Hi,<br><br>I need some advice on buying a travel rod to fill out my growing collection of rods and reels.<br><br>I'm mostly a saltwater spin and surf fisherman, have Shimano Baitrunners, 4500 and 6500 with 10'6" Loomis rods, as well as an Alvey/Snyder 14' 6" surf rig.<br><br>I travel regularly, but shipping rods even in a bazooka case is a pain, always special handling, (which meant on my last trip to Ireland a crushed and damaged supposedly unbreakable rod case-don't ask how)<br><br>I've done some review searches and turned up references to St Croix Tidemaster Travel offering the TS70 series.<br><br>I thought I'd match it with one of my Shimano baitrunners, but I'm considering venturing into a casting combo.<br><br>So this is two questions, first what is a good travel rod in the $100-200 range that I can carry as hand luggage, and which casts best with accuracy, a spin or a casting reel, and if so which make and model.<br><br>Tight lines.<br><br>Tom<br><br><br>Work is the space between fishing.
Thanks for that Thor.<br><br>You make some good points.<br><br>The travel rod I'm looking at is a 7 footer, so it breaks down to 2'6", about the same length as my carry on suit bag is wide, so this will "hide" in the bottom when the restrictions are lifted, (its starting to happen domestically now).<br><br>I hear you on the bazooka case, I'll have to make my own, in this instance it was supposed to be airline approved, and I have a feeling that some moron baggage handler speared it from the hold to the tarmac-there's a lesson here for others.<br><br>The Loomis rods are excellent, but I need a shorter rod for some inshore boat fishing, not surf fishing, a combination for light lure and jigs but with enough back bone to give the Tarpon, macks and dolphins a decent workout.<br><br>The reviews on the St Croix were excellent, but like all reviews you have to wonder about sponsor bias, so I was looking for happy and unhappy owners.<br><br>Your suggestion re the ugly stiks is taken already, I own one of these "expendables", that word is a misnomer for they simply don't die.<br><br>Re the conventional/spin reels, I was looking to balance this rod, looking more for consistent distance control that spin reels aren't designed for no matter how good you are.<br><br>The Tiagra is out of my league price wise, but any other suggestions here in the sub $200 cost would be greatly appreciated.<br><br>Tightlines<br><br>scottie.<br><br><br><br><br><br><br> <br><br>Work is the space between fishing.
