i have experienced both ends of the TSA spectrum. My recommendation: carry your 4 piece rods in carry on (they get exercised over longer), put everything else (everything else!) in checked luggage. Imagine getting to TSA just on time and as they are calling your flight is boarding, TSA decides you can't bring on your flies. Your choices are miss the flight or sacrifice the flies (forever!) to TSA. Denver and Baltimore are the worst. Houston and Dallas, New Orleans and Orlando are okay. Smaller airports (Aspen, Gunnison, Little Rock) don't seem to care about flies. Forceps and nippers are practically a guarantee to get confiscated (happened twice -- shame on me). A hook sharpening file was also confiscated. Saltwater flies get the most attention because of size.