Shipping policy

Last Updated: 1/16/2025

Our underlying philosophy and practices both on-line and at our shops:
Treat our clients as we would like to be treated

Offer accurate and honest advice
Error on the side of our clients
Be reachable: by phone or email, or in person.
We are accountable for our mistakes and try our best to mitigate those of others...

You can always reach CharkBait's owner directly should you have a problem with your order or your shopping experience. It is our intent to do things right, and if we fail I sincerely do welcome your feedback. How else can we improve? We want you happy with your purchase and your experience with us. Should you have a question, complaint or suggestion, we are easy to reach thru email, phone, or if local come on by! My contact information is on the bottom of each page of our site. I'm usually at our Huntington Beach headquarters should you need to reach me. - Mark Smith, owner/operator.

Shipping Options & Rates

We offer multiple shipping options to cater to your needs. All shipping rates are calculated at checkout based on your order total, shipping weight and location.

Domestic Shipping (Within the USA)

We use several carriers for domestic shipping including USPS, UPS, GLS & FedEx Express each for different types of packages or locations.

Free Shipping ($150+)

For most orders over $150 we provide free shipping, including shipping to Alaska and Hawaii. There are a few notable exceptions for large or long items over 48", big bulky stuff that is hard to ship such as fishing rods, tackle bags, lobster nets, landing nets and so on. The website will automatically calculate a rate for shipping these items if shipping is possible.

PO Boxes, FPO, APO, DPO Shipping

All shipping to government mail boxes goes via USPS Ground Advantage, unless USPS Priority Mail or other service is selected at checkout. Shipping time varies greatly by destination so it can take anywhere from 2-6 business days for contiguous US, 5-14 days for Hawaii, Alaska and Puerto Rico or potentially several weeks for other overseas posts. We offer the same free shipping policy for shipping to PO Boxes and overseas military locations.

Fishing Rod Shipping

All 1 piece and some longer 2 piece rods have a separate shipping charge depending on length, order total and location. One piece rods are sent in a 3-4" hard cardboard or PVC tube, if you have multiple rods on an order they will be packed together when possible, if there are many rods then we may use a longer rectangular box. Rods require more packing time so it may take 1-3 extra days for the order to go out unless expedited shipping is selected.

For rods up to 7'10" specifically we provide discounted rates depending on order value, the bigger the order the cheaper the shipping price. These rods can be shipped with any of the ground carriers but USPS Ground Advantage is the default for standard shipping both to physical addresses and PO Boxes. Ground shipping usually takes anywhere from 2-6 business days but final mile delivery delays can occur because standard mail trucks cannot hold long packages. Recent change to UPS* We no longer ship rods via UPS as a default option due to an increase in rates at the end of October, now any package over 48" has a minimum billable weight of 40lbs so the cost of shipping a typical fishing rod via UPS has tripled overnight.
For rods over 7'10" & under 9' there are oversize fees charged by all national carriers so there are no cheap options for shipping cross country. We recommend getting a few rods or blanks to make the shipping worth it.
1. Orders shipping to California, Oregon, Washington, Arizona, Nevada and some metropolitan parts of Utah, Idaho and New Mexico qualify for discounted oversized rod shipping via GLS US or Golden State Overnight Service. If GLS does not deliver to your address within the mentioned states we will have to send you a separate quote for shipping via UPS or cancel the order. For large cities delivery typically takes 1-3 days, for smaller cities and rural parts of the mentioned states, delivery can take up to 3-4 weeks pending them getting enough packages to make a run out to your area.
2. For all other contiguous states oversized rods are sent via UPS Ground, which starts at about $200 and is calculated automatically on the website. Orders over $600 qualify for a discount on the shipping rate down to $100.
3. For Hawaii & Alaska we do not have any way to ship oversized packages, we use 3-4" rod tubes which are over the dimensional limit for USPS.
Rods over 9' are generally not able to be shipped but if you are in the GLS delivery area they might be able to deliver longer packages up to 10' at an extra charge. You can contact us for a quote.

International Shipping

We ship worldwide, though some countries may have restrictions due to customs or shipping regulations.

Note: For most destinations duties & taxes are prepaid, meaning we calculate, charge and remit taxes for you so you do not have to do it when the shipment arrives in your country saving a few days of hassle.

UPS Worldwide Expedited: This is typically the cheapest option to most countries with a typical delivery time of 2-5 business days.
DHL eCommerce Parcel Direct: This is an economical service that can be the cheapest option but typically has a longer delivery time of 4-15 days.
Worldwide: Is a DHL Express service that typically has the fastest delivery time of 2-3 business days but it is also the most expensive.
UPS Standard: This option is only available in Canada & Mexico and is a ground service so it takes 5-6 business days while saving you money.

Order Processing Times

Most orders are processed within [1–2 business days] of the purchase date (excluding weekends and holidays). Orders that require special assistance like rigging lures or spooling reels will take an extra 1-2 days. Rod components can also take an extra day since we only have a few employees that know the components well.

Order Cutoff Times: Orders placed after 12pm PST will be processed the following business day.
Holiday Processing: During sales, holidays, our 3 annual sponsored fishing charters and the ICAST fishing convention, please allow for additional processing time.

Tracking & Notifications

After your order ships, you’ll receive an email with tracking information. Please allow 24–48 hours for tracking updates to appear. If there are some items that are not in stock you will be contacted within 1-2 business days, otherwise you should receive tracking automatically within at most 3-4 business days.

Note: If you know you will be out of town you can place a package on vacation hold via the carrier directly so it is not delivered when you are gone.

Shipping Restrictions

Due to shipping regulations and product restrictions, we are unable to ship certain items to specific regions or countries. If you attempt to place an order with a restricted item, we will reach out to you with alternatives or issue a refund. These items include some fishing rods, oil/grease, products with batteries and small lead sinkers.

Wrong, Damaged, Lost or Stolen Packages

We also take responsibility for incorrect or damaged goods, return shipping under those cases is on our "dime" not yours for domestic orders. For international shipments we hold to the same standards. Reason for us taking responsibility for errors, simple enough, many years ago I bought a fishing rod from Bass Pro Shops. Darn thing came to me broken, but they would not pay for the return shipping. Heck, it was their private label rod in the first place... Well, I paid to ship back the defective/broken rod...on my dime. That was the last time I ordered with them, and I sure wouldn't want to do the same thing to one of our clients, we appreciate the long term support of our customers. If you receive damaged or an incorrect product from us, please give us a call and we'll make things right.

Incorrect Products: We are responsible for any incorrect products included or omitted from your order. Please contact us and we can issue a return label and send you the product you need.
Damaged Packages: If there is damage that occurs to the product during shipping we will replace or refund the product. We will need pictures of the package, shipping label and damaged product inside so we can file a claim with the carrier.
Lost Packages: If tracking shows that your package has been delivered but you cannot locate it, please check with neighbors, family members, or the carrier. If it’s still missing, contact us at support@charkbait.com and we’ll work with the carrier to investigate.
Stolen Packages: We highly recommend using secure delivery locations. We are not liable for stolen packages, but please contact us if you need assistance and we can create a claim with the carrier. Claims that include a police report and/or video evidence of theft are have a much higher chance of being accepted by the carrier.

Delays & Exceptions

Shipping delays may occur due to external factors beyond our control, such as customs processing times, weather, or carrier service interruptions. We will do our best to notify you of any expected delays but they are out of our control. If you need a package by a specific date in the near future please select an expedited shipping option. We do our best to accommodate customers going fishing so if you have a trip date you need something by let us know by phone or add it as an order note when placing your order.

Changes to Orders

Order Edits: For any order changes (address updates, item adjustments, etc.), please contact us by phone as soon as possible at 714-840-4500 or support@charkbait.com. Changes can be made before your order has a tracking number.

Cancellations: Orders can be canceled only if they haven’t yet been shipped. Please note orders for rod blanks and special ordered reels cannot be cancelled once we place an order for them. If you need to cancel a special order let us know as soon as possible.

Returns, Refunds & Exchanges

Please see our Return Policy for details on returning items, refunds, and exchanges.

Shipping Policy Updates

We may update this policy from time to time to reflect changes in shipping options, rates, or procedures. All changes will be posted on this page, and the "Last Updated" date will indicate the most recent revision.

Questions?

We’re here to help! For any questions about our shipping policy, please reach out to us at support@charkbait.com or +1(800) 823-4243.