Might have to give you a call Craig and have a chat. Might see if I can’t line up at least one day been guided by Itu, or another guide. Wouldn’t mind seeing if I can organize something along the lines as your organized tour, in that been dropped on another island for a day to explore and fish.

You definitely want to take a spare rod Fraser

Yeah Fraser, I think a separate two piece would be regarded as extra luggage and you'd be charged for it. I get six 4pc rods in their tubes and all my kit plus clothes into one suitcase and one carry-on. I think you will just have to buy a new nine weight ... and a back-up.

When flying to Aituatki take these points into consideration.

For $10 you can select a prefered seat, have a look at the plane layout and get yourself some extra leg room and priority check in.

With air NZ you can take one bag up to 23kg and 7 kg hand luggage. With air rarotonga you can take 1 bag up to 20 kg and 3 kgs handluggage.
Air raro will let you take 23 kg bag if you are on air NZ to aitutaki but they will only let you bring back 20kgs.

If you take an extra bag with Air NZ they will charge you $120 at the airport or $55 if you prebook online.

If you take an extra bag to aituatki they will charge $3 per kg.

I have done this trip twice and first time they where as tight as a fishes anus. The second trip I had an extra bag and never got charged anything. On this last trip i had 26kgs returning from aituatki to raro and they looked the other way.

Having said that my wife met up with me later on this trip and air nz would not let her book an extra bag as the plane was full, on the day she took the extra bag on the plane and got away with it as did the rest of the people that couldnt book in extra bags.

All in all there is no real rules just look light at whatever you do. i did manage to get a 20 kg drill press on an international flight as hand luggage :) this way

Rod tubes that are bigger than your bag will be charged as an extra bag and if not prebooked will be $120 and if the plane is full you may not be able to take it.
4 piece traveliing rods pack into your back and you can get the whole lot in one bag if you skimp on things like undies etc so if you intend to travel internationally gear up for it.
I travel with electronic scales just to stay ahead of the pack.nothing worse than being given the choice to leave your bag behind or pay more for the freight than the worth of the contents inside.
On this trip i was over by one packet of wine gums and left them at home then having said that had a good run the whole way just dont count on it.

If you take your partner make sure you take your rod to dinner as nothing worse than seeing those trevs smash the bait fish and not be able to have a shot. If your wife is suspecting you may drop your rod of at the restaurant before hand so she cant stop you from taking it in the first place.

All in all I would go through hell to go to Aitutaki cause once you are there it is paradise.

That's great info there Will. Thanks for posting it up. Must have been tough having to leave the wine gums behind

I might consider the $10 extra for a seat choice next time. This skinny palangi always gets stuck with one of those midget seats on the single seat side.

Fraser Hocks wrote: Bugger! ( I really mean Brilliant , but that’s the line ill use to tell the wife). Will have to have a look / try of the Redington range when im up in Auc in a few weeks. Iv always loved my Redington rods and from what you boys are saying the new range is even better than the old ones?? Who has the best stock of their range in Auc, or even down Taupo way? No one down this way stocks them

Give Rod and Reel a ring, before hand and they can be sure to have a couple of Reddingtons in the right weight range for you to try, they do not always have the full weight range but it only takes a day or two to get them in if you ask.

[QU
OTE=Craig Worthington] That's great info there Will. Thanks for posting it up. Must have been tough having to leave the wine gums behind

I might consider the $10 extra for a seat choice next time. This skinny palangi always gets stuck with one of those midget seats on the single seat side.
[/QUOTE]

Hi craig the preffered seats are for air nz only, with air rarotonga you pay full price and its pot luck where you sit. Having a seat that is all there is a bonus. The back seats are cool, just like the old school bus.

Funny you should say that Bass-ist? Iv got a mate that I let borrow one of my Redington CT's. He ended up buying himself one while recently on a trip in the USA. His $1000+ sage has become the backup rod and the Redington his number 1 rod