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
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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.