Keith,
Flew to Richmond from Boise and back on United a month ago. Put my gear in the checked bags, carried on my rod in a tube. I wasn't allowed to hold on to the rod (even in a window seat against the wall) so one way it got put into the closet in the cabin and the other way I just put it in the overhead bin. Our checked bags got inspected on the return to Boise and there were no problems with the gear (flies, reels, lines, etc.)
Mike