Shipping flies to Canada

[CaptainHook]

Hello Freinds, It's been quite some time since I posted here. Due to some serious surgical mistakes, I spent all of 2018 and part of 2019 in hospitals or nursing homes. But, I recovered in time for COVID. LOL

Anyway, I'm posting today to ask about mailing some flies to Canada. I don't know if it is legal or not as the country seems to restrict anything from dead birds. I suppose I could limit my mailing to synthetic materials only. I just don't know what to do.

I have a friend in Vancouver who loves to fly fish. Since I can't wade anymore, I'm going to start giving away and/or selling the things I can't use. I'd love to surprise him with a box of flies but I don't want them confiscated.

If you have any experience mailing to our northern friends, I welcome your suggestions. Thank you very much.

 

[jifigz]

My advice is, just mail them. I highly doubt that they will be confiscated..

 

[drakeking412]

id imagine youre fine

 

[phiendWMD]

Maybe try to send like a dozen, very clearly labeled, and see what happens. If it goes through ok send them all.

 

[hooker-of-men]

I don't know nothing about nothing, but I imagine your average customs agent / postal worker has absolutely no fly knowledge. They're not going to look at a fly and have any idea what it's constructed from, unless you're fishing some full duck head streamers.

If you're really worried, though, I imagine you could find many flexible tyers who would be happy to slip in a packing receipt clearly listing a bunch of flies made from synthetics regardless of actual content (not me, unfortunately; my flies look like sh.t no matter what they're made of).

 

[CaptainHook]

Thanks, everyone. I'm going to mail some and see how it goes.

Maybe, I'll just send him mop flies.

 

[Biggie]

I wouldn't send your best flies first (mops). lol in case they do confiscate them.

 

[phiendWMD]

I believe some posters here are being far too optimistic about customs not caring very much or being poorly trained. The average customs agent may or may not to be able to correctly identify a fly. I'd bet they are all aware that many flies contain feathers. Just enough to get them investigating further. At the end of the day, if bird parts are illegal to ship to Canada, you're committing a crime you may have to answer for if you send them.

 

[moon1284]

I've went on several trips where I've either fished in Canada or traveled through Canada on a plane. I got the fly tying gear I brought searched at the airport in Montreal and it wasn't an issue.

You're fine mailing flies.

 

[TYoung]

They would have to open his package to know that they contained flies.