Hooks on a plane

TicTokCroc · Jul 18, 2022

Going to be flying a one way ticket to pick up the family and drive them home after a much longer vacation/visit with family then I'll get. I will just be bringing a carry on and will be sending all my gear/clothes/rod a few weeks prior to my flight but I need more time to tie flies... All the info I can find says hooks are OK on carry-on as long as they aren't big... what is big? Has anyone ever had a problem? I don't want my hours/days of work confiscated.

John Svahn · Jul 18, 2022

I have had a problem coming back from canada. Trout flies in the calgary airport. They did ship them but it took a while. Thankfully this was the return trip. It was also a while ago-2004 so not sure it is relevant

SteelHeadDave · Jul 18, 2022

Never had a problem flying with flies but I’ve only done it domestically. I’ve done it with pretty big bass flies, maybe 2/0 hooks or so. I did get a “river runs through it” smart ass comment one time from a TSA dude when I sent my bag through the X-ray. No issues from it though.

TicTokCroc · Jul 18, 2022

Fuzzytugger said:
Never had a problem flying with flies but I’ve only done it domestically. I’ve done it with pretty big bass flies, maybe 2/0 hooks or so. I did get a “river runs through it” smart ass comment one time from a TSA dude when I sent my bag through the X-ray. No issues from it though.

I doubt I'll have anything bigger then a size 6 or 8 hopper. Also domestic, flying into Hailey ID.

John Svahn · Jul 19, 2022

Off topic but that same trip:
My Dad advised me to carry on my fishing gear and i just grabbed the bag. In the Reno tsa line i saw the agent pause on my bag and then pull it for a search. I said ‘whoah hey, just fishing flies.’ He said he knows what flies are but this is the issue- and he pulls out my big filet knife that i forgot was in there. Instead of saying oops sorry, for some reason i said ‘this isnt what it looks like!’ To which the guy and now extra agents asked ‘what exacty does this look like?’ They made me sweat it out for a few and then said ‘relax, we are messing with ypu, but you cannot carry a big knife on a plane

Brute · Jul 19, 2022

I’ve had plugs with single hooks confiscated in Costa Rica, but the hooks were fairly big…I accidentally carried on two fillet knives I bought in BC and was surprised when I got home that they were both still in my carry on…

Tim L · Jul 19, 2022

Likely they have a certain size for all things sharp that is considered generally safe. I take flies and all my small gear back and forth between OH an WA twice a year and never an issue. Among other items, a travel sewing kit that meets TSA guidelines - includes scissors and needles.

Not that I'd wish for it, but would be entertaining too see someone attempt a hijack with a leech or perhaps a 2 inch flimsy pair of sewing scissors. A hairbrush could do more damage.

Dustin Chromers · Jul 19, 2022

John Svahn said:
I have had a problem coming back from canada. Trout flies in the calgary airport. They did ship them but it took a while. Thankfully this was the return trip. It was also a while ago-2004 so not sure it is relevant

I'm so glad we have people like this to keep us safe in the sky. What a joke. Messing with people is their prime directive. TSA = Thousands Standing Around.

wanderingrichard · Jul 19, 2022

I've taken reels in my carry on, and hand carrried fly rods, but most of my fishing travel gear has been inside the checked bags w/o incident. Never thought about carrying hooks or flies in my carry on.
Biggest problem by far for me has been TSA , and "airport security" pre TSA, getting grabby and clumsy with my electronics, especially laptops.. Biloxi Municipal Airport had to pay for one of my personal machines after i went to court over it being dropped and broken, and TSA had to reimburse USG and my employer for two others that got messed up due to their poor handling.

Old Man · Jul 19, 2022

I never travel anyplace by air. I worked at Boeing for 38 years. Built or worked on all they built in the jet age. I have never flew on a jet powered A/P.

When I was in the service I flew down to California for Basic training and a cooking class. Got transferred to Thule A/F base. Flew up in a cargo plane that was piston powered. Spent a year there. Got sent back to the States to get mustered out. Flew to McGuire A/F base in Jersey. Rode a bus to Philly and flew out of there to Chicago, from Chicago to Denver and then to Portland and then to Seattle All told it took 36 hours to fly that way with the stop overs. It was done with Piston powered A/P's. I then told myself that if I ever fly again it would be to soon. I have never ever flown in a jet to this day. And I never will while I'm alive.

TicTokCroc · Jul 19, 2022

Old Man said:
I never travel anyplace by air. I worked at Boeing for 38 years. Built or worked on all they built in the jet age. I have never flew on a jet powered A/P.

When I was in the service I flew down to California for Basic training and a cooking class. Got transferred to Thule A/F base. Flew up in a cargo plane that was piston powered. Spent a year there. Got sent back to the States to get mustered out. Flew to McGuire A/F base in Jersey. Rode a bus to Philly and flew out of there to Chicago, from Chicago to Denver and then to Portland and then to Seattle All told it took 36 hours to fly that way with the stop overs. It was done with Piston powered A/P's. I then told myself that if I ever fly again it would be to soon. I have never ever flown in a jet to this day. And I never will while I'm alive.

Thanks for the vote of confidence

I already have a bit of a flying phobia.

TicTokCroc · Jul 19, 2022

Funny or horrifying little story. Our little business used to deliver to PDX. I think it's changed now but you used to have to wait for an escort vehicle and drive out on the runway around to the receiving area. Halfway, they pull everyone into an abandoned lot and do a vehicle search then continue on. We'll after doing this many times you get to know the security people and they get a bit lax.. luckily. We had just returned from a hike/hunting day trip and I had left my scoped 30-06 rifle in the back seat under some jackets, and they didn't see it. Another time there was a new person and we had just returned from a road trip to Idaho and I had left a box of bullets in the glove compartment and they found them. Police called, bullets confiscated, tickets wrote, a few weeks later my wife gets a letter from homeland security saying she was under investigation

I'm still in the doghouse for that one.

Brute · Jul 19, 2022

Tim Lockhart said:
Likely they have a certain size for all things sharp that is considered generally safe. I take flies and all my small gear back and forth between OH an WA twice a year and never an issue. Among other items, a travel sewing kit that meets TSA guidelines - includes scissors and needles.

Not that I'd wish for it, but would be entertaining too see someone attempt a hijack with a leech or perhaps a 2 inch flimsy pair of sewing scissors. A hairbrush could do more damage.

Or to quote Monty Python…”a pointed stick”…

RCF · Jul 19, 2022

I have flown all over the PNW with my fly gear and never had a problem. Numerous trips from Seattle to Montana and Oregon. Some of my streamers are on larger hooks than what you are carrying and never an issue.

Like you, I went to the TSA website and small is okay with large not okay with no definition. It is "up to each TSA agent" to make that judgment call. Sheesh!

Maybe wrap the boxes up showing they are not easily accessible and you are diligent in making sure they can not injure someone.

Shad · Jul 19, 2022

You'll probably be fine, but it's never a bad idea to check that stuff instead. I lost a Leatherman to the TSA once, but they let the hooks (to size 2/0) stay with me...