She said I had too much baggage...

No it wasn't the trophy wife (I did and she married me anyway), it was the lady behind the counter at the airport.

Anybody who has taken a fishing trip that involved a flight has had to consider how to get their gear to and from their destination. I have always found that the return leg of the trip was the one that gave me the most trouble due to the inevitable wet waders and boots that had to be dealt with. Now the luxury of that second checked bag that I reserve for moldy gear will now set me back $25 on almost all of the major airlines. A third one will run a "C" note.

Read NPR.com's Ode to the Second Checked Bag by Joshua Brockman.

Each bag must weigh less than 50 pounds, and its dimensions (length plus width plus depth) must be less than 62 inches. For those who might consider beating the system, let's face it — there is no easy way to disguise a second checked bag as a carry-on or as your one "personal item." And because the change comes on the cusp of the summer travel season, donning extra layers in lieu of a second checked bag might get pretty uncomfortable.

So here is the question? What is the traveling angler to do? The marketing folks at the Versus Channel sent us some schawg and prizes recently and we will gladly part with some of it (so that we don't have to pack it in our luggage) in exchange for your best fishing related airline packing tip. Leave your tips in the comments section.

Photo: Courtesy NPR