I burn to a crisp so I always fish in a super lightweight fishing shirt with Swiss Tabs on the sleeves AND I use sunscreen on other exposed surfaces when I know I’ll be in the sun.
There are lots of fancier options but the
Coppertone Sport stuff in the blue tube that they sell at places like Walmart works fantastic for me and it’s cheap. I’ve used it when out in a boat in the middle of a lake all day and don’t burn at all. I don’t put much stock in inflated SPF numbers but I still get the highest SPF available. They even sell a small stick version that is great to carry in a vest or pack for those times when you need it but didn’t expect to.
A word of caution: I've had some sunscreen (can't remember brand) soften the plastic & paint on one of my conventional reels so I always have either soap & water or some type of hand wipes to wipe off my hands after applying any sunscreen.
On the topic of plastics I have a paranoia about DEET based bug dope and its effect on fly lines and other plastics so I smoke cigars when fishing which seems to work pretty well for me. When I feel the need to use a repellent, I’ve had good luck with
White Mountain Insect Repellent, a natural concoction available at Tractor Supply that was introduced to me on this board many years ago.
Again, there are other fancier options but the White Mountain stuff works, at least for me. I also treat my fishing shirt with
Permethrin and wear a
Bugsaway bandana around my neck.
Finally, while hardly an ideal solution for wade fishing, I can’t say enough good things about the
Thermacell repellers.
Good luck!
