Summer is the most popular time of year for fly fishers to go fishing. Not only is the weather pleasant for anglers but, the warm temperatures mean there are lots of insects around for fish to feed on.
The fish are at their most active in the months of late spring, the summer, and the beginning of fall. Knowing how to dress for summer fly fishing and what to wear during the hotter months of the year in general, will make your fishing experience more comfortable.
Although there is a lot of essential fly fishing equipment for fly fishermen, in this article I will outline what you should wear in the summer when fly fishing to make your days more productive and make sure you are properly prepared for the best time of the fly fishing season.
Fly Fishing Glasses & Hat
Fly fishing glasses should be considered as just as important as a fly fishing rod and reel. They play an important role in protecting your eyes from hooks.
Safety aside, a set of polarized sunglasses will improve your vision by reducing the glare reflecting off the water’s surface. The right lens color will enable you to see: the bottom of the waterbody, which underwater structures could be holding fish, and in some cases, you may even be able to spot the fish.
By matching the water color with the lens color, you will create the best conditions for identifying the contrasting colors of both the structures and silhouettes in the water.
When fishing in clear waters, polarized glasses with green lenses are ideal for helping you to spot fish and structures holding fish. In darker waters, when fishing in low-light conditions, a brown polarized lens will work great.
Fly fishing in the summer requires a hat that will help keep the sun out of your eyes and protect your face and neck. Too often, have I come home from a summer’s fly fishing session with a protected face but a scorched neck. For this reason, I like to wear caps with a neck protector: a piece of fabric that covers the neck.
You can also dip the hat in the water and wear it to help you cool down on a warm summer’s day while fly fishing.
In the same way a pair of glasses will protect your eyes from hooks, a hat will help protect your head from accidentally being hooked while casting.
Can I Wear Shorts Fly Fishing?
Yes, you can wear shorts while fly fishing. However, shorts will not offer you protection from the sun, wind, vegetation or biting flies. Also, wearing shorts will not protect your legs from hooks. So, while you can wear shorts fly fishing. You may decide to go for a different kind of legwear.
I recommend, a pair of nylon flying fishing pants to wear in the summer months. They are lightweight, will keep you cool, yet they are durable enough to protect you from the sun, hooks as well as vegetation.
Footwear for Summer Fly Fishing
In terms of footwear for summer fly fishing I recommend a pair of boots with interchangeable soles so you can match the sole type with the terrain you will be walking on. Use rubber soles for walking on a rocky path and other grip requiring situations. Save felt soles for the slippery rocks with moss or algae growing on them.
A pair of chest or thigh-high waders will cover almost all wading situations for summer fly fishing.
Summer Fly Fishing Shirts
While you should have your fly fishing vest, there are several shirts you could wear while fishing in the summer.
Linen fishing shirts worn by saltwater anglers have become increasingly popular with freshwater fly fishermen. Often, these shirts come with the added benefit of UV light protection and even insect repellents woven into the fibers of the shirt. Polyester tops are a great substitute to these linen shirts.
I would also recommend woollen t-shirts. Wool has great wicking properties, is a breathable fabric and is excellent for wearing in both warm and cool conditions.
If you ever need a refreshing way to cool off in the summer, I recommend dipping our shirts into the water and putting it back on. The dry summer air will make the water evaporate while your body temperate is brought down.