Sourcing fishing rods, reels and tackle from China
Fishing rods, reels, nets, lures and other tackle from China pay 2% UK duty, and fish-hooks that are not snelled pay 0%, with no anti-dumping duty. In England, supplying lead weights between 0.06 g and 28.35 g for weighting fishing lines is prohibited, so small split shot must be lead-free. Blank quality and guide fitting decide rod returns. Cambridge China Bridge sources it.
Fishing rods, reels, hooks, landing nets, lures and other line fishing tackle pay 0% to 2% UK duty from China. Lead weight rules and a worked example.
Duty by item
Read from the UK Trade Tariff on 25 September 2026, fishing rods, snelled and other hooks, fishing reels, and other line fishing tackle such as landing nets, lures, floats and bite alarms carried 2% duty on goods from China, and fish-hooks that are not snelled carried 0%. None had an anti-dumping measure.
Fishing line in spools is classified as textile or plastic monofilament; confirm the commodity code.
| Goods | Commodity code | Duty | Anti-dumping duty on China |
|---|---|---|---|
| Fishing rods | 9507 10 00 00 | 2% | None |
| Fish-hooks, not snelled | 9507 20 10 00 | 0% | None |
| Other fish-hooks | 9507 20 90 00 | 2% | None |
| Fishing reels | 9507 30 00 00 | 2% | None |
| Other tackle, nets, lures and floats | 9507 90 00 00 | 2% | None |
Lead weights
The Environmental Protection (Anglers' Lead Weights) (England) Regulations 2015 prohibit supplying lead weights between 0.06 grams and 28.35 grams for weighting fishing lines, with limited exceptions. Split shot and small leads in kits must therefore be tungsten, tin, bismuth or another non-lead material, and larger leads should be labelled with their weight. Check the rules for Scotland and Wales if you sell there.
Worked duty example
Illustrative example, not a quote: 2,000 carbon fishing rods under 9507 10 00 00, invoiced at £14,000 free on board, with £1,000 of freight and insurance to the UK. The customs value is £15,000. Duty at 2% is £300. Import VAT at 20% is charged on the customs value plus duty, £15,300, so it is £3,060. Import taxes total £3,360; a VAT-registered importer can usually reclaim the VAT, so the lasting cost is the £300 of duty. The import duty and VAT guide explains each step.
What goes wrong
Rods fail at the joints and guides: blanks with low-grade carbon or uneven wall thickness snap under load, spigot joints loosen, and guides glued without proper whipping come off. Reels fail through soft gears, rough drags and bail springs that break. Hooks with poor tempering straighten or snap, and chemically sharpened points are often promised but not delivered.
At inspection, flex-test rods to a set load, check joint fit and guide alignment, turn reels under load and test the drag, check hook points and temper on samples, and weigh leads to confirm none fall in the banned range.
Cambridge China Bridge sources rods, reels, hooks and terminal tackle, with blank quality, lead rules and packaging settled before the order. See how our sourcing service works.
Frequently asked questions
What is the UK import duty on fishing rods from China?
Read from the UK Trade Tariff on 25 September 2026, fishing rods and reels carried 2% duty from China, and hooks that are not snelled 0%.
Can I sell lead split shot in England?
Not between 0.06 g and 28.35 g for weighting fishing lines; the 2015 regulations prohibit supplying them.
Where is fishing line classified?
As textile or plastic monofilament, not in heading 9507.
What should I test on fishing rods?
Flex under a set load, joint fit, guide alignment and whipping.