. i was thinking I would get a large piece of PVC, put the rods in the pipe and screw a wooden plug into each end. I know that this would protect the rods but I Don't know if that would work for a checked bag.

Anybody have any experience with this?

Yeah, just be sure that the tube can be opened & resealed by TSA without too much effort. Also helps to label it 'FISHING RODS' in big letters for the clueless TSA types (about twelve in every dozen). The airlines will most likely charge you an 'oversize' bag fee for the rods and I know from working the ramp that the typical ramp worker doesn't care whether the rods get broken or not.

That said, even though I work on the ramp,I ship my fishing rods via Fedex or UPS whenever possible. They'll get there on a guaranteed schedule and usually in better shape. Put your reels in your carry-on.

When I flew to Mexico to fish El Salto, I packed four rods in a Plano rod tube.

The rod tube end caps are cushioned with foam to protect the rod tips.

Additionaly, I stuffed crumpled newspaper into both ends of the tube inbetween the individual rods to prevent them from rattling around and scarring each other.

Remember to put your name & address both outside and inside whatever rod tube you use.

They made the trip - DFW / El Salto / DFW via Phoenix just fine!

I'm starting to think I should carry them on. I am planning on taking a spinning rod and a bait caster. My spinning rod is a two piece rod and I would like to have a two piece casting rod to keep in the car anyway. If I do that I could just carry them on and make sure they make it.

I travel a couple of times a year to Canada and Maine smallie fishing. I have done both methods but for the money and lack of hassle its hard to beat shipping them USPS Priority Mail. I have used everything from the 6" bazooka type tubes with wheels on one end to PVC with screw caps. The Plano 4" tube is my choice for checked baggage or shipping. I stuff clothing around mine. Generally my rainsuit is wrapped to make a TIGHT fit (don't want the gorillas in the baggage loading departments to be able to break 'em). I also use wire ties to strap mine together with the butts extending past the rod tips on both ends (I place mine with some butts on either end of the tube to allow for more rods). Then pack a pair of socks on each end to cushion it more. I use this method whether I ship or carry them as baggage.

My airlines (NW, Continetal, Air Canada) have never charged me extra. If you read their website for information on baggage it will say no more than 2 fishing rods ... I've never been asked or never been checked. I generally carry 5-6 rods ... 3-4 baitcasters and 2 spinning setups ... all 6'6" to 7' rods. The airlines don't want anything over a certain amount and the USPS has a formula which includes total length and girth. My buddy from Maine shipped last Novemeber to here for about $40.

Good luck ... just make sure the rods are secure ... I've never broke one but my buddy had an Allstar de-tipped 2 years ago. I also had the USPS break a PVC screw cap (4") on a shipped tube about 6-7 years ago ... I just had to go to Home Depot and buy another when I got ready to ship back home (USPS had taped the end of the tube up pretty well).

All in all I prefer to ship ... just less hassle!

Well I just got a quote from DHL and FedEx and it is $85 each way. So that plan is out. Northwest Airlines lets me check fishing equipment as one of my checked bags. (2 rods/reels, tackle bag and other equiment)

I think I am going to make a PVC case to carry the rods with a threaded end cap. At $85 each way to ship it even if Northwest breaks one rod each way I would still come out ahead.

Wow. 'spensive. The part I guess I left out was that I send mine about a week or two in advance via the lowest cost method (usually ground shipping by UPS or Fedex). My shipping is normally about $25-$30 each way from here to San Diego.

That was FedEx ground. I guess because this is up near the boundary waters in the far northeast corner of Minnesota it just costs that much more. Three day shipping was $184 each way!

I could possibly understand doing that if I used high dollar rods, but I don't own a rod that costs more than $40. I would literally spend half as much to buy 2 rods up in Minnesota and leave them there when I come back.

I guess I am going to check my home made rod tube. I only get one checked bag on the flight and each additional bag is $100 so I am going to be fully utilizing my carry on luggage. I guess no free towels this trip

man, this topic is right on time. i am going to Petersburg Alaska in July to see some land my brother bought up there and was wondering about getting my rods up there. i have a question, my brother does not have a PO box or anything up there yet so how could i ship my rods up there? i was thinking of talking to the guide we have been kinda working with about fishing info and see if he could recieve them but i was hoping for another means of doing it. any ideas besides flying with them?

I made my pvc tube out of sewer pipe and it is much lighter although probably more fragile than standard pvc. Just a word from propr experience, not all airlines have the same policy for rod tubes. Some consider them oversized freight and charge extra. Or you can do like a friend of mine. He said his tube contained golf clubs since the airline was not charging extra for them.

I've been packing rods for an annual Canadian wilderness flyin outpost excursions since 1997.

I first used the PVC as described above. This worked fine. Later, I was given a Plano rod holder so I now use this. Both are effective and functional, with the Plano prettier. In either case, place your name/address, etc. more than once on your rod carrier of choice; multi-sides and ends. And as mentioned, make sure it can be opened.

I've never had any problems but I have learned some 'tricks'. Last year I went solo so I had more gear. I called Northwest about the extra charge for each piece of luggage and weight overage. At that time (could be different now that each airline is nickel and diming us), they told me the rod holder wouldn't be counted as an extra piece of luggage if attached to one of the regular luggage bags. I simply tied the rod holder handle to the luggage handle knowing that they would have to be separated to go on the luggage track to the airplane. I got grief at DFW about the counting of luggage but I had the lady who spoke to me on the phone to document what she told me in my travel record. Once confirmed, the counter bean let it go and yes, they had to separate it. Northwest gave me no grief on the return from Winnipeg. I was able to avoid the extra weight restrictions by doing this caused by going solo because I didn't have anyone to split common items/articles needed.

Yep, That's why I never used UPS or any other private company. United States Postal Service(USPS) is generally 1/2 their rates.

The PVC is harder to handle due to no handle and weight. Academy, BPS, Gander Mtn, Cabellas have the travel tubes which are light and tuff. All this from my 10 years of doing this.

When I go to El Salto I use a bazooka. I use ruberbands to hold my rods together. I lay three facing one way and three facing the other. I then wrap a towel around the center and secure it with a rubber band. Then I do the same to each end. I have had no broken rods with this method. My reels, I carry them on.

I have an adjustable (length) hard round plastic rod case that I caught several years ago. Can''t remember where it came from but check some of the big bass shops. It has a shoulder strap and is very nice and easy to handle.

This might seem like a no-brainer comment, but be sure to insure your rods and the holder for at least replacement value. I know someone who shipped a half dozen rods in a nice heavy duty hard holder. On his return flight the holder arrived damaged and looked like it had been caught lengthwise between a hard wall and a hydraulic press. All the rods were broken and unfixable. And he'd passed on the insurance.