There’s no reason you can’t go fishing in a regular shirt. Millions of people do every year. However, with the advances in garment technology there are some reasons you may want to go with a fishing-specific shirt. Simms makes some of the best ones on the market.
UV Protection
Anytime you are going to spend a day on the water, particularly a bright sunny day, you are going to increase your risk of UV exposure. While sunscreen helps, wearing a shirt with built-in UV protection works exponentially better. It provides better coverage and is immune to water and sweat, unlike sunscreen. Simms produces an entire line of short and long sleeve shirts that feature UPF 50 protection.
Insect Repellant
No one likes spending a day on the water getting swarmed by mosquitos, deer flies, and black flies the whole time. Simms also offers several styles of fishing shirts which include BugStopper protection. The bug repellant is woven into the fabrics and cannot be washed out. These shirts work and beat having to use harsh chemical bug sprays, especially when on the water. The Simms BugStopper Solarflex Hoody features the insect repellant technology, the UPF50 rating, and is lightweight and breathable.
Cooling Technologies
When it’s 80 degrees the last thing on your mind may be putting on a long sleeve shirt. However, Simms offers a line of Ultracool shirts that will change the way you look at long sleeves. The shirts feature an advanced degree of breathability, wicking/fast drying technology, and still retain their UPF50 rating. The Solarflex Ultracool Armor shirt features some awesome fishing camo patterns, has a built-in neck gaiter for sun coverage, UPF50 protection, and is made with their Avra cooling fabrics.
Angler Friendly Features
Depending on which Simms shirt you select, many of them have built-in features that are designed with fishing in mind. Stretch panels and articulated shoulders help with casting while not having to worry about getting hung up on your shirt. Large chest zipper pockets provide convenient storage for small fly and tackle boxes. Also, many of their button-down shirts feature a chamois panel for easy cleaning of sunglasses.
Why You Need One
Simms fishing shirts are not cheap ranging from $50-$150 depending on the model you select. However, wearing a dedicated fishing shirt can be a game-changer when you are spending many hours on the water during the summer. The models that feature the BugStopper and UPF50 protection are some of the greatest fishing shirts on the market. If they get wet, they will dry quickly due to the wicking fabrics. All Simms products are backed up by their industry-leading warranty.
