Being uncomfortable is terrible. Being uncomfortable while you’re trying to have fun is even worse. But feeling constricted when you’re trying to reel in the biggest catch of your life is quite simply a travesty. Here’s a roundup of the best fishing shirts that are suitable for wherever your fishing adventures take you- shore, dock, lake, river or sea.
Since Columbia was one of the first companies to make jackets from waterproof/breathable fabric, it’s no surprise that its shirts earn rave reviews from anglers. Here’s the breakdown of the top shirts for sale.
Columbia Men’s Bonehead Short Sleeve Fishing Shirt
This comfortable, lightweight shirt is made of 100 percent cotton poplin that’s garment washed for comfort. Angler-friendly features include hook-and-loop closed fly box pockets at the chest, a tool holder and utility, and a rod-holder loop on the left chest so you can adjust your lines and lures. Mesh-lined cape vents at the back shoulder keep you cool and comfortable, while a hook and loop at the collar tip allows you to keep the sun off your neck by turning up the collar. The shirt is easy care- simply machine wash in warm and tumble dry on low for years of fishing wear.
The Columbia Men’s Bonehead shirt comes in almost as many colors as your wife’s nail polish. Don’t worry though, we’ve included parenthetical descriptors for those less descriptive names. The available colors include black, blue, fossil, sage, white, bright peach, clean green, gulf stream (aqua), key west (lime green), orange blast, sorbet (salmon), sunlit (yellow), vivid blue, whitened violet and purple lotus. The shirt also comes in sizes from XS to XXL. If you can catch the shirt on sale, you might want to snag some for all your fishing buddies.
There is also the Men’s Bonehead long sleeve shirt. This shirt is available in the same sizes and in the following colors: fossil, sage, white, white cap (blue), black, gulf stream, bright peach, clean green, key west, orange blast, sorbet, sunlit, vivid blue and whitened violet.
The long-sleeve version is also made of 100 percent cotton poplin with the same easy care. This button-up shirt has long convertible sleeves with tabs to hold them in place. It has hook-and-loop closed box pockets at the chest and mesh-lined cape vents at the back shoulder, along with a rod-holder, tool holder, and utility loops. The collar can also be adjusted to keep the sun off your neck.
Columbia Men’s Bahama II Long Sleeve Shirt
The Bahama II long-sleeve shirt is also a good option for fishermen. The prices range from $35-72, with sizes from XS to XXL. This shirt is 100 percent nylon, which is probably a better choice for those rainy days. Laundering in cold water and drying on low (without fabric softener) will keep this shirt in shape for many fishing trips.
Like the Bonehead, the Bahama II comes in a variety of different colors. Those colors include: black, bright peach, clean green, collegiate navy, commando (OD green), fossil, gulf stream, lemon whip, orange blast, purple lotus, sage, sail (light blue), sunlit, vivid blue, white, capri (teal), key west, storm (blue gray) and whitened violet.
This shirt dries quickly, which is an advantage on those soggy days, and it also is part of Columbia’s Omni-Shade line that blocks most of the sun’s harmful rays through a combination of tight-weave construction, ultraviolet reflectors and UV absorbing technology. This unique protection blocks both UVA and UVB (which is present even on cloudy days) and does not wear off.
In addition, the Bahama II has mesh-lined cape vents at the back shoulder to enhance airflow and keep you cool even at midday. Two chest pockets will hold small gear, and button tabs secure the long sleeves when rolled up. This functional shirt also includes a rod holder to keep your pole secure while you adjust your line and lure.
You can also check out the The Bahama II short sleeve shirt. This shirt is available in the same size and color options.
Columbia Men’s Terminal Tackle Long Sleeve Shirt
Last but not least is the Terminal Tackle shirt. This shirt offers a UV protection factor of 50. It also has Omni-Wick technology, which moves sweat away from the body for quick evaporation to keep you cool.
These shirts come in sizes from S to XXL and five color options: white, orange blast, tippet (lime green) and white cap.
