Fishing Shirts

[TLoomis]

Hey all,

Where do you go when you want to purchase a fishing shirt? I'm talking the button down, lightweight (or heavier for fall/winter), collared shirts. I've only worn a columbia PFG shirt, but I really liked it. Not enough to spend 60+ on one though as I have learned I am REALLY good at ruining things. A buddy of mine has a really sweet patagonia fishing shirt that has a bunch of outlined trout all over it, but isn't too flashy. I forget where he got it, but I know it was a killer deal. Patagonia (or Patagucci as we jokingly call it) makes some really cool stuff...

I saw a Cabelas Guide series (or something like that) on sale this weekend in Hamburg for 31.99 a shirt, but couldn't settle on a size/color combo that I liked. Not many regular sizes left (but tons of 1-5XL). I'm really picky about the way a shirt fits me.

So where do you guys go for shirts like this? Also, if you order them offline, how is the sizing? Like I said, I'm very picky about the way something fits, so I can be hesitant to order clothing offline if I don't trust it.

Thanks
Ty

 

[pcray1231]

I have only 2 such "fishing shirts", collared button down thingies with caped back, chest pockets, mesh liner etc. One's a light green short sleeve, one's a light khaki long sleeve. The long sleeve one is nicer, better material. But I would prefer a darker foresty color. This thing is sand colored and meant for fishing the flats or something, not a mountain trout stream. Even the green one is too light.

I'd prefer camo.

Got em both for christmas, both Cabela's guide series thingies. Sizing was fine. I wear a lot of t-shirts and golf shirts, wear an XL. XL fit me here too.

 

[TLoomis]

Nice. Yeah the shirts I have now are similar. One is a PFG shirt that is light blue, and I wear that one musky fishing. The other one is a cabela's shirt in khaki that I got when I tried out for the US Youth FF team. I like the cabelas one on days where it isn't too hot, but if its real hot out, the PFG is much more breathable.

Also, the cabelas shirt wrinkles like nothing I have ever seen before haha. But who really cares I mean we're walking around in a river for pete's sake.

 

[jdaddy]

the answer to this question is clearly sierra trading post. go to their site and sign up for the newsletter and "flyer" discounts. tgey will immediately bombard you witg 25-40% off coupons. look for free shipping too. i get tge vast majority of my technical gear there. $70 simms shirts for $15.

 

[NickR]

I like Jdaddys suggestion. I personally in the past buy Orvis Trout Bum shirts.

 

[TLoomis]

Thats exaaaactly what I was looking for j. Just got the Simms shirt I was lookin for, for 35 bucks shipped. Ill take it!

Appreciate it.

 

[bikerfish]

Im lucky to have a Columbia outlet 10 minutes from my house, they always have shirts on sale.

 

[The_Sasquatch]

There's special shirts for fishing? Dang. I just wear button down shirts that I get at Goodwill.

 

[Swattie87]

I like the Columbia shirts the best, but I agree...I won't pay $60+ for a shirt I intend to wear into the woods and heavy brush, get fish slime on, and regularly beat the snot out of.

Sierra Trading Post is a good bet and I've actually found them at Kohls and TJ Maxx in the $20-30 range before. Not being too picky on the color usually helps when bargain shopping for them too.

 

[k-bob]

fwiw I have been very rough brookie fishing with my crazy expensive Columbia Omni freeze airgill shirt and it has held up well...
I hate heat and will try anything to be cooler

http://www.basspro.com/Columbia-Airgill-Chill-Zero-Shirt-with-OmniFreeze-Zero-for-Men-Long-Sleeve/product/12102605165841/

 

[pwk5017]

Patagonia clothing is second to none. Absolutely, no competition. Aesthetically they are tops. Comfort they are tops. Everything. I get all major outdoor companies 65%+ so I realize its easy for me to say "get this, or get that", but I would pay a pretty penney for patagonia stuff. I wouldnt have every single article of clothing that they make(like I do now), I would use my budget to get a few items. Columbia makes some nice stuff. I dont like it as much as patagonia, but its cheaper so you have that. I cant say i wear anything northface related unless its sub 50 degrees. Mountain hardwear has awesome kayak shorts for boating and wet wading. I dont have a ton of experience with Simms, but I like what I have. I find the patagonia clothing to be comfier and less technical than simms. Simms you would look like a goofball wearing to dinner, or another casual situation. I only have one or two orvis things. A pair of pants and a shirt. I cant comment too much on that brand.

I find I like to get many purposes out of one garment. This is why I back "patagucci". Its awesome to be in all day, and it looks great. Lets me stay out on the water for an extra 45 mins, instead of going home to change out of my jorts before I pick my girlfriend up for dinner. Dont hate on something just cause its awesome Your buddy knows its awesome. I know its awesome. Buy a shirt and you will love it to death for the next ten years.

 

[pwk5017]

k-bob wrote:
fwiw I have been very rough brookie fishing with my crazy expensive Columbia Omni freeze airgill shirt and it has held up well...
I hate heat and will try anything to be cooler

http://www.basspro.com/Columbia-Airgill-Chill-Zero-Shirt-with-OmniFreeze-Zero-for-Men-Long-Sleeve/product/12102605165841/

Im so cheap I didnt even buy one of these omni-freeze shirts at 60% off. I somehow ended up getting one for free somewhere along the line. A long sleeved light blue shirt. Man, its a nice shirt. If you can get one at a discount, they are excellent. I wore mine yesterday.

 

[bigjohn58]

Woolrich when they have the big sales at their store location in Woolrich, PA. Since I live 10 minutes from there I can get quality shirts for $15 or so. Got 2 great raincoats for $12 each. They fold up and are very light. I keep an olive colored one in the back of my vest and got a blue one for Penn State games.

Oh and believe it or not TJ Maxx sometimes has "fishing" shirts there...even the Under Armour. Just a matter of finding your size.

 

[k-bob]

I agree that Patagonia makes great stuff. my latest model airgill was $130, but it has the most vent area of any shirt I could find, and the latest version of their cooling fabric stuff. who knows, but I use it often ... if it lasts a few years I am fine with that.

 

[jdaddy]

The_Sasquatch wrote:
There's special shirts for fishing? Dang. I just wear button down shirts that I get at Goodwill.

I fully agree with you in the types of fishing that you typically talk about doing. However, if you want to spend 10 hours a day on a drift boat in the blazing heat/sun, cooling through evaporation along with sun protection is incredibly relevant. It can make the trip exponentially more enjoyable.

 

[The_Sasquatch]

I did 10 hour floats in canoes (last Saturday, most recently. HOT!)...I was indeed ready to rip my shirt off by the end, but ain't nobody wanna see that! I guess some of my soccer jersies would allow for the kind of evaporation you are talking about, but they aren't any cheaper than the shirts mentioned here.

 

[jdaddy]

The_Sasquatch wrote:
I did 10 hour floats in canoes (last Saturday, most recently. HOT!)...I was indeed ready to rip my shirt off by the end, but ain't nobody wanna see that! I guess some of my soccer jersies would allow for the kind of evaporation you are talking about, but they aren't any cheaper than the shirts mentioned here.

Uggg. Why bring soccer into this? LOL.

In all seriousness, are those long sleeved? The technical shirts I prefer are excellent at evaporation/cooling, have a sun block rating of at least 50, are long sleeved and have "thumb holes" at the bottom on the sleeve so you can protect the tops of your hands which seem very susceptible to burn.

Mossy Creek Outfitters had a pile of these at the Lancaster Fly Show for $20 a copy.

http://www.patagonia.com/us/product/tropic-comfort-crew?p=52115-0-275

I got some deals on Simms technical shirts however I prefer the Patagonia.

I picked up a couple of these and have been very happy with them as well:

http://www.cabelas.com/product/Clothing/Mens-Casual-Clothing/Mens-Fishing-Clothing/Mens-Fishing-Shirts%7C/pc/104797080/c/104746680/sc/104329080/i/103936680/Cabelas-Guidewear-UPF-Knit-Hoodie/1547276.uts?destination=%2Fcatalog%2Fbrowse%2Fmens-fishing-shirts%2Fcabelas%2F_%2FN-1102591%2B1000002949%2FNe-1000002949%2FNs-CATEGORY_SEQ_103936680%3FWTz_l%3DSBC%253BMMcat104793480%253Bcat104329080%26WTz_st%3DGuidedNav%26WTz_stype%3DGNU&WTz_l=SBC%3BMMcat104793480%3Bcat104329080%3Bcat103936680

They were one sale in Hamburg for $30. They don't cool as well as the Patagonia shirts but the hood is nice for avoiding buff dorkiness.

 

[The_Sasquatch]

Some are long sleeve, but don't have the thumb holes that you speak of.

I find that the place I burn the most is on the top of my forearms, from my elbow down to my wrists. I see those guys out on the salt flats wearing those special fishing shirts and it doesn't seem like a bad idea. I'm half Irish. I burn like a banshee.

For the record, I wasn't knocking fishing shirts, I was just being a d-bag ;-)

 

[Swattie87]

kbob - My Columbia shirts have had held up well too. The oldest one is now probably 3 or 4 years old and has a small tear in one of the sleeves from catching it on a thorn branch...still have the corresponding scar on my bicep as well. The others still look new.

I just know the outgoing lines can be had for 50% or less than the brand new stuff from outlets like STP, so I buy there.

 

[jdaddy]

The_Sasquatch wrote:
Some are long sleeve, but don't have the thumb holes that you speak of.

I find that the place I burn the most is on the top of my forearms, from my elbow down to my wrists. I see those guys out on the salt flats wearing those special fishing shirts and it doesn't seem like a bad idea. I'm half Irish. I burn like a banshee.

For the record, I wasn't knocking fishing shirts, I was just being a d-bag ;-)

Thumb holes are as simple as a pair of scissors, lol.

I know you weren't knocking fishing shirts. They are completely unnecessary most of the time and are a choice. On average I am wearing a t-shirt when fishing. But trust me, when you take your trip to Maine you will want every inch of you body covered and it needs to be light weight breathable material. Biting bugs and humidity. Uggg.

Having said all of that, I think the OP was talking about those traditional flats fishing shirt that have the ventilation and all the pockets and stuff. I have a couple of those and rarely use them for fishing. Even with the ventilation, I find the cotton to be way to heavy and breath ability is bad. Only advantage to them is cooler weather and am traveling light. There I like all the pockets for boxes and what not.