As the seasons change, so do our layers out on the water. Arguably, there’s no other piece of gear that’s more important than what we choose to wear for a day of fishing. In this article, I’ll go over the clothes I choose to wear based on the conditions.
One of the best perks about being a guide, is having a lot of gear. Good guides pride themselves on being prepared for whatever the conditions throw at them. Our jobs inherently fall to the mercy of mother nature. Therefore, I need good gear that’s dependable and able to withstand the day in, day out rigors of being a guide.
Brands I Trust
CLOTHING
Pants
Sun Hoodies
Summer to winter, I typically always have a sun-hoody on. During the winter, they serve as a nice base layer. During the summer, they’re either my one shirt or serve as a base layer underneath my collared shirt, when I’m guiding.
Collared Shirts
Collared shirts look great but trust me, if these shirts weren’t comfortable, I couldn’t wear them all day, every day. I enjoy the professional look of these shirts but the fact that they’re breathable, functional, and comfortable is the real reason I wear them.
Jackets
When the temperatures drop, layering is crucial. My typical layering system goes as follows:
My outer layer varies quite a bit based on the weather. If I’m confident that I’ll be staying dry (no rain), I’ll wear a thicker hoodie, fleece, or collared shirt. The shirts pictured below are classic shirts I’ll wear on the river during the fall / early winter.
Headware
Hats are an important part of being prepared for the water. Hat bills (along with dark under brim) can help keep glare out of your eyes. Hats can also protect your face from the sun’s powerful rays.
Even in the winter, you’ll find me with a hat on and often a beanie or toboggan over it. Hats make a great gift idea and don’t break the bank. It’s also pretty hard to get the wrong size, as most of them are adjustable.
My go to are the flat bill, rope hats but that’s not your only option. A solid option that provides a lot of sun protection are the wide brimmed hats. The obvious downside to this type of hat is that they can catch a lot of wind so can be a bit of a pain during windy days.
Eye Protection
Eyewear is critical while on the water. Cut the glare, see the fish, protect your eyes! I’ve used ShadyRays for years and have truly enjoyed them. They have lots of different styles and are very affordable.
For freshwater trout, where sight-fishing isn’t required, I’ve really enjoyed my ShadyRays React. The Reacts have magnetic, interchangeable lenses which are awesome to adjust to changing light conditions.
On the coast, where sight fishing is primarily how we fish. I’ve upgraded to the Smith Guide’s Choice sunglasses. These glasses made a huge difference for me sight fishing for red fish in the Texas Flats. My go-to lens for the flats are the ChromaPop Brown Polarized.
Waders
I don’t use waders a ton, as most of my fishing is done from a boat. But those cold fall and winter days, I’ll throw the waders on. It makes it easier to launch the boat and they help keep me warm while on the boat.
One of the best “bang for your buck” out there is the Paramount Wading Pants. I picked up a pair of these at Scheels a few years ago and they have been my go to for fall / winter days on the water.
For your more standard full wader, I use the Simms G3 Guide Wader. I’ve had the same pair going on 3 years now and have no complaints. I believe Simms to be the best waders available; you can’t go wrong with any of their options.
Rain Gear
If you spend enough time on the water, you’ll inevitably find yourself in conditions that are less than ideal. I always have my rain gear with me; you never know when an unexpected storm will arise.
During the summer months, my Grundens Rain Pants are always with me. They’re breathable but do a great job of keeping me dry. I don’t typically carry these in the winter, as I usually have my waders with me.
Currently, my rain jackets are from Stio. The yellow one above is the Rollick Hooded Jacket, which is a lightweight ran jacket that’ll keep you dry. This is my summer-time rain jacket, as I typically don’t need insulation. For colder temperatures, I like the Lupine Hooded Jacket. This jacket provides more insulation to keep you warm and dry.
There is no shortage of options out there when it comes to clothing yourself for a day out on the water. This article is far from an extensive list. Rather, it’s intended to provide you a starting point when shopping for yourself or loved ones this holiday season.
If you have any questions about what gear in particular to purchase for your specific fishing needs, don’t hesitate to reach out and I’d be happy to assist you on a more personal basis. You can email me at the address below:
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