How Long Do You Wear Your Fishing Clothing

salmo

salmo

Well-known member
Joined
Apr 24, 2009
Messages
1,573
Location
South Jersey
I only fly fish 5-6 times per year. I fish in the salt another 8-10. My freshwater clothing and my salt are pretty much interchangeable. I happen to love my fishing clothes. My vest is now 22 years old (needs to be retired). I had a shirt from Montana that I wore for over 30 years. I have a pair of zip-off pants that are also at least 15 years old (also need to be donated to Good Will). Some of the clothing is lightly stained and some of the pants are ragged at the cuffs. I generally wash my own fishing clothing using Woolite, cool water and gently cycle. I either hang dry my stuff or dry on low heat. Also I don't fish much in the winter. Much of my gear is either LL Bean or Columbia Sportswear and I find the stuff wears like iron.

So, how long to you keep you fishing clothing?
 
I don’t have much fishing-specific clothing. The closest I get is a yellow columbia PFG shirt that has been my go-to shirt for ocean surf and boat fishing for years and a Lee jacket. The shirt is a classic…quite faded from the sun and blotched with numerous stains that would not come out in the wash…bluefish blood, my blood, various juices from stinky bait, and oil from reels. Likewise for a jacket with a zip out quilted liner that I have since 1977. No buttons remain on the cuffs, the liner is frayed at the cuffs, and the liner zipper broke decades ago. I’ve never owned or used a vest for other fishing in fresh water; I’ve only used a military over the shoulder ammo bag that is worn like a creel and now torn to shreds after 40 yrs of use. It’s double layered tough material though, so I’ll probably get another decade out of it, God willing.
 
Last edited:
I wear them until they smell or get stained...thats anywhere from 1 outing to 5 or 6 depending on the time of year. I don't think the fish really care though! As far as my vest...I wash it every year or two. Oh and I probably go trout fishing 50+ days a year.
 
salmo said:
So, how long to you keep you fishing clothing?
Click to expand...

Until it's more suitable as a rag vs. being clothing. Case in point, I have a 15+ year old fleece lined LL Bean shirt in dark green. Comfortable as heck but frayed at the cuffs and worn in other spots. My wife got me a new one a year or two ago, nice shirt but the colors a shade or so lighter. Just can't seem to retire the old one though I'm sure the new one will be just fine once broken in.

Hats....forget it, I wreck them every few seasons, sweat them to death via stink rot. They get exiled to the landfill.
 
Only thing really fishing specific that I wear now, are ****ies work pants under my waders.
And that's mainly because I wore them at work, and discovered that they work well quite well for fishing too.

Since I retired a few years ago, I don't no if I'll keep buying more when the current ones wear out.
Or buy "fishing" pants
One thing I know I won't wear - jeans, sweat pants, or shorts.

One newer thing that I have started wearing lately, are the UV blocking shirts - and buffs.
I think they're a great idea. And don't recall putting on sunblock yet this year
 
dryflyguy said:
Only thing really fishing specific that I wear now, are ****ies work pants under my waders.
And that's mainly because I wore them at work, and discovered that they work well quite well for fishing too.

Since I retired a few years ago, I don't no if I'll keep buying more when the current ones wear out.
Or buy "fishing" pants
One thing I know I won't wear - jeans, sweat pants, or shorts.

One newer thing that I have started wearing lately, are the UV blocking shirts - and buffs.
I think they're a great idea. And don't recall putting on sunblock yet this year
Click to expand...
Under Armour Cold Gear sweatpants are amazing in late fall, winter, early spring. Get the ones with the elastic cuffs so they don't ride up your leg when putting your waders on and you are golden! I don't even wear regular pants under my waders anymore. When its super cold I wear the Under Armour Cold Gear sweat pants with the Under Armour Cold Gear leggings. When its on the cool side I wear just the Cold Gear leggings. When it gets warm I go to the Under Armour Heat Gear leggings. SO much more comfortable than wearing regular pants of any kind. I just take a pair of super light hiking pants to slip over when I'm done fishing now.
 
bigjohn358 said:
Under Armour Cold Gear sweatpants are amazing in late fall, winter, early spring. Get the ones with the elastic cuffs so they don't ride up your leg when putting your waders on and you are golden! I don't even wear regular pants under my waders anymore. When its super cold I wear the Under Armour Cold Gear sweat pants with the Under Armour Cold Gear leggings. When its on the cool side I wear just the Cold Gear leggings. When it gets warm I go to the Under Armour Heat Gear leggings. SO much more comfortable than wearing regular pants of any kind. I just take a pair of super light hiking pants to slip over when I'm done fishing now.
Click to expand...
I have a pair of fleece under wader pants with stirrups that keep my arthritic old legs warm in the winter.
 
Whatever clothes I wear fishing they get washed after each outing. Don´t want no stinking clothes!
 
Nothing fly fishing specific, other than my vest which is at least 20 years old and hasn't been washed yet.
I have some old BDU's that I wear most of the time. Old t-shirts that I can't wear if I'm going to church or dinner. As you can see I won't get my picture in any fly fishing catalogs
Jerrys fish21 4

I still have the hat and the pants and wear them. The vest is hanging in my closet, but I don't use it. I have the newer one and I haven't used hip waders in years.
I really don't fish much beyond the end of October or early November these days. If I do I have some nice soft wool pants and shirt I could wear under my outer clothes.
 
For cold weather, I wear poly propylene bottoms under my ****ies. Works quite well for me.

BTW, I have one pair of these that are over 30, and maybe close to 40, years old.
My wife has mended then several times.
But they're so light and warm, I've hated the thought of just tossing them....
 
JerryC said:
Nothing fly fishing specific, other than my vest which is at least 20 years old and hasn't been washed yet.
I have some old BDU's that I wear most of the time. Old t-shirts that I can't wear if I'm going to church or dinner. As you can see I won't get my picture in any fly fishing catalogs
View attachment 1641226750
I still have the hat and the pants and wear them. The vest is hanging in my closet, but I don't use it. I have the newer one and I haven't used hip waders in years.
I really don't fish much beyond the end of October or early November these days. If I do I have some nice soft wool pants and shirt I could wear under my outer clothes.
Click to expand...
What vest is that? Looks very similar to mine!
 
bigjohn358 said:
What vest is that? Looks very similar to mine!
Click to expand...
Since the fly shop I frequented at the time was an Orvis dealer, most likely an Orvis vest. My current vest is an Orvis one.
 
JerryC said:
Since the fly shop I frequented at the time was an Orvis dealer, most likely an Orvis vest. My current vest is an Orvis one.
Click to expand...
I have that same vent then! I love it so much I was lucky enough to find another one for sale on ebay a few years ago so when mine finally wears out I already have a backup!
 
salmo said:
I only fly fish 5-6 times per year. I fish in the salt another 8-10. My freshwater clothing and my salt are pretty much interchangeable. I happen to love my fishing clothes. My vest is now 22 years old (needs to be retired). I had a shirt from Montana that I wore for over 30 years. I have a pair of zip-off pants that are also at least 15 years old (also need to be donated to Good Will). Some of the clothing is lightly stained and some of the pants are ragged at the cuffs. I generally wash my own fishing clothing using Woolite, cool water and gently cycle. I either hang dry my stuff or dry on low heat. Also I don't fish much in the winter. Much of my gear is either LL Bean or Columbia Sportswear and I find the stuff wears like iron.

So, how long to you keep you fishing clothing?
Click to expand...
Till it walks out on me.
 
I have some Insect Shield clothing that has performed as advertised(ballcap, shirt, and pants). I am so impressed that I took Insect Shield up on their offer to treat all of my quick-drying, nylon, wet-wading clothes, and my vest.

Time will tell.

Every time I wear these clothes and don't get bit by a mosquito or find a tick on me impresses me more and more.

I have only been bit once by a deer fly on the back of my neck so I ordered a treated bandanna to wear around my neck.

Gnats don't seem to avoid this clothing as much as the other biting insects and ticks. I can live with that. I will keep wearing these clothes until I have to send them back to Insect Shield for more treatment.

I launder the clothes in cold water and detergent and air dry. So far so good.
 
Great question. I mainly just have clothes. I wear these clothes when I fish, when I cut grass, when I go out, etc… mainly I just have clothes and they don’t perform any specific function. When they get stained and tattered I throw them away And get new clothes.
I do have a a pair of zip off pants that I wear only for fishing. I’ve had these pants for decades because I only wear them a handful of times each year when I’m confused over wether to wear short or long pants. I really like them and honestly I don’t even know if they still make them.
 
I have see some inexpensive zip off pants on Amazon. I haven't been tempted to buy any so I can't vouch as to the quality.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Latest posts

Montana Angler Fly Fishing
Montana Angler Fly Fishing
Harman's North Fork Cottages


Real Time Data From
the USGS Site

Share this page

Back
Top