shipping fishing poles

How to Ship Fishing Rods with Interparcel

23rd July 2020, 12:12pm in Shipping Advice by Eva Malpass

We're back again with another handy instalment in our series of guides for shipping niche items we're going to enlighten you on the best way to prepare and ship fishing rods. For the not so fish-friendly, you may be surprised to know that fishing rods are a very popular item amongst the Interparcel users, particularly in the summer months as people are heading out to the water to get themselves a catch!

The fishing industry is big business: in 2019 Brits spent around £28.8 million on fishing rods and fishing equipment. With the price of rods ranging from £20 to over £5,000 and lengths of up to 14 feet it will come as no surprise that posting fishing rods can present more of a challenge than your 'average sized box'.

When looking for the cheapest way to ship a fishing rod, you will likely find that the post office won't accept long parcels and a one off courier service may charge you more if the length of your package exceeds a metre.

Not to worry, this is where we can help: Interparcel partners with only the best and most reliable couriers that are experts in shipping the niche and difficult. We compare the most cost-effective prices with the most appropriate couriers so shipping fishing poles can be easy - any fin is possible, don't trout yourself!

Preparing a fishing rod for sending

Protecting fishing rods for shipping

Whether you've just sold a fishing rod online or you're off on a fishing holiday staycation and want to ship your equipment ahead of you, we recommend you take a little extra care and attention when preparing to send fishing rods or poles.

How do I protect fishing poles for delivery?

It's always a good idea to add protection to any package you intend to send, but especially as fishing rods are often of some value - you don't want them to arrive in a broken mess, that would be a-trout-cious!

Fishing rods are, by their very nature, quite fragile. Being long and thin poses a risk of snapping, so ensure that you package your fishing pole to protect against this. You'll need the classics - bubble-wrap, polystyrene, and packing tape. If the rod came in a tube or case you'll still need to place this inside an outer cardboard box or tube before sending it.

If you don't have an inner case to protect your fishing rod, you can visit your local tackle shop who may sell you one. Alternatively, use a standard posting tube as a makeshift fishing rod protection.

Here's an easy to follow checklist to tick off before sending:

✔ Dismantle the rod - make sure it's as short as it can be
✔ Wrap each part separately in bubble wrap
✔ Place the parts into an outer cardboard box/tube
✔ Pad any empty space inside the box with protective materials to minimise movement
✔ Tape the box up to secure the fishing rod inside

If you're looking to send multiple fishing rods perhaps for a family holiday some plaice, then you can always send two or more in one cylindrical tube. But for cods sake, make sure you wrap them individually to avoid scratches and scrapes while in transit.

We recommend sending any reels or other tackle seperately to avoid them knocking against your rod and causing damage.

How to send a fishing rod with Interparcel

Ship fishing poles with Interparcel

If you're looking for the cheapest way of sending fishing equipment, Interparcel can help you save on shipping costs. All you'll need to do is measure and weigh your parcel once it's all packed and ready to go. Then, pop this into our easy to use Quote Tool and you'll be able to obtain the cheapest prices for fishing rod safe couriers.

We have a wide range of services like Parcelforce Express 48 Large, Tuffnells, or Evri Light & Large (formely Hermes) that are experts in handling long and large parcels, so you can be sure that your fishing rods are in safe hands.

If you're a regular seller of fishing rods online and you sell through marketplaces like eBay or Shopify (and more) you can save time and money on shipping by using Interparcel's integration tools. Our powerful Shipping Manager integrates with the biggest names in eCommerce, so you will have access to the most affordable parcel delivery solutions out there and can book hundreds of parcels in mere minutes!

With us online sellers can access:

  • Advanced Shipping Manager, collating orders from multiple eCommerce platforms into one place
  • In-built address verification and correction, no more manual errors or unprofessional mistakes
  • New branded tracking, create a seamless brand experience when customers track orders

Selling and shipping fishing poles has never been so easy - we're hooked!

How much does it cost to send a fishing rod?

Save on fishing rod shipping

The cost of shipping a fishing rod will depend on the final weight and size of your parcel after you've properly protected it for shipping. Having said that, in our experience, an average sized fishing rod should cost you under £20 to ship within the UK. To get a more accurate price all you'll need to do is enter the dimensions and weight of your package(s) and we'll instantly generate the best and most affordable shipping service to destinations within the UK (and beyond).

Most of our services come with a level of Transit Cover between £20 - £100 but this can be increased for a small fee if your rod is worth more than this.


Shipping fishing rods cheaply with Interparcel makes the whole process easy and won't break the bank, but if you're still unsure about how to send them be sure to contact our customer service team open 8 am - 8 pm Monday to Friday to get all the information you need on packing and sending.

We'll stop carping on now, we're giving ourselves a haddock!

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