Traveling to another location to fish can be very exciting, whether within or outside the country.
If you are taking a trip by plane, you may wonder if it is possible to transport your favorite fishing lures, hooks, boots, rods, and other fishing equipment on it.
In this article, you will find a detailed explanation of the possibility of carrying your fishing lures with you on a plane.
Are Fishing Lures Allowed On Airplanes?
Yes, they are allowed. Although various airlines have different specifications, the Transport Security Administration (TSA) allows fishing lures and other fishing equipment to be carried on a plane. As long as they are packed away in your carry-on and do not pose any threat, you can carry them along with you.
Can I Bring Fishing Lures In My Carry-On?
It is possible to bring fishing lures in your carry-on. The TSA states that you can pack small fishing lures in your carry-on bags. Other harmless lures, like small flies, that are fragile, valuable to you, and do not present any security threat can also be packed in your carry-on bag.
However, you may not be able to bring larger fishing lures with large hooks in your carry-on.
The TSA considers them “dangerous” and requires that they should be sheathed, securely wrapped, and packed in your checked luggage instead.
Also, whether or not you can bring your fishing lures of any kind in your carry-on will largely depend on the regulation of a particular airline.
While some may allow you to keep your fishing lures in a tackle box in the overhead compartment together with your carry-on, some may not allow it.
Here is a list of some airlines and their regulations concerning bringing fishing lures in your carry-on baggage.
- American Airlines
The American airline accepts all fishing equipment, including your lures, kept in a tackle box, together as just one piece of checked baggage.
Regardless, if you decide not to keep your highly valuable and small lures in a tackle box but instead wrap it separately, then you should be able to bring them with your carry-on bag.
- JetBlue
Jet Blue only allows small hooks and lures for fly fishing or freshwater as carry-on baggage.
So if you plan to take several fly lures with you on a plane, you sure can bring them in your carry-on bag.
- Spirit Airlines
Spirit Airlines considers any sharp tackle equipment dangerous and accepted as checked baggage only. So if your fishing lure is sharp in any way and potentially dangerous, it will not be allowed in your carry-on luggage.
However, fragile lures that do not present any security threat can be packed in your carry-on baggage.
- Frontier Airlines
They only accept tackle boxes as checked baggage. Any fishing equipment in the tackle box cannot be isolated as a carry-on.
Therefore, your fishing lures have to be part of the content of a tackle box before you can carry it along.
- Hawaiian Airlines
Hawaiian Airlines do not allow fishing lures as carry-on. You must transport all fishing equipment together as checked baggage.
- United Airlines
United Airlines also accepts all fishing equipment, including fishing lures, like checked bags.
How Do You Transport Fishing Gear On a Plane?
Transporting your fishing gear on a plane is not difficult. However, if you do not plan well and are not well informed, it may end up being such a hassle and almost impossible mission.
You need to take some steps to transport your fishing gear on a plane. They are as follows;
- First, check with the airline you want to fly with to ensure that fishing gear is allowed on the plane. Most airlines will allow fishing gear, but it is best to confirm this and be on the safer side.
- If the airline allows fishing gear, ensure you check if all of the tools that constitute your fishing gear is accepted under the airline’s policy. A lot of airlines usually list the fishing equipment or fishing gear to include
- 2 rods
- A fishing tackle box
- A pair of boot
- A fishing reel
- A fishing net
This varies from airline to airline, so you want to check and be sure. For instance,
- Alaska Airlines define a piece of equipment as
- two reels,
- two reels, and one tackle box.
- American Airlines views a piece of fishing equipment as
- 2 rods and 1 reel in a case,
- a landing net,
- fishing tackle,
- fishing boots,
- and 1 pair of waders adequately encased.
- Jet Blue considers one item of fishing equipment as
- 2 rods,
- 1 landing net,
- 1 reel,
- 1 pair of fishing boots property wrapped,
- and 1 fishing tackle box.
- Be sure of the fishing gear’s weight and length limit specified by the airline’s regulations.
- Pack your fishing rods properly. You can wrap them with bubble wrap and put them in a PVC tube, or you can get a strong cylindrical carrier with a lock approved by TSA.
- Disassemble your reels, wrap them in a towel or store them in a padded area to avoid damage.
- Ensure that sharp equipment like hooks are well packed and securely stored.
Can I Take Fishing Lures on Delta Airlines?
You can take fishing lures on Delta Airlines since their official site states that you can bring most sports equipment with you on your trip.
Delta Airline regulation requires that all sports equipment, including your lures, be packed in a durable protective container designed for it specifically.
Can I Bring Hooks On An Airplane?
You can bring hooks on an airplane. The TSA allows small hooks to be taken with your carry-on or checked baggage.
However, sharp and large hooks are considered dangerous but still allowed in checked baggage alone. They must be sheathed, well packed, and securely wrapped.
Whether you intend to carry small harmless hooks or large ones, just make sure they are all well packed.
Can You Bring Fishing Lures Through Airport Security?
We all know airport security can be tight, but that does not mean you can’t bring your fishing lures through it.
As long as they are in line with the regulations of the TSA and comply with the policy of that particular airline, you should be able to bring your fishing lures through airport security.
Nevertheless, the final decision on whether your fishing lures are allowed through the checkpoint lies at the discretion of the TSA officer.
Takeaway
Although it is possible to get your fishing lures and hooks on an airplane, it may not always go smoothly and can sometimes be a hassle to bring them through airport security.
If you are not sure your favorite and highly valued fishing lures comply with the regulations of the TSA and the specific airline, it is advisable not to bring them with you. You won’t want a valuable possession to get confiscated.