Author Linda Leary is an avid fisherwoman and owner of Fishewear © Fishewear
Fishing Clothing blog by Linda Leary
Photos provided by Fishewear
There is no bad weather; only bad fishing clothing. How true this is…I learned a fishing apparel lesson in a good way many years ago. One October we were rafting with friends and I fell out of the boat into the raging, cold waters of Eagle River. I learned quickly that wool is your friend! That day I wore a wool sweater and socks and they were life savers. Even wet they kept me warm and prevented hypothermia, and I’ll never forget that.
That was the beginning of an extensive amount of outdoor adventures in Alaska. Growing up in Maine, I learned to enjoy the outdoors no matter the weather. Moving to Alaska, I quickly learned that things go sideways fast if you are not prepared. Plus, I am always cold, so I like to make sure I am layered in fishing clothing appropriate for any weather condition. I never bring cotton unless it is a T-shirt or tank top for really hot days, and even then I keep it in my dry bag.
Fishing Apparel Under Waders
Top
- Wool base layer against my skin (T-shirt or long sleeve)
- Windproof thin jacket
- Down or fleece vest
- Fleece or down coat
- Fishewear neck tube (Tip: Wrap a hand warmer in the tube at the back of your neck to keep your core warm). A neck tube can double as a headband.
- Hat – depending on the weather, ball cap, wool cap, or fleece
Bottom
- Fishewear leggings as a base layer
- Wool legging
- Puffy pant (if it’s really cold)
- Waders with Fishewear wading belt (for some fishing apparel style!)
Wading boots
- I like to wear one pair of thick wool socks—they let the air circulate and if I wear too many pairs my feet get cold
- Chemical foot warmers—great for keeping your feet warm inside the boots
Hands
- Depending on the weather I wear fingerless fishing gloves
- Latex or Nitrile gloves as a base layer if it is raining to keep my hands dry and warm
- For fall fishing I have a pair of down/poly mittens that wear and keep a hand warmer in them to warm my hands
Clothing in my Fishewear dry bag
Extra set of fishing clothing to include:
- Puffy coat
- Leggings or puffy pants
- Wool top
- T-shirt or tank top
- Chemical hand/feet warmers
- Chapstick
- Bug repellent
- Sunscreen
This list of fishing clothing may seem like a lot, but it is better to have too many items than to be cold; you can always take off layers. If you bring all of this fishing clothing, it often turns out to be a warm sunny day! Being prepared brings you good luck and great experiences in the outdoors!
Linda Leary is the owner of Fishewear and Women’s Flyfishing in Anchorage, Alaska. She is an avid outdoor enthusiast who travels all over the state championing women to enjoy fishing. A pioneer in the women’s fishing clothing realm, Fishewear provides fun, functional fishing apparel for women. Click here to visit Fishewear’s website, and click here to visit the Women’s Flyfishing website.
Want more? Click here for more gear-related blogs from Fish Alaska.