Packing a Fishing Rod Tube Properly for Airline Travel
You’ve saved for your bucket list vacation, acquired all of the necessary gear and the luggage to get it there, and counted down the days until departure. The forecast is perfect, the flight gets off without a hitch, but when you arrive at the baggage claim it’s the nightmare scenario. Either your rod tube doesn’t arrive or it arrives and its contents are destroyed.
Flipping stick? Now a two-piecer.
Swimbait rod? Missing three guides.
And your 7’11 parabolic cranking rod is now 7’5”.
If you’ve ever been at the carousel when this scene ensues then you may have seen grown men cry. I’ve written about the topic extensively, but despite my warnings it still happened to two of our 2020 traveling companions who failed to take the proper steps. I can’t guarantee this won’t happen to you at some point, but if you take the precautions I recommend in the following video you’ll lessen the chances.
All of this takes perhaps a few dollars in supplies and a few extra minutes during the packing process. It works with any brand of rod tube. It’s a no-brainer. While you may be able to fix some rod emergencies, other breakage may leave you high and dry.
Here are three rod tubes we own and recommend:
You’ll have to supply your own Star Wars bed sheet.
