When you check out any fishing show on the television, chances are high that you probably noticed that fishermen tend to wear a certain “uniform” consisting of long sleeves and long pants. It’s almost a trope, right? Did you ever wonder why they chose their attire?
Why do fishermen wear long sleeves? There are many reasons why fishermen might choose to wear long sleeves, including the following reasons:
- Sun Exposure
- Low Temperatures
- Protection from Insects
- Protection from Aquatic Creatures
- Protection from Poisonous Plants
- General Comfort
Though not all fisherman choose to wear long sleeves, the truth is that wearing a long-sleeved tee shirt can make a huge difference in your overall experience while you fish. If you don’t believe it, take a quick look at these explanations for sleeves below.
Why Do Fishermen Wear Long Sleeves?
Fishermen really do seem to enjoy their long-sleeved shirts, don’t they? They even wear them in warm weather! It’s a bit strange to the casual observer, but truthfully, there’s plenty of good reasons why a fisherman would choose to wear a long-sleeved shirt.
Believe it or not, most of the reasons why fishermen wear their clothes don’t deal with style. Rather, the vast majority of the reasons for long sleeves in this sport deal with getting more protection against the elements.
How Important Is Wearing The Right Shirt For A Fishing Trip?
Like with any other major sporting activity, having the right attire when you go out on a fishing trip can make a pretty big difference in how much fun you have and how safe you stay while you’re out. After all, clothing protects us from the elements.
Having the right shirt when you’re going fishing can offer the following perks:
- Better comfort during difficult weather. Believe it or not, hot and cold weather can both be a reason to wear the right long-sleeved shirt. It all depends on the build of the shirt’s material.
- Less chance of insect bites. If you have ever spent a day in a region that had a mosquito problem, you’ll understand why having a shirt that prevents bug bites is a huge deal.
- Less chance of sunburn. People who intend on fishing for hours may want to invest in gear that can help protect them from sunburn. After all, SPF 50 can only do so much, and reapplying can be a pain.
- Less exposure to various elements. From barbed plants to leeches, a good shirt can help reduce chances of sports injuries and mishaps.
Do You Absolutely Need Long Sleeves To Fish?
With many sports, getting the right attire is crucial for success. That being said, fishing is not one of those sports. Sure, having a good long-sleeved shirt can help, but it’s not mandatory by any means of the word.
Though there are a lot of benefits to wearing the right shirt for a fishing outing, there are still plenty of casual fishing fans who wear regular tees on outings without issue. It all depends on how serious you are about the sport and how much protection you need.
Is Wearing Short Sleeves A Rookie Mistake?
When you take into account all the benefits a fisherman can get from having a quality long-sleeved shirt, it’s easy to assume certain things about fishing enthusiasts who choose to wear tees instead. But, are tee-shirt wearers really only rookies making mistakes?
It all depends on why they’re wearing tees. If you’re just fishing for a half-hour, are casual when it comes to your practice of the sport, or if it’s a spur of the moment type of deal, a short-sleeved shirt won’t make that big of a difference.
Of course, there are always exceptions to the rule. There are plenty of professional sportsmen who prefer to wear short sleeves just because they find it to be more comfortable. So, don’t judge a book by its cover…or a fisherman by their shirt.
Protection From Sun Exposure
If you ask any fisherman about their favorite time to grab a pole and start fishing, they’ll tell you that they enjoy doing it on a warm, sunny summer day. It’s understandable, too. There’s something really relaxing about whiling away your hours on a boat waiting for a bite.
Fun as it may be to enjoy the sun, there’s a serious downside to fishing during bright sunny days to consider: sunburn. Think about the following facts for a moment:
- Sunburns can happen in as little as half an hour. Most fishing excursions are at least one to two hours in length. This means that going out with a short-sleeved shirt could lead to a higher risk of sunburn.
- Sunburns hurt and increase your risk of skin cancer. Skin cancer is a lethal sickness that is also fairly preventable. Health-conscious fishermen will want to minimize their risks, and at times, they may choose to prevent skin cancer by choosing a sun-proof shirt.
- Water and ice can both increase the power of sunlight. UV rays reflect off water and ice, making fishing a sport that puts participants at a higher risk of sunburn than other endeavors.
- Reapplying sunscreen is something that people usually forget. Sunscreen application isn’t a “one and done” issue. To make sure you avoid sun damage, you need to regularly apply it. Most fishermen tend to forget to do this–or just don’t want to.
- There are long-sleeved shirts on the market that come with built-in SPF. If you are sensitive to the sun, buying a long-sleeved shirt with built-in sun protection can make your fishing trip a lot easier and also prevent burns.
It’s worth noting that most health organizations strongly encourage people who are outdoors on extremely sunny days to cover up. Fishermen who heed that warning are quite wise for doing so.
Do All Shirts Offer Sun Protection?
All clothing offers at least a little bit of protection from the sun. The thing is, not all shirts are equal when it comes to sun protection. Some are specially designed for sun protection and are ideal for people who are light-sensitive.
If you are currently looking for a shirt that can offer a decent amount of sun protection, keep an eye out for shirts that have a built-in SPF factor with them. You can find these shirts online (link to Amazon) at most sporting goods stores.
How Much Sun Protection Do You Need?
Sun-protective shirts can have a wide range of SPF ratings. For most fishermen, having a shirt that has an SPF rating of 30 to 50 will be more than enough to help them stay sunburn-free during their outing.
That being said, seasons can play a huge role in how much SPF you need in a shirt. If you are going on an ice fishing outing and will be wearing multiple layers, chances are that buying an SPF 30 shirt would be overkill.
Temperature Assistance
Have you ever gone out on a cold winter day with only a tee-shirt? Assuming you aren’t very weather-hardy, you probably weren’t too comfortable when you had this happen. Cold isn’t very fun to be in, especially when you’re under-dressed.
Though there’s plenty of fishing to be done on hot summer days, people forget that fishing can be a winter sport or fall sport as well. When you’re going ice fishing, you should expect to wear a long-sleeved shirt and coat–at the very least.
Of course, you don’t have to be fishing in the dead of winter to have reason to wear a long-sleeved shirt for temperature-related purposes. Even fishing before dawn can be a chilly experience!
Why Do Fishermen Wear Long Sleeves In Hot Weather?
Many onlookers are baffled to see fishermen wearing long sleeves in hot weather, and are even more shocked to find out they are wearing these shirts comfortably. It’s a conundrum, but the truth is that there’s a reason they wear them.
It is possible to find long-sleeved shirts that are built for hot weather and are capable of keeping you cooler than a typical tee will do.
Choosing The Right Long-Sleeved Shirt For Your Weather
Considering how many fishermen wear long sleeves in both the summer and winter, it’s clear that there are different shirts for different seasons. Here are some tips that can help you choose a smart shirt for your outing:
- The hotter the weather, the lighter the color. Light gets absorbed by dark colors, which in turn, traps heat. Wearing a light long-sleeved shirt is a good idea if you are fishing in summer and don’t want to soak in heat.
- Light materials breathe more, heavy materials heat more. Fishing in colder weather is tough without a nice, thick long-sleeved shirt. Fishing in warm weather, on the other hand, is best suited for light fabrics.
- Thermals are always a wise choice in winter. This is the easiest way to make sure that you stay toasty during colder weather.
- If you’re prone to sweating in hot weather, choosing a shirt that offers, wicking can help keep you dry. No one likes the feeling of perspiration underneath their shirts. Thankfully, shirts are now being made that can wick away that sweat. It’s a great way to stay dry.
Protection From Insects
Anyone who’s ever tried to go fishing will tell you that fish aren’t the only animals you’ll interact with when you are trying to catch a fish. Almost every lake and stream will have these creatures nearby:
- Mosquitos. These disease-carrying critters are the bane of many fishermen’s existence.
- Crickets. Though they don’t bite, they can be annoying.
- Spiders. Not all spiders are safe for people to be around. Getting a spider bite when you’re fishing can lead to a hospital visit if you’re unlucky.
- Ants. Ants can bite, too.
Bug spray can only do so much when it comes to preventing critters from biting you, especially if you’re in an area prone to insect swarms. A little bit of cloth can work as a barrier that renders certain insect bites harmless.
Knowing how much protection a simple shirt can offer, it’s easy to see why many fishermen and outdoorsmen choose to wear long sleeves as a way to help guarantee a bite-free day.
Choosing A Shirt That Keeps Insects At Bay
Much like the matter of sun protection or the matter of temperature protection, fishermen can also choose shirts based on how good they are at protecting you from insect life. There’s now technology that helps turn shirts into bug-repelling tools.
Companies can now use permethrin as an additive in clothing fibers. This unique compound is a synthetic form of a natural bug-repelling compound found in chrysanthemum flowers. Permethrin-treated shirts do not have a particular odor, nor do they stop being functional after one use.
Is Getting A Permethrin-Treated Shirt Worth It?
Long-sleeved shirts that come with built-in insect repellent are generally considered to be a good investment for any fisherman that wants to avoid getting bitten by bugs.
Getting a permethrin-treated shirt offers these benefits:
- It doesn’t spark allergies. Many natural bug repellents can provoke allergies in people, but not this one. It’s a hypoallergenic solution to insect problems.
- It’s reusable. If you were concerned about decreasing waste, this is a great way to be more eco-friendly and curb single-use aerosol cans.
- Permethrin doesn’t smell. Citronella candles aren’t everyone’s cup of tea. Wearing a mosquito-proof shirt can be a less stinky alternative for fishermen with sensitive noses.
- Wearing it means you won’t have to panic if you forget bug spray. Packing a can of bug spray is a must if you want to fish near a lake or swamp, but let’s just face it. We all make mistakes, and we can all forget that can. A bug-repelling shirt can help you avoid being eaten alive by mosquitos if you forget your bug spray.
- Permethrin isn’t toxic. It’s no secret that chemical sprays like DDT can be toxic to both people and wildlife nearby. Permethrin is a naturally-occurring compound that is proven to be safe.
- Most bug-repellant shirts are also fairly affordable. You don’t have to pay an arm and a leg for a shirt that can help repel insects. You can check them out on Amazon here.
Can All Bug Bites Be Prevented By Fabric?
This is a common question that newbie fishermen and outdoorsmen ask, and it’s one that’s difficult to answer completely. Every shirt is a little different, and every situation will be slightly different, too.
In most cases, having a specialty shirt geared towards insect protection will significantly reduce the number of bites your arms and torso will experience. If the shirt’s material is thick enough, it can also reduce other forms of stings that can happen while you’re outdoors.
That being said, there aren’t too many shirts that can help you if a bug crawls up your sleeve and tries to have a feast on your arm. Getting sleeve cuffs that cling close to your wrists can help, though.
Protection From Aquatic Creatures
Every once in a while, fishermen will end up taking a spill into the river or lake that they’re trying to catch fish in. Boats capsize, a misstep or slip on the bank, and if you are skittish, you can also end up getting startled to the point of falling in the water. These things happen.
A little bit of water on your clothing might be a nuisance, but there’s actually a bigger issue that should concern fishermen: critters in the water. Though rare, aquatic creatures like leeches can pose a health risk or just put a damper on an otherwise fun day out.
Once again, having sleeves can prevent you from having to pull leeches and other similar creatures from your body. That being said, this is a reason fishermen might not think of when they choose what to wear that day.
Protection From Poisonous Plants
As you can probably guess, there are other threats to a person’s well-being that can be thwarted via the right fishing wear. One of the most common reasons to wear long-sleeved shirts deals with poisonous plants. If you think about it, it makes a lot of sense.
Fishermen who have to hike through brush in order to get to a fishing spot tend to be more focused on the fishing they are going to do than their surroundings. It only takes a single scrape to end up with a rash that lasts for days or even weeks.
If wearing a long-sleeved shirt protects you from days of poison ivy rash, why wouldn’t you wear one?
General Comfort
Believe it or not, many people just find long-sleeved shirts to be the more comfortable option for just about every activity–fishing included! When you have a shirt that can keep you cool in hot weather while protecting you from the elements, it’s easy to see why you might want to wear it around.
With a lot of fishermen, the reason they wear long-sleeved shirts has little to do with actual comfort. Sometimes, it’s just enjoying having your favorite shirt on your back while you cast a line into the net.