Most questions revolve around freight and we are constantly working on ways to reduce it so keep checking back, asking questions, and giving advice.
Please note that we charge you the same freight that we get charged and do not want to make money in this area. Other companies raise the prices of all of their products then have a flat rate that they pay for with the extra money they made on the fish. We prefer to make the price fair for all and so it will cost more to ship to Florida than Indiana.
We encourage you to order at least 10 pounds or more as this will reduce your overall freight price as I get hit with dimensional weight charges for smaller orders--increasing the freight price.
How much is it to ship to _______?
Can I get a freight quote without giving you my credit card?
Overnight or 2-day?
MN, WI, ND, SD, IA, NE (most, not some rural), IL (northern, including Chicago) special freight?
Where do the fish come from?
How are the fish processed and packaged?
How are the fish shipped?
If I ordered on Thursday, why don't I have my fish?
Can I get tracking information?
Can you ship on my FEDEX/DHL/UPS account?
Do you sell whole walleye, fresh walleye, cheeks, etc?
Do you sell other fish?
Do you have gift baskets?
What is your return policy?
Q: How much is it to ship to _______?
A: The only way to accurately know is to plug the order into the web site. The freight depends on the weight of the order and where you live. (see below if you live in MN, WI, ND, SD, IA, eastern NE, northern IL)
Q: Can I get a freight quote without giving you my credit card?
A: Yes, if you use my regular checkout process. However, if you use Google Checkout and don't already have an account with them, they do ask you to sign up. You still have the option to cancel the sale after you see the full freight quote. If you don't want to put in your credit card number, don't use Google checkout.
Q: Overnight or 2-day?
A: The packaging is designed to last two-three days, however, delays happen and I have no control over where packages are stored during shipment. Overnight I guarantee that the IQF product will arrive frozen solid as a rock. It starts out at -18 degrees below zero and the dry ice will keep it cold. If you have any concerns--go overnight. 2 day will save you some money, but the dry ice will be gone by the time it gets there. The fillets on the outer edge may start to thaw and water can drip into the middle and refreeze. They will still be cold, ready to eat, and can be refrozen. However, I am less likely to give a full refund as I've had people leave packages on their porch for an extra day or under a Christmas tree. That being said, 65% of my orders are 2-day and I ship to myself in San Diego with 2 day even in the summer and the shipment arrives fully frozen. I leave this decision up to each customer--please call if you need more guidance.
Q: MN, WI, ND, SD, IA, NE (most, not some western rural), IL (northern, including Chicago) special freight?
A: Yes, we now use a local delivery company in the Midwest and for most states it will be reflected as UPS overnight or 2 day delivery for $10 on the freight calculator--but will actually be the local company--overnight to most--2 day only to a few. For southern IL and rural NE, I may have to call back to add a little more freight.
Q: Where do the fish come from?
A: Your walleye, perch, bluegill, northern, lake trout and crappie are wild caught in pristine northern lakes of Canada by Native Americans using sustainable harvesting practices. Canada's lakes are well managed, unpolluted, and have an abundance of freshwater fish. They are all from Manitoba, Saskatchewan, Alberta, and the Northern Territories--not the Great Lakes like my competitors. We do get lake whitefish and smelt from Lake Superior. Rainbow trout are farm-raised in Idaho. Bullheads are from Iowa and Minnesota. Lutefisk is different, (our only seafood) and comes from North Atlantic cod in Norway.
Q: How are the fish processed and packaged?
A: The majority of our fish is caught using gill nets. The harvest is iced down, taken to delivery points, and rushed to the packing plant. Facilities strategically located across the freshwater fishing region receive, grade, re-ice, pack and ship to market. They are then shipped across the border to our facility where it is stored in deep freeze at -18 degrees F. The fillets are IQF (flash frozen) so althought they may be together it is very simple to grab one or two fillets from the box without thawing the group.
Q: How are the fish shipped?
A: From our facility in MN, the fish are sealed in plastic, packed with dry ice in an insulated box, and stored in a refrigerated area before the shipper arrives. Our packaging is a corrugated cardboard exterior with 2" Styrofoam, more than most seafood shippers, and is designed to last 2-3 days.
Q: If I ordered on Thursday, where is my fish?
A: We clearly note in the ordering section that we ship only Monday through Wednesday (OK, overnight on Thursday too) as well as on your receipt. We do this so that the fish will never have to sit in a warehouse over the weekend and spoil. Also we process orders at the day before and UPS pickup is just after noon. For example, an order placed on Tuesday will ship on Wednesday, but an order placed on Wednesday won't ship until the following Monday--unless it is for overnight. It's not because we are slow--this is done to insure that your product arrives fresh. However, exceptions do happen, please call if you need something different and I may be able to accommodate.
Q: Can I get tracking information?
A: Yes, if you provided the correct email when you submitted your order, it should be sent to you automatically. If you still don't see it, please send us an email.
Q: Can you ship on my FEDEX/DHL/UPS account?
A: Sure thing. Give me a call. If you are bigger than me, you may get a better deal. However, I do pass on all of my discounts on freight.
Q: Do you sell whole walleye, fresh walleye, cheeks, etc?
A: Yes, but they are not always available and fresh walleye has to go overnight.
Q: Do you sell other fish?
A: Yes we do. Email us and will try to accommodate you. Most products have been added this way.
Q: Do you have gift baskets?
A: Yes, many people buy these for other people. I recommend our gift basket which includes batter, tartar sauce and wild rice soup for presents or for corporate gift baskets.
Q: What is your return policy?
A: Because it is a highly perishable food item, we do not accept returns. If you choose overnight shipping, we absolutely guarantee that the product will arrive frozen. I have even tested sending it to my home in San Diego with no dry ice and it arrived fine. For 2 day shipping, we do not guarantee it, though we've only had two complaints--both from AZ and Nevada in 110 degree weather. 2 day shipping is fine as long as you are available to pick up the item and it doesn't sit outside an extra day.