For large numbers of anglers, their dream fishing destination is a remote lodge on a beautiful northern lake, which more times than not involves off the grid air travel in a bush plane. While air travel is a way of modern life, it provides special challenges for vacationing anglers. Most airline companies now not only severely restrict the number of bags air travelers can take aboard without punitive charges, they are also cracking down on weight. When flip flops and Factor 30 lotion are your only extra baggage this is not a problem. But for an angler, who must bring along rods, reels, waders, etc... as well as appropriate angling and travel clothing, weight suddenly becomes a major challenge.
Northern bush plane
Careful pre-packing, rigorous culling of your outfit and weighing your bags at home are ways to dodge serious hassles at the check-in counter. Acquiring multi-piece travel rods that stow in your luggage, thus avoiding that airline black hole known as "oversize luggage" is also a good way of losing air travel angst. A complete shake-down of your angling equipment is mandatory, a hundred miles from nowhere is not the place to discover a wonky reel or a busted rod tip. Read your lodge’s website for the "essential items" recommended for your trip, these lists are all based on past experience. Because way out there "going to the store" inevitably involves a long, expensive flight in a bush plane.