After traveling thousands of miles and spending thousands of dollars to reach my dream fishing destination, a little bad weather isn’t going to keep me off the water. Coastal weather is notoriously fickle, changing from wet to dry, cold to hot, windy to calm all in one day. The key to comfort and safety in the marine environment is a wardrobe of clothes appropriate for everything mother nature throws at you. The latest inner, outer and underwear combines advanced technology with smart design to regulate temperature and moisture. If it’s raining or blowing or boiling hot, the weather is always pleasant inside my clothes.
Hot, Hot, Hot
Heat may be the most dangerous weather condition anglers face. Baking under the sun and sweating in the oppressive humidity is a one-way ticket to heat stroke and skin cancer.
The best defense is total skin coverage. My tropical ensemble includes the Twelve Weight Back Channel shirt and Columbia PFG Pro Pants. The shirt has mesh panels in the side and back and a loose fit to increase airflow and dry quickly. Columbia’s new PFG Pro Pants are stain and water repellent with cooling technology. My favorite feature is a drawstring at the pant cuff that keeps my ankles covered.
Afternoon thunderstorms are part of tropical climates, so Gill’s Aspect 2.0 jacket and bibs are part of my gear bag. The lightweight and low-bulk rain suit is breathable with a hood that encourages air flow and taped seams to keep out rain and salt spray. The tough material shakes off grit and slime and packs down to fit in my carry-on bag.
Blue Heaven
When I’m 60 miles offshore and the weather turns south, there is nowhere to run and hide. Performance clothing for bluewater fishing needs to adapt to the conditions to keep me comfortable through ever-changing weather I face over a long day offshore.
Adapt is the objective and the name of AFTCO’s most technological performance shirt. The new Adapt Tactical Phase Change shirt cools or warms me as the weather changes. Running offshore on a chilly morning, I wear the Adapt under a sweatshirt and the fabric stores body heat to stay warm. When I come off the throttles and the boat slows to trolling speed, I strip off the sweatshirt and the Adapt fabric releases heat to lower the temperature.
When I’m marlin fishing, I like to wear performance shorts. Backing down on a fleeing billfish throws water and spray over the transom and shorts dry faster without inhibiting my movement. The Huk A1A Pro shorts are stretchy and quick drying. I like the soft, grippy waist band that keeps the shorts from sagging when wet. A zippered side pocket holds my phone without interfering with movement.
The most important piece of my offshore kit is my Strike Footwear Bluefin Sneakers. Standing for hours waiting for a bite then rushing around the cockpit like Spud Webb, the Strike sneaker’s molded footbed and EVA sole provide solid support and spongy comfort while the micro-sipped and channeled sole puts down traction on a wet, slimy deck. The mesh upper and quick-drain footbed dry quickly and prevent stinky foot funk.
Snotty Weather
The true test of performance clothing is when the weather turns to crap. Anglers visiting northern climates depend on warm, dry and breathable gear to keep them comfortable on and off the water. Dress in layers with each piece of clothing functioning as an inner and outer layer.
The key to my foul weather gear system is a warm, water-resistant and breathable Mustang Torrens Hooded Thermal Jacket. In nice weather, the fleece hoodie with vented underarm panels is a warm and wind-resistant outer layer. When the clouds roll in and the wind kicks up, the hydrophobic material and cinchable hoodie repel spray and wind. Most important, the Torrens hoodie is thin enough to wear under my jackets and bibs.
Forty years ago, my first set of foul weather gear was Grunden’s blaze orange PVC bibs and jacket. For 2026, Grundens is celebrating 100 years of angler-focused performance clothes with a special themed line including their Deck Boss boots. Available in womens and mens models, the boots feature a cushy EVA sole to absorb shock and stretchy neoprene upper support that moves with my foot. The boots include an anti-odor cooling layer to keep them fresh day after day.
Read Next: Choosing the Right Rain Gear
Anglers rarely have a choice about the weather we face. When I’m on the trip of a lifetime, rain and wind aren’t going to stop my fishing plans. My best defense is Simms new Challenger Fishing Jacket and Bibs. Founded on a waterproof, breathable fabric with four way stretch, the jacket and bibs move with me without riding up or binding. A three-way adjustable hood keeps me covered in a howling gale or on a speeding flats boat. I can wear the Challenger all day without roasting in my own body heat.
Whatever the weather, there’s a clothing system to meet the conditions and keep you comfortable. When I travel for fishing, I don’t worry about losing days to the rain and wind, because I’m prepared with the best travel clothes to keep me warm and dry wherever I’m fishing.
