Originally Published in Western Outdoor Publications Sept. 2026
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I remember the days when we flew down to Baja.
All our fishing gear; tackle boxes; lures; fishing reels and about a dozen rods stuffed into those long plastic travel tubes.
We put the butt-to-tip so we could cram in as many as we could. Maybe we stuff some towels in there as well.
If your buddy didn’t want to drag a tube well, heck ya…we stuffed his rods into the tube as well.
Well…as if air travel isn’t already difficult and just full of mega-inconveniences, it’s taken another turn.
Mexico has always had rules about what you can and cannot bring into the country. There are rules for quantities and values as well.
For example, there are rules about what kind of agricultural products; how many cameras you can bring; how much tobacco you’re allowed to have; what kind of meats are prohibited; etc.
Like any country.
Two of those rules are now directly affecting fishermen.
One rule states that you can only bring up to 4 fishing rods into Mexico.
For years no one checked. No one cared. No one enforced it. We just hauled all the gear we wanted. Right?
Well, now they are checking.
And they are passing out fines!
Not that many folks bring rod tubes down these days. It’s not like the old days. It’s just too hard and too bulky and expensive.
But, I get it. We all want our toys.
Well, fishermen carrying a big 6-8 foot plastic tube through the airport kinda stands out in the exit lines. Might as well put a red light on the tube like a beacon.
They’re pulling over fishermen carrying tubes and you get to visit the office of secondary inspections. If you have the requisite 4 rods, you’re OK.
If you are carrying YOUR 4 rods PLUS 2 of your buddy’s sticks, that’s a no-no! Everyone has to carry their own gear!
The 2nd rule they are enforcing is even a bigger stickler. It hits hard.
The other rule they are enforcing is that you cannot bring any items worth over $500.
I had some of our fishing guests bring only 2 rods and reels. However, the eagle-eyed inspectors at customs figured out that those fly reels were worth a lot more than $500.
So…BINGO…they got got fined for customs violations.
What happens is that they dial up the item in question on their computers to find out the price and your fine is then determined based on the value.
I don’t know about you, but many of my personal reels are worth more than $500 dollars. Unless I can show a receipt showing that I got them at a discount sale or something like that, I would get fined.
On the flipside…this seems to be happening more often at the larger airports. I’ve heard it happening in Cabo and Puerto Vallarta.
However, at our own airport here in La Paz, I’ve only had a handful of guests get stopped.
Additionally, I’ve had a few or our guests show me a “clearance slip.” They received it after paying their vines. It basically states that the item are now clear whenever they come into the country.
The form has the serial number or the item and I guess it allows the person the ability to bring the item back to Mexico the next time without getting fined.
Will keep ya’ll posted as things develop.
That’s my story!
Jonathan
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Jonathan Roldan has been writing the Baja Column in Western Outdoor News since 2004. Along with his wife and fishing buddy, Jilly, they own and run the Tailhunter Sportfishing Fishing Fleet in La Paz, Baja, Mexico www.tailhunter.com . They also run their Tailhunter Restaurant Bar on the famous La Paz malecon waterfront. If you’d like to contact him directly, his e-mail is: jonathan@tailhunter.com
Or drop by the restaurant to say hi. It’s right on the La Paz waterfront!
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Jonathan Roldan’s
Tailhunter Sportfishing
Website:
www.tailhunter-international.com
Mexico Office: Tailhunter International, 755 Paseo Obregon, La Paz, Baja Sur, Mexico
U.S. Mailing Address: Tailhunter International, 8030 La Mesa Blvd. #178, La Mesa CA 91942
Phones:
from USA : 626-638-3383
from Mexico: 044-612-14-17863
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Tailhunter Weekly Fishing Report: http://fishreport.jonathanroldan.com/
Tailhunter YouTube Video Channel:
“When your life finally flashes before your eyes, you will have only moments to regret all the things in life you never had the courage to try.”
