Columbia Sportswear’s Guide to Fly Fishing Apparel

When you get serious about outdoor adventure, you get serious about apparel. And even if you are just flirting with trying out a new sport, like fly fishing, you want to dress so you are comfortable, prepared for the elements, and look the part.

Whether you are a first time caster, or a seasoned pro, dressing for fly fishing means preparing for quickly changing conditions. Think staying cool in the sun, dry in severe conditions, and warm whether you are in the water, or hiking the bank.  Even though weather forecasting has gotten much better in recent years, storms blow in when you least expect them. Even the most predictable day of fishing can start out a bluebird day, and progress to bone-chilling cold by the time you pack it up and head home. 

When you’re picking out your fly fishing outfit, we recommend going from head to toe. And try on your apparel with your fishing vest and waders so you’ll have the system down. Here’s some expert advice on what to look for when you’re selecting your wardrobe.

One of your most important fly fishing accessories is a hat.  It protects your scalp from the sun, keeps your head warm in the cold, prevents hair from blowing in your face and provides eye shade. Plus, it’s pretty much your signature style piece, and an easy item to switch out to fit your mood.

Wide-brimmed hats, like  bucket and booney hats, provide 360-degrees of protection, and they’re a trending fashion staple for celebs and sports stars. They provide a fun canvas for your old flies, and often come with a chin strap so you don’t lose your lid to a stiff breeze.

Baseball caps have never gone out of style and nothing competes with the long brim for blocking the glare of the sun. And don’t forget the essential
neck gaiter: it’s the king of versatility as it can be worn as a headband, as neck and face protection, and as an anchor for your ball cap on windy days. In the winter months, pack a beanie for extra warmth. 

You’ll need to protect your eyes, especially while fishing as the glare of the sun off the water adds to the intensity of the light entering your eyes and can cause more damage. Sunglasses also shield your eyes from branches, stray flies and your pal’s fishing rod. 

Pick sunglasses that are polarized; they reduce glare, protect your eyes from harmful UV rays, and improve your ability to see below the surface of the water.

Fishing shirts are the core of your fishing wardrobe. Pick one with a collar that can be flipped up for additional neck protection and long sleeves that will cover your wrists and the top of your hands. You can wear a short-sleeved shirt but consider a more versatile one that’s designed to be worn with the sleeves down for sun and wind protection or rolled up—and secured in place with a unique button and tab--for less coverage. 

Even if you’re in a boat, fishing is a wet sport. A good fishing shirt needs to be made from material that dries quickly. It also should be made out of moisture wicking fabric to ensure that sweat is moved away from your skin and quickly evaporated into the air. Omni-Wick technology  fishing shirts do all this and more.

 Add a lightweight, long-sleeved, synthetic hooded sun shirt to your wardrobe for added sun protection. In sunny conditions, especially when you’re battling the reflection of the water, these lightweight hoodies shelter you from the harsh sun, protect your neck and head, and keep you cool. The built-in UV 40+ protection shields your skin better than sunscreen; full-coverage on your arms, neck and head reduces the amount of chemicals you put on your skin—chemicals that eventually get into our waterways.  

Your fishing kit should include a warm mid layer. This could be a sweater, vest, fleece jacket or even puffy jacket. Pick one that’s not too bulky and fits easily under your waterproof jacket. The material should be designed to keep you warm, even if it gets damp.

A  rain jacket should be packable, light, and of course, waterproof. It can double as a wind jacket or simply an extra layer for when temperatures drop. 

The best jacket for fly fishing combines breathability with waterproofness. Breathability is essential because fly fishing is an active sport; you’re bound to work up a sweat while casting your fly rod and reeling in your next big catch. You’ll want a jacket with a hemline that falls below your hips, so the coat doesn’t ride up when you are casting. Look for a jacket with a hood and consider your pocket requirements. 

If you’re fly fishing from shore or a boat and you won’t be wading in the water, choose a lightweight pair of pants to protect your legs from insects and the sun. Chances are, you’ll get wet and dirty regardless, so make sure your pants are made from a quick-drying material. Columbia’s  Omni-Shield Blood N’ Guts  and  Omni-Shield Release technologies are designed to repel stains and dry quickly. Make sure your pants have plenty of pockets to hold gear and gadgets. If you expect the weather to get hot, you can get pants that quickly convert to shorts thanks to hidden zippers that let you easily remove the legs from the knee down. 

The key to fly fishing footwear is traction. You’ll need different shoes if you are fishing from a boat or shore. If you are strictly on shore  choose shoes  that have soles with excellent grip and fairly aggressive tread. Look for lightweight uppers made from quick-drying materials. For winter fishing, you may need waterproof footwear. If you are fishing on a boat, you’ll need shoes with non-marking, no-slip soles. 

Gloves keep your hands dry and protected, while giving you the dexterity needed to handle your fishing gear. Wear lighter or fingerless gloves if the weather permits and fold-over gloves so you can bare your fingers without removing the entire glove—in colder conditions. 

If you’re staying onshore or fly fishing from a boat, you don’t need to worry about waders. However, fly fishing is often done in the thick of it, right down where the fish live. And that means wading, sometimes in very deep water.

For very shallow water you can get wading boots. These are like hiking boots, with excellent traction, but are designed to keep water out. They can be worn with stocking-foot wading pants for even more protection.

In many shallow creeks or ponds, consider hip waders. These have rubber boots at the end and pull up over your pants and attach to your belt or belt loops.

For deeper water, you can get full wading pants that pull on like regular pants. They still only protect you up to the waist but have built-in rubber boots or stocking-foot options. The stocking foot wading pants have a neoprene sock attached to the bottom and provide you with more flexibility when wading on uneven ground.

Chest waders are designed for deeper water. These are like waterproof overalls that come in boot-foot and stocking-foot options. You can get chest waders in a range of sizes, making it easy to suit any body shape and size. They also come in a variety of materials and varying degrees of breathability.

The soles of your waders or wading boots need to be tough enough to tackle sharp rocks, offer killer traction to keep you from slipping, and provide solid ankle support. Felt soles are quiet and smooth in the water, but rubber soles often give you better grip and stability. If you’re gearing up for some seriously challenging terrain, consider adding rubber or carbide-tipped studs for extra traction.