Anglers are always looking for ways to catch more fish. On bright, sunny days, however, one of the biggest challenges is avoiding skin damage.
While there are many things that you can do to protect your skin against UV rays, the best protectant is clothing.
Anglers are always looking for ways to catch more fish. On bright, sunny days, however, one of the biggest challenges is avoiding skin damage.
While there are many things that you can do to protect your skin against UV rays, the best protectant is clothing. You need to use every protective measure possible, but you will find that having the right clothing lets you stay on the water longer, which will only mean more fish.
BETTER THAN SUNSCREEN
Using sunscreen is an important part of protecting your skin, and you should always have some with you when fishing on a sunny day, but it can quickly wash away, forcing you to apply and reapply a fresh coating. Luckily, fishing apparel doesn’t wash away when you get splashed. In fact, with moisture-wicking technology, King Kracken shirts leave you dry and cool and protected from the sun. While fishing, it can be easy to forget about applying sunscreen every couple of hours. You won’t have that problem with fishing shirts and other clothing.
WON’T CHANGE THROUGHOUT THE DAY
One of the best ways that anglers avoid the sun is by fishing from the shade whenever possible. If fishing from the shore, you might keep moving until they find a nice shady spot. When fishing on the water, you might position your boat near the bank where the sun is blocked by a steep hill or a tall tree. This creates two problems, however. First of all, the shade will eventually change with the movement of the sun, forcing you to either move again or be exposed to possible sunburn. Second, it dictates that you fish from a certain area. Maybe the best fishing is off a sun-drenched bank nearby; in that case, it helps to have protective clothing.
FISH ANYTIME YOU WANT
The best times to avoid sunburns are the mornings and the evenings when the sun is sitting at a lower angle. However, maybe you only have time to go fishing in the middle of the day, when the sun is high and you are more likely to get a sunburn. In this case, you will want to have a cool, comfortable fishing shirt to protect your skin.
EASIER TO CARRY, STORE, AND USE
Just put it on before you go fishing. That’s it. Unlike sunscreen, you don’t have to worry about having enough on your boat or in your pack. You won’t have to think about it while you fish, you can simply put on your favorite fishing shirt and other skin-protecting apparel and head out for the water. No matter where you go, your fishing shirt will be with you, and when you wear high-quality items from Huk, you’ll barely notice it thanks to cool, light fabrics and comfortable materials.
MAKE PROTECTIVE CLOTHING PART OF YOUR ROUTINE
Remember to use sunscreen, avoid the sun when possible, and always wear high quality protective fishing apparel from King Kracken. Visit our online store today and you’ll find a huge selection of shirts, long-sleeves, and fishing masks, all designed to keep your skin safe from the sun.
For anybody who’s out on the boat and in the sun for most of the day, (as well as anybody who doesn’t like sunscreen) long sleeve fishing shirts are an essential addition to any fishing kit. While most fishing shirts have levels of sun protection built into the fabric, you can only really ensure full body protection by covering as much of your skin as possible. A long sleeve shirt eases any fears of burning, or irritation, or sunstroke.
When out on the water without tree cover and shade, sun protection is a must and so finding a fishing shirt that provides excellent and consistent sun protection is one of the first things you need to think about. The best fishing shirts will ensure this protection through a variety of methods whether through a long sleeve design or a sturdy collar. You can get short sleeve fishing shirts (which we’ll get to), which won’t give you adequate protection on the forearms, and so this is up to you to fix either with a long-sleeved undershirt or sunscreen.
Comfort is another thing to think about before buying a fishing shirt, but isn’t something you’ll know until you actually buy one and get a feel for how comfortable it. In the meantime, you can recognize what makes a shirt that’s comfortable based on the size, breathability options, material, and general fit, all of which we discuss further down). Some shirts may have awkward stitching along the seams or collar tags, which can also impede comfort and transform your fishing trip something fun to something you wish you’d never done. (That was not supposed to rhyme).
While the lake or ocean breeze can cool you down, sometimes it may feel a little stuffy which gives the potential for overheating and other issues. A fishing shirt with excellent breathability will ensure excellent comfort all day long, and some better fishing shirts will have built-in vents around the armpits and back, where most of the sweat comes from. This helps to keep the shirt and you as dry as possible and helps you enjoy fishing like you should.
There are two types of fits you need to look for in fishing shirts: tight and loose. This might sound stupid, but when you factor in the levels of mobility fishing requires, it makes sense. Tighter shirts feel like provide less overall restriction as it would if you weren’t wearing a shirt at all - but then you’d spend a fortune on sunscreen - however loose-fitting shirts also provide this. When casting a line, you need a wide range of motion to get enough power and control over the rod and line. It may come down to preference and the demands of where you’re fishing regarding weather and climate.
Being right next to water, you want a fishing shirt that offers at least a tiny bit of water resistance. This is where tighter shirts come in useful as you cannot expect a loose-fitting shirt to keep water out. There are also shirts which have special waterproof pockets, which is great for when you want to bring your smartphone to take a middle-of-the-lake selfie, but are scared about it getting damaged. You have no doubt also noticed the moisture wicking features present in all fishing shirts. While this isn’t the same as water resistance, it helps to keep you dry by absorbing and then evaporating and sweat or splashed water gets onto the shirt.
From polyester to cotton to somewhere in between, there’s a variety of different material options for fishing shirts. Depending on where you’ll wear it, you need to consider which material will be best for you. We’ve already mentioned the moisture wicking features present in all shirts, so think about warmth and coolness (not like Hey, you look cool but temperature-wise) to ease any issues with the sun or wind and the weight of the material. You may not think a heavy shirt has the chance to weight you down, but wearing it all day in the sun can cause problems.
There are two primary types are shirts that are dedicated solely to fishing. While you can get by with regular shirts, these typically won’t offer you the same movement or accessibility that a proper fishing shirt will.
Long sleeve shirts are like t-shirts in that they are simple pullover garments. There are no buttons, no zips, and no collars and there are usually no pockets either - although designs may vary. These shirts are made of tight fitting and lightweight material and can often double as diving or swimming shirts. The long sleeves offer the most protection from the sun, but in terms of functionality, that’s about the only thing they can always do better than a button-up shirt.
The button up fishing shirt is the traditional garment you think of when thinking of someone going fishing - usually coupled with a puffy vest, fishing hat, and shorts, no matter the temperature. Although some people may not consider them as modern or stylish as the long sleeve shirts, they have a wide variety of functions and features that make them something to consider when planning everything for your next fishing trip. This includes features like pockets and rod loops while still giving you the same sun protection and moisture wicking as long sleeves. Some button ups are long-sleeved, giving you versatility you don’t get with long sleeve tees and you can simply roll the sleeves up if need be.
A rod loop is a part of the fishing shirt that holds the rod in place, giving you hands-free fishing options. These loops are mainly found underneath one of the chest pockets and are stitched in permanently, or with a piece of velcro on one side to make it easier to loop the rod through. While they’re mainly to hold your rod in place, you can also keep your glasses, clipper, and forceps there, too.
PFG stands for Performance Fishing Gear, which we’re sure you’re just a little disappointed not to figure out yourself, right? It’s exclusive to the Columbia brand, so you’ll only see it on their products such as ordained along the sleeve or on the chest. As you can probably guess, it gives lets you know about the quality of the shirt and how well it ‘performs’ in the fishing environment. This can relate to breathability, comfort, warmth, and sun protection.
Fishing shirts offer several levels of protection from the sun. Going from UPF 30 to 50+. You might think you may as well get the 50+ shirt, as at least you’re guaranteed protection. However, if you don’t need it and it costs more money than a UPF 40 or 30, then stick to what you need. You can also improve your sun protection by wearing undershirts or applying sunscreen if you’re out on the lake all day. Not all fishing environments require sun protective clothing, but it’s a good idea to get at least some items just in case.