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
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. 2
Columbia Men's Terminal Tackle Long Sleeve Fishing Shirt, Bright Nectar/Vivid Blue Logo, X-Large
  • OMNI-SHADE: Be safe and protected. Omni-Shade blocks UVA and UVB rays to help prevent sunburns and long-term skin damage. The tight weave construction with UV absorbent yarns block the full spectrum...
  • OMNI-WICK: The ultimate moisture management technology for the outdoors. Omni-Wick quickly moves moisture from the skin into the fabric where it spreads across the surface to quickly...
  • ADVANCED PROTECTION: The Columbia Men’s PFG Terminal Tackle Long Sleeve Shirt guards against sun damage thanks to the built-in UPF 50 material. It’s a breathable, quick wicking fabric that pulls...
  • PFG COMFORT & BREATHABILITY: Made from a polyester interlock quick-dry material, this fishing shirt is right at home on the water
  • CLASSIC FIT: This long sleeve Tee Shirt is designed for classic fit, built for ultimate comfortability in any adventure
Bestseller No. 3
Bassdash UPF 50+ Men’s UV Sun Protection Long Sleeve Performance Fishing Hoodie Hooded Shirts
  • Long sleeve design and 50+ UPF protection keeps your skin healthy, so you can be active all day in the sun with confidence; Comfortable, relaxed mock turtleneck and hood for extra sun protection of...
  • The moisture-wicking fabric manages the perspiration to keep you dry and comfortable
  • The breathability enhanced with the Mesh Back / Under Sleeve keeps you cool when active in heat
  • The elastic material allows for a full range of movement when casting or reeling in
  • Great for fishing adventure as well as casual wear - well suited as a sun protection golf T shirt, UV long sleeve tennis shirt and sun blocking long sleeve gardening shirt; Also great for other...
Bestseller No. 4
Roadbox UPF 50+ Fishing Shirts for Men Long Sleeve Sun Protection Lightweight Outdoor UV Hiking Shirts
  • UPF 50+ Polyester Fabric: Experience our sun protection clothing crafted from UPF 50+ polyester fabric,offering lightweight comfort,softness,and reliable UV protection. It's the perfect gift for your...
  • UV Protection: With UPF 50+ UV protection,our men's long sleeve fishing hoodie shield your skin and neck from sun rays,allowing you to enjoy outdoor activities worry-free.
  • Moisture-Wicking Technology: Designed with moisture-wicking and quick-dry technology,our mens swim shirts swiftly remove moisture from your skin,keeping you dry and comfortable. Whether...
  • Ergonomic Design: Meticulously designed,our fishing shirts seamlessly combine ergonomic flat lockstitch sewing for a natural,unrestricted feel.
  • Versatile for All Outdoor Sports: Tailored for fishing,hiking,traveling,boating,climbing,running,workout,or simply lounging at the beach,our sun protection clothing ensures optimal protection for any...
Bestseller No. 5
HUK Men's Standard Pursuit Vented Long Sleeve Hoodie, Fishing Shirt with Hood, Moss, Medium
  • 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 hoodie 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
  • MOISTURE TRANSPORT: Keeping dry is critical to keeping warm on the cold water - this sweatshirt's material has hydrophobic qualities to transports water & sweat away from the skin
  • 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
Bestseller No. 6
HUK Men's Standard Fishing Graphic Tee, Performance Short Sleeve, Quick-dry, Tuna Sketch-Set Sail
  • 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. 7
isnowood Sun Shirt UPF 50+ Men's Fishing Long Sleeve UV Protection Hoodie Hiking Rash Guard Swimming Running Green
  • High-Quality Fabric: UPF 50+ Polyester Fabric fiber, completed through 6 procedures and tested by 10,000 people. It has perfect breathable and quickly wick away perspiration, keeping you dry and...
  • All-round Sun Protection UPF 50+: We added a thumb hole and a hat on the first generation process to cover our body in all directions, avoid the troubles of ultraviolet rays.Never worry about the...
  • Ergonomic Design: According to comprehensive indicators such as the height and weight of the American people, and adopting the recommendations of Dr. Rose from the University School of Design, we have...
  • Suitable for Various Sports Scenes: Our summer long-sleeved shirts are very suitable for fishing, sailing, swimming, hiking, traveling, boating, rock climbing, walking, biking, skating, jogging,...
  • High-quality Service: Provide high-quality service in the store. As long as you give us a message, we will solve your problem seriously and quickly within 24 hours. Customer satisfaction is our...
Bestseller No. 8
BALEAF Men's Sun Protection Shirts UV SPF T-Shirts UPF 50+ Long Sleeve Rash Guard Fishing Running Quick Dry Blue Size L
  • Stay comfortable all day long with our lightweight and quick-dry fabric that wicks moisture away from your skin.
  • Protect your skin from the sun's harmful UVA/UVB rays with our UPF 50+ fabric.
  • Say goodbye to chafing with our flatlock seamlines and tagless collar that increase comfort.
  • Enjoy a relaxed fit that's not too tight, thanks to our lightweight long-sleeved shirts with raglan sleeves that provide a full range of motion.
  • Perfect for a variety of sports and activities, including athletic workouts, fishing, sailing, swimming, hiking, and more.

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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