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Re: shipping fish
The Post Office is the best way to go. There are 2 options: Priority Mail and
Express Mail. The differences are:
Priority Mail: Normally takes 2-3 days at most and is cheapest. Up to 2
pounds is $3.20. Estimate slightly over $1 for each additional pound.
Express Mail: Guaranteed to be there the next day by a a specified time (the
PO sets the time). If the box arrives late,you get your money back. It costs
more,but is often worth it for larger shipments or valuable fish.
When I send fish during the good weather,The fish are packed in bags as small
as possible with as little water as possible. This minimizes the weight. The
bags are packed on their sides in either a styro box or a sturdy cardboard
one. Empty space is filled with styro peanuts. Packed this way,I can send up
to 8-10 bags (1 fish per bag) for $5-$6 tops by Priority Mail. No heat pack
is needed in good weather.
When I send fish in cooler weather (below 55 or so),I leave it up to the
recipient whether they want to pay the extra for Express Mail,but I cannot
guarantee live delivery without using that method. The fish are packed the
same way,but this time I would use a heat 20 hour heat pack (either shipping
method). The heatpack is activated and duct taped to the inside of the cover.
The bags are covered by a few layers of newspaper to protect them from direct
contact. The box is then sealed and taken directly to the PO (expensive or
larger shipments go direct to the Main PO for the area,others to the local
one). If sent by Express,the fish arrived in perfect shape.
If your shipment is within 400 miles,it generally goes by truck (Priority
Mail). If the weather is warm,as it is in Texas,no heat pack is required. The
package,if mailed in the morning may even arrive at the destination the next
day.
Jeff McKee