This might help,

http://www.airnewzealand.co.nz/before-you-fly/baggage/oversized-items.htm#lengthrestrictions

Right, ahem...
Rod tubes, no worries. If folks can fly with surfboards etc, then a rod tube ain't no problem. It does have to go thru the "Fragile" counter though, after you check in.
Yes, it does indeed count in your baggage allowance, however, travelling with Air NZ, you get an extra 10kgs baggage allowance as you will be carrying sporting gear... fishing rods, reels, tackle etc = sporting gear, don't let them say otehrwise (some lady check-in clerks have PC issues with evil fishermen I have noticed...stick to your gun, get the 30kg baggage allowance, it helps heaps).
Definitely pack the rods carefully in the rod tube... wrap bubble wrap all around them so when you shake your rod tube, you hear no rattles or anything. PhantomDeviant is correct about ensuring they do not slide in the tube either.

Honiara. Basically it is a 3rd world hole. Ain't much to see or do there apart from relax in the hotel. Certainly you should be fine walking around there during the day, but remember that there a lot of very poor people there with little to do, and as a rich white man, you'll be a potential target for unsavoury types.
Having said that, I have never met any of these, the Solomon Islanders I have met are all friendly and helpful, especially to kiwis .
But do not go walking the town at night (not that you will want to either. Like I said, the place is a dump) Exercise a degree of caution is the point I am trying to get across. Much te same as walking around Otara shopping centre at night. You proably be fine, but......

Definitely take your own gear. Although I know for a fact Joe at Zipolo has a lot of gear there, all sorts of lures, SPs etc...I supplied most of it! :-)
Make sure you put plenty of electrical tape around your screw on caps on the rod tube to ensure they do not come undone on the planes by vibration or curious fingers or anything like that, OK?
For a handle, just get about 2ft of webbing belt or seat-belt or somethnig, and elect tape it to your tube in the middle so it balances nicely. leave (obviously) about10inches untaped in the middle to hold on to. Works just fine, no worries.
Go to the RD1 nearest you, and get a bottle of Sunblaster liquid sunblock. It comes in a squeegy bottle with a squirter pump on it. It is like $80 for a litre or somethnig, but will last both of you for the whole trip, goes on really REALLY easily, has aloe vera in it so it spreads easily, it is awesome stuff. Way better than tubes of that slimy sticky sunblock crap that everyone seems to feel is necessary. I am a very fair skinned person (I sunburn in the rain), and I am perhaps whiter now than when I went away, so the stuff works brilliantly.

I'll see ya probably at the beach soon anyhow, and Joe Entrikin and 2 of his daughters will likely be with me as well, so you can meet them all, discuss anything else you can think of with them.

Oh, perhaps consider taking just one suitcase for clothes for you and the better half, but take up a 40l chilly bin or a 60l bulk bin ($20 from the warehouse with clip on lid) to carry stuff like reels, fluids (sunblock) etc... shock proof, impact resistant, squash proof, certainly a better way to transport delicate spinning reels i have found. You can then leave it up there(the bin) when you come home, as by then when you get home if your reels are squished in the bale arm dept, at least you will be able to get them fixed here in NZ. No such chance in the Sollies mate.

OK then, any other questions, I think I have covered most of the points.

cheers mate, see ya in a week or so at the beach,
Stu.

Yeah

One thing to be aware of in Honiara if you have a rental car or will

Good oil right there, I have to say I was pondering the same question for Fiji and Tonga cheers 

Glue one end on the tube with pvc cement(like what plumbers use) and at the other screw top end find a bolt long enough to go through and drill a hole in it so you can paddlock it on. Drill a hole through the top of the tube at a right angle slide the bolt through and padlock . Don't have to worry about light fingers or vibrations.

Moocha I've got a couple of tubes, You can borrow one for your trip if you want

Men In Black wrote: Heading over to Cape Yoke top of Aussie next week myself, I invested in one of the large adjustable Bazuka rod carry tubes. Have heard good and bad things about them regarding Airlines treating them rough and smashing things. Still it holds about 8 rods depending on what type was told to put each rod in a soft rod sleeve then a strip of bubble wrap around each rod in three places up the length so they don't vibrate and and bang together, if you want the guides in one piece. Also break down all 2pc rods and rubber band them together after putting them in a rod sleeve.

Sweet yo. You got my number