Best Fishing Shirt

by John Wren

Making the most of your fishing trip can go beyond getting the best fishing equipment.

Fishing is usually a hobby spread out over several hours, so you will want to feel comfortable in the most well suited fishing shirt that will keep you cool when the weather is hot and warm if you’re still out as it starts to get dark.

Sounds like a tall task doesn’t it?  But don’t worry, we’ve done the hard work for you and have hand picked our Top 5 fishing shirts to show you.

Our reviews on these shirts are coming up shortly, and after that we’ve got a buying guide for you which runs through everything you might want to think about before you buy.

Following that, we’ve also got a section where we answer some your most frequently asked questions.

Best Fishing Shirts – Reviews

Bestseller No. 1
Fishing-Shirt Here-Fishy Graphic Funny T-Shirt
  • Here Fishy vintage graphic tee Funny Sayings great gifts for Men, toddler Women, Boys and Girls Who Love Fishing, Fisherman Fishing Gifts, Fishing Boots Or Fly Fish. Funny Fisherman Outfit Gifts for...
  • Retro distressed graphic Funny Sayings Fishing for your kids little youth toddler baby girl girlfriend daughter, buddy, parents, niece auntie wife sister. makes an awesome fathers day idea for your...
  • Lightweight, Classic fit, Double-needle sleeve and bottom hem
Bestseller No. 2
HUK Men's Standard Pursuit Vented Long Sleeve, 30 UPF Fishing Shirt, Black
  • HUK: Uniting anglers through performance-engineered, technical gear designed to fuel your passion and pursuit no matter when, where or how you fish
  • SUN PROTECTION: This fishing shirt protects your skin from the sun's harmful rays - Huk added the most advanced sun-blocking +30 UPF materials to their apparel to block both UVA and UVB rays
  • COOLING FIBERS: Cooling fibers work to remove heat from the surface of your skin, helping to dump body heat and keep you more comfortable and on the water longer
  • STAIN RELEASE: Because fishing can be dirty, Huk added a special stain release treatment that not only enables stains to be easily washed out but also resists oily substances from attaching to the...
  • SUPERIOR BREATHABILITY: Keep your skin dry and comfortable on the water - Huk performance shirts includes special fibers that transport sweat away from the skin and synthetic materials that allow air...
Bestseller No. 3
BASSDASH Men’s UPF 50 Performance Fishing Shirt Cooling Hoodie Camo Long Sleeve FS17M
  • Certified UPF 50+ fabric for maximum protection against harmful UVA and UVB rays
  • Innovative camo design on sleeves & hat - Attractive yet inconspicuous camouflage pattern with natural blended colors stands out from other shirts
  • The streamlined hood provides greater sun protection over your neck and ears; The built-in thumbholes are designed to keep the sleeves in place; Hidden zippered side pocket for keeping your personal...
  • Mesh panels at two sides of the body and the hat for enhanced ventilation, pulling moisture away rapidly from the skin and keeping you dry; 4-way stretch fabric and roomy raglan sleeves for a full...
  • Perfect for a day on the water and also suitable for all kinds of outdoor activities like fishing, hiking, cycling, kayaking and more
Bestseller No. 4
Columbia Men's Bahama II UPF 30 Short Sleeve PFG Fishing Shirt, Gulf Stream, Large
  • OMNI-SHADE: UV protection at its best, Omni-Shade materials block UVA and UVB rays to help prevent sunburns and long-term skin damage. The tight weave construction offers lasting sun protection...
  • FISH EASY: Designed specifically for anglers, this lightweight, relaxed fit, nylon shirt dries fast, keeps you cool, and protects against harmful UV light
  • BREEZY COOL: Mesh-lined back vents let in and out a cooling breeze—perfect in hot, humid weather
  • PERFORMANCE DETAILS: A rod holder provides hands-free convenience, and four chest pockets with hook-and-loop closures help store your small essentials
  • BUILT TO LAST: Columbia’s attention to detail is what sets our apparel apart. Specifying only the highest quality materials, expert stitching and craftsmanship. This is a long-lasting shirt you will...
Bestseller No. 5
American Flag Fish Fisher Fisherman Funny Bass Fishing USA T-Shirt
  • American Flag Fishing for men and women fisher. Fish gift for kids like boys boy or girls girl who like to catch bass fish with dad daddy father. Fishermen design for fly fishing as fisherman. Angler...
  • Catch trout , salmon or bass pike with fishing line. Fisherman like to tackle catfish or walleye crappie bluegill carp
  • Lightweight, Classic fit, Double-needle sleeve and bottom hem
Bestseller No. 6
Palmyth Fishing Shirt for Men Long Sleeve Sun Protection UV UPF 50+ T-Shirts with Pocket (Largemouth bass/Flag, Large)
  • Hidden Zipper Pocket: Unlike most fishing shirts, Palmyth fishing shirt has a hidden convenience pocket (7.8”X6.7”)on the right side, you will have a place to put a lot of things like cell phone,...
  • Super Breathability: You can't fish on the water for long when you are wet and cold. To stay dry, you need a super breathable fishing shirt. Our MythCool fabric moisture wicking system combined double...
  • Sun Protection: MythCool 4-WAY stretch fabric protect your skin from the sun's harmful rays with UPF 50+ sun protection, properties to minimize odor and outstanding wicking performance for important...
  • Professional Design: Built-in thumb loops secure the sleeves in place letting you cast fishing rod from any angle without any worry about sleeves; Your glasses are often foggy when you go fishing in...
  • Multipurpose Fishing Short: Suitable for daily wear, fly fishing, lure fishing, kayak fishing, great for inshore, offshore, freshwater, and saltwater. It’s a great gift for fisherman, angler or...
Bestseller No. 7
HUK Men's Standard Fishing Graphic Tee, Performance Short Sleeve, Quick-Dry, Fletch N Bones-Sunburn
  • HUK: Uniting anglers through performance-engineered, technical gear designed to fuel your passion and pursuit no matter when, where or how you fish
  • HUK FISHING GRAPHIC TEE: The most comfortable tee for on and off the water. Get ready- this is your next favorite tee
  • SUN PROTECTION: This fishing shirt protects your skin from the sun's harmful rays - Huk added the most advanced sun-blocking +50 UPF materials to their apparel to block both UVA and UVB rays
  • COMFORTABLE: Extremely comfortable crew top with blended fabric to provide flexibility and stretch
  • AUTHENTIC HUK DESIGNS: Each HUK t-shirt features the iconic HUK logo and designs that highlight the passion of fishing both on and off the water
Bestseller No. 8
Palmyth Pocket Fishing Shirts for Men Long Sleeve UPF 50+ T Shirt Sun Protection Tee (Navy/Skull and Rods, L)
  • Chest Pocket: With stylish fish print at the pocket to match the back fish design to add this long sleeve tee more style and character. Unique fish graphic on this cool shirts to make you stand out on...
  • Sun Protection: Myth-Cool fabric featured with UPF 50+ sun protection, gives your skin safeguarding during outdoor fishing adventures. Long sleeve to provide extra sun protection for your arms. With a...
  • Quick Dry: It transport the sweat to drier areas away from your skin to the exterior of the light weight fishing t-shirt where it can evaporate more quickly and efficiently. Machine washable,...
  • Dexterity Fit: MythCool 4-WAY stretch fabric to ensure with full of tension. Loose cut to ensure fit more comfort. The roomy raglan sleeves to allow comfort without limiting movement when casting or...
  • Multi-Occasion: Suitable for daily wear, fly fishing, lure fishing, kayak fishing, great for inshore, offshore, freshwater, and saltwater, at beach. It’s a nice gift for fisherman, angler or anyone...

Best Fishing Shirts – Buyers Guide

If you’re looking for a shirt  specifically to go out fishing in, we commend you for your decision, and you’ve come to the right place.  Regular shirts don’t always allow the same movement or comfort you get in a shirt that’s designed to go fishing in.  We’ll walk you through everything you might want to think about before you buy.

Comfort

When you’re looking for a fishing shirt, sure you can pick something that looks good.  But that should by no means be your only consideration.  When you’re wearing a garment for several hours, you need it to be comfortable.

There are many different factors which can affect how comfortable your shirt is.  These include the fit, the material, breathability, sun protection, splash and rain protection.  Let’s go through each in turn.

Fit

When casting a line you need a wide range of motion.  And there are two ways to achieve this.  You can go for a really loose fitting shirt, and this is a popular option.  Or you can go for something that’s super tight, so it feels like you’re not wearing a shirt at all.  It’s not for us to say which is the best option for you, that comes down to personal preference.

Material

Keeping at your preferred temperature can be something of a balancing act.  If the material of your shirt is too thick you may get too hot.  Or if you’re wearing something loose fitting and thin, you might get cold when it starts to get windy.

The material used in the shirt also affects whether it’s machine washable which is always a plus.

Breathability

If you’re fishing from a river bank you may get some much needed shade from a nearby tree.  But if you’re out on a boat on a lake, you’re going to be out in the sun for a long time.  And to prevent overheating, you can get fishing shirts that are ventilated to give some breathability to them.  Usually this is done by placing vents in the shirt around the armpits and the back.

Sun protection

When you’re holding a rod trying to catch a fish, you don’t want to have to stop every so often to put sunscreen on.  We think this is why long sleeved shirts are so popular for wearing fishing.  And we’ve deliberately included several long sleeve fishing shirts amongst our Top 5 picks.

That said, it’s not by any means compulsory, and you should definitely dress how you want to dress and we’ve included a short sleeve fishing shirt in our Top 5 picks, specifically the Number 2 pick, the Columbia Men’s PFG Tamiami II Short Sleeve Shirt.

Many fishing shirts also have a UPF rating.  This means that the fabric itself has some sun protection properties within the material other than merely providing shade.  For wearing whilst fishing, if possible you should aim for a fishing shirt with a UPF rating of at least 30.

Your best option for sun protection however is to go for a shirt with a UPF rating of 50+ as this will block out 98% of all the sun’s UVA and UVB rays.

Splash and rain protection

Some fishing shirts feature water resistance, which is a great feature when you’re pulling your fish out, or if you get caught in a light shower.

Similarly many fishing shirts feature moisture wicking properties.  What this does is to help keep you dru by absorbing moisture, like sweat or splashed water, and then allow it to quickly evaporate

PFG Shirts

PFG stands for Performance Fishing Gear, and it’s specially designed for use while fishing.  PFG shirts generally provide the right mix of breathability, comfort, and sun protection.

Unfortunately though this is not a common generic thing amongst clothing manufacturers, but is an exclusive element of the Columbia brand.  The good news is that we’ve included some PFG shirts in our Top 5 picks, specifically our Number 1 pick, the Columbia Men’s Bahama II Long Sleeve Shirt, and our Number 2 pick, the Columbia Men’s PFG Tamiami II Short Sleeve Shirt.

Frequently Asked Questions

Do fishing shirts keep you cool?

Fishing shirts are specially designed to keep you cool.  More often than not a fishing shirt will feature moisture wicking properties, which means that if you start to sweat, the moisture will be absorbed into the material and quickly evaporate out.  All 5 of the fishing shirts in our Top 5 picks have this capability.

But that’s not the only feature that fishing shirts use to help keep you cool.  A loose fit can help allow a breeze through, and some fishing shirts are made from a breathable material and/or have mesh vents.

Some people would argue that short sleeve shirts help to keep your arms cool, while others would argue that wearing long sleeves helps to keep the sun off your arms.

What does HUK stand for in fishing?

HUK is not really a fishing term.  It’s the name of a brand that makes fishing gear.  It’s a very good brand, and they have a broad range of apparel for men, women and youths, that’s all designed with fishing in mind, and has all the properties you could want in a fishing shirt.

We have featured 2 fishing shirts in our Top 5 picks, and they are our Number 4 pick, the HUK Mens Double Header Vented Long Sleeve Shirt, and our Number 5 pick, the HUK Men’s Fishing UPF 50+ Lightweight Icon X Camo Fade Long Sleeve Shirt.

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