CHECK YOUR TOYS!
Originally Published the Week of May 5, 2024 in Western Outdoor Publications
There was a time many many years ago in another time, space and dimension when I would visit Mexico to go fishing, I brought a lot of gear. Maybe you were the same way.
I had the biggest of the biggest rod tubes they sold. It was jammed with so many rods back-to-front and front-to-back.
As many as I could fit.
Trolling rods. Jig sticks. Live bait rods. Light tackle sticks. Flipping sticks. Meat sticks. Maybe a spinning rods or two for good measure.
It was like the old saying, “Better to have it and not need it than to need it and not have it.”
Had to bring ‘em all plus every new rod that “needed to be broken in!”
And of course, that meant I needed a reel to match every rod. All by themselves, they filled a suitcase or an ice chest.
Can’t forget the terminal tackle either. Lures. Hooks. Extra line. Every color of lure, jig and trolling feather. Plus all the gadgets like dikes. Needle-nosed pliers. A fillet knife. Wire crimps and of course a fighting belt or harness. etc. etc.
Sound familiar?
I look back on those days and shake my head.
Honestly, at the end of the trip, I might have used 10% of all that. I couldn’t even physically carry that gear now. I wouldn’t want to on my old knees, shoulders and joints.
But those were the days when everyone did that.
We dragged these highly awkward 7 and 8-foot plastic rod tubes in our cars and through the airports. We tried not to smack folks in the head.
Our tackle bags required sherpas and porters to heft.
When we reached our destinations, it took half-a-day to set it all up.
And if your buddies all brought stuff, everyone had to spread their stuff out on the hotel room floor and beds and compare toys!
But, that was another day and time.
Airlines didn’t ding you an arm-and-leg for your luggage. Or hit you up for a small mortgage if things were over-sized or overweight.
Those were also days when “sharp things” weren’t frowned upon or outlawed in the cabin. They did not result in raised eyebrows going through an x-ray machine.
I’ve had friends try to carry on machetes, anchors, hunting knives, crossbows (yes!), spears and gaffs, let alone pocket knives and multi-tools.
But, over the years, that has all diminished quite a bit.
It’s just too hard. It’s too expensive.
The airlines and TSA are understandably too watchful. It’s a pain-in-the-@#$$ to get searched. We all hate just taking off our shoes!
But a number of folks still bring stuff. That’s all well-and-good. There’s another saying about “never going to war with someone else’s rifle.”
I get that too. We like our own gear.
But, just a heads-up.
Mexican customs is also getting more circumspect as well. If you travel by plane, we all fill out those customs forms. But, of course, we never actually read them!
But, there are restrictions.
And those restrictions have always been there. We just never cared much or they always waved us through.
The faster to get to our hotels and wrap our hands around a tall cold one and get those vacations started.
Some are calling it a “money grab.” But, hey, the law is the law. Rules are rules.
You drive 50 in a 35 mph zone every day and never get busted. Then one day you get pulled over, it’s hard to argue the point
But, Mexico customs has rules like how many CD’s and DVD’s you can bring. How many cameras you’re allowed to have. How much work material you can bring. Blah blah.
And yes, there’s a rules limiting how much sports equipment you can drag into the country.
And that includes fishing gear.
Yup!
The rule is 4 rods and reels per person. And that doesn’t mean you can have one tube with 12 rods for you and your 3 other buddies.
Four outfits for each individual person. Each carrying their own.
But, there’s more to the rub. A bigger ouch.
Many airlines are restricting the fishing outfits to only 2 per person. Two rods. Two reels.
And when you hit the customs inspectors at the airport, there’s a fine for violations. Go to the little room and pay the man.
They’re not checking everyone.
But, they are checking more often.
And if there’s new gear, they might ask for a receipt showing the value of the item. Yes, there’s a tax on that too.
And it’s no fun getting asked to walk to the little customs room to fill out forms and pay the fine.
So, just be aware before you start packing all your gear. Check your airlines and be forewarned that you might be that one person out’ve 10 in line that gets pulled aside.
Like getting pulled over for speeding while everyone zooms by you. Why me? Just not your lucky day.
Bad way to start your vacation!
That’s my story…
Jonathan
That's My Story 