Hey steelheaders – I’m headed up to northern BC, Canada next week for some steelhead fishing.
Any first-hand experiences with getting big steelhead flies through airport security in your carry-on bags? The TSA actually says to carry flies in your carry-ons instead of checking them, as they are fragile: http://www.tsa.gov/travelers/airtravel/assistant/editorial_1188.shtm
But in addition to a couple boxes of small dry flies, I have some boxes with pretty large steelhead flies – articulated leeches 4 inches long, mouse rats, etc. Nothing bigger than a #2 hook though. I’m worried that I’ll have to leave the flies at home if I try to carry them on – a disaster. But a delayed checked bag would be a disaster too, as I have a connection in Vancouver to Smithers BC, then via float plane to the river – and those float planes only go once a week.
TSA policy and TSA actions do not always match up. I’ve seen fishermen have to check fly boxes in one line and others pass through without a hitch in the next line over. Also saw an inspector pull reels out of a carry-on claiming the fly line could be used as a dangerous weapon (they had to call the supervisor over to settle that one, in the fisherman’s favor). You usually have better luck with them in “fish-friendly” airports, like those in Montana, where they’ve seen plenty of gear. I’d hedge my bets on the flies and pack some in your checked bag and some in your carry-on.
I would check them in my luggage. Why bother to carry them on and risk it. Hell, if they will take your tooth paste away, a big steelhead fly seems vulnerable.
I was in Chile a couple of years ago and they were - for a while - confiscating flies for fear of bird flu. They would return them when you left the country. The confiscation thing didn’t last very long because I think the outfitters and guides made such a fuss and the officials realized there was no risk – and they needed the tourism.
As it turned out, they didn’t bother us but just in case, I put all the flies in my wife’s luggage and sent her through customes by herself. I was thinking she wouldn’t get checked very closely because she wasn’t carrying flies rods, etc. I put a bunch of flies from my reject can from my tying bench in my luggage figuring that if they took them so what.
After the fact, they ushered me through without even looking. And, the flies/stuff in the luggage came through just fine.
I can’t help you with the TSA inspections, but if you need to buy something in Smithers Oscars, and McBike stores on main street should have anything you would need.
Save yourself a whole lot of grief… don’t put them in your carry on.
Here is what I read from the site you had a link to:
“Tackle Equipment - Fishing equipment should be placed in your checked baggage. Some tackle equipment can be considered sharp and dangerous. Expensive reels or fragile tackle such as fly’s should be packed in your carry-on baggage.”
and…
“Ultimately, it is the carrier’s decision as to whether or not it can be transported as carry-on baggage.”
The reel situation can be fixed by removing the spool with the line and packing that in your checked luggage or removing the line and backing for transport. Pain in the butt but if you have an expensive reel…you may want to keep the expensive part at least, in your carry on.
Unless your throwing atlantic salmon type flies… I would hardly think of most steelhead flies as “expensive or fragile”. Pack it in your checked luggage.
Thanks loads, gentlemen and lady! Much appreciated.
Someone on BC steelie board also pointed me to a page from Canada’s air transport security website, and they were pretty specific about rods OK, but NO HOOKS.
I’ll be checking my flies for sure, and if they lose my flies, I’ll just be really, really nice to my guide and bum some.
As for my Tibor reel – unfortunately it’s pre quick change spool era, and tiny little parts come out when you remove the spool. I’m going to take my chances and carry the reel on, along with a printout of the TSA page.
And even in my checked bags, I’ll be sure NOT to put any label on the big box of spun deer dry flies – the (ahem) “bombers.”
DANBOB
