Great products, practices keep anglers cool and safe out on the water
It was so calm you could almost hear the silence from the lack of wind. The temperature was already 90 degrees. There wasn’t a wisp of a cloud anywhere in the sky. My wide brim hat didn’t even help as the sun’s rays bounced off the water and zapped my face all the way up to my forehead.
And it was only 9 a.m. My second big orange Gatorade didn’t even seem to be helping. Even though the fish were biting, we were seriously considering loading up and going home.
Then Wesley Miller reached in his rod box and popped out a big umbrella and attached it to the back of one of his bow fishing seats. The umbrella bought us another hour and got us to our limit of crappie on the wide-open Cross Lake near Shreveport.
But this isn’t a story about catching crappie. It’s a story about protecting yourself from the elements when you are outdoors in the summer, especially the scorching sun that can cause short-term and long-term health problems.
No matter where you go this time of year, the sun can become an issue. Saltwater anglers have to be especially careful because the summer breeze on the Gulf can give you a false sense of “cooling,” but the sun is still bearing down on you.
Most anglers learn this the hard way, but you can get sun damage even on days that are windy, cloudy or feel cool. Damage from the sun is caused by ultraviolet (UV) radiation, not temperature. In states like Louisiana, a cool, overcast day in the summer could have the same UV levels as a sunny, hot day. Clouds don’t always stop UV radiation. It can penetrate right through some clouds and even increase in intensity due to reflection off the clouds. And just because you are wearing a hat, while it protects the top of your head, the sun’s rays bounce off the water like a mirror and can burn your face without additional protection.
It’s also extremely important that young anglers, especially children, take extra care. They can have problems or get severe sunburn before they know what’s happening.
What’s this got to do with fishing? Well, a lot.
The best fishing trip of the year can be ruined if you let sunburn or sunstroke enter into the story.
Fishing licenses and new boats and special invites to go on outdoor adventures don’t come with warning labels. So it’s important that if you take part, don’t be a tough guy. Take care of yourself.
The problem is, when sportsmen head to the open water this time of year there are a lot of things on their mind like catching fish, having fun and just getting away from it all. But the heat can come back to bite you like a big, mad, red wasp sting on your ear if you aren’t careful. That’s why knowing about sun and heat protection and how to practice safe summer outdoor fun is so important.
The basics
- Wear head and face protection, at least a cap or preferably, a wide brim hat.
- Use suntan lotion. Make sure it is up to the task of what you will be facing. And make it waterproof. It may not be raining, but you’ll sweat it off if you aren’t careful.
- Protect your lips, too. Use a sunscreen lip balm.
- Don’t forget your eyes. They can burn or develop cataracts with overexposure. Wear sunglasses.
- Don’t be shy about using protection like a fishing umbrella.
- Drink plenty of fluids. No, drink more than that. You can’t have too much water or sports drink .
- Avoid drinking too much alcohol or eating too much while in the heat.
- Take breaks from the heat, in the cabin of the boat, under an umbrella or in the shade of a tree or bridge.
- Watch out for your fishing buddies. Make sure everybody is taking care of themselves. Keep cooling pads around just in case they are needed to help someone cool down.
- Check out some of the cool summer fishing clothing that is designed for hot weather outdoor activity.
Despite all the knowledge and products we have today, more than 33,000 sunburns each year are reported that require emergency room visits, and they occur among people of all ages, sexes and racial/ethnic groups. Thousands more burn to a lesser degree and painfully treat it at home. Sunburning, particularly experienced at younger ages, is a strong predictor of future skin cancer and especially melanoma, the deadliest form of skin cancer. And heat stress or heat stroke still happens way too often.
Fortunately, in addition to those “common sense” basics we discussed above, today’s technology has developed another way to help sunproof your outdoor fun.
Sportsmen have a huge array of clothing options to help out. The best news about protective clothing is that it not only helps cool you down, it doesn’t have to be reapplied to remain effective on a long fishing trip like lotions.
In days gone by, people would have laughed at a fisherman wearing gloves unless they were grabbing a big old catfish. And who would have worn a long-sleeve shirt, much less with a hoodie, while fishing in the summer heat? And nobody would have thought of wearing a mask. But that’s just what neck gaiters are. Neck gaiters are more than a fad. They protect your neck, ears and face from overexposure.
A variety of chemically activated cooling pads, towels, neck collars and headbands are also available to prevent overheating or for use in First Aid when overheating does occur.
Wearing clothing designed for sun protection slows the sun and today’s fabrics also help anglers feel cooler. By absorbing harmful UV radiation and wicking moisture away from the sportsman’s body, they serve a double purpose.
What is right for you? That’s a good question and can only be answered by your own research. But there are several major companies who all have excellent and popular options for summer clothing. Here are a few of the top ones and a little bit about them. Hint: Just don’t wear all that stuff in a bank — you’ll make them nervous…
HUK
If you wear HUK, learn the proper pronunciation. It’s ‘hook’, The dictionary shows pronunciation of hook as “huk”…and if you look close at the “U” on the official logo, you see it is indeed a funny looking hook. That’s the way the folks at HUK planned it.
HUK is very popular among Louisiana sportsmen from saltwater fishing, freshwater fishing, or any outdoor activity. One of the most popular new arrivals is the HUK Vented Pursuit Hoodie which pairs well with the HUK Next Level Pant. If you like button-down shirts, the Tide Point Long Sleeve is designed especially for hot weather.
AFTCO
Fishing is part of AFTCO’s name: The American Fishing Tackle Company. And they are one of the top producers and sellers of performance outdoor gear, especially geared toward hot weather protection for anglers.
The company originally made saltwater fishing tackle, but moved into the apparel business with the development of the latest technology. Anglers love the Landlocked shorts and AFTCO’s Original Fishing Shorts. Their newest top is the Adapt Phase Change Fishing Shirt. According to AFTCO, Phase Change refers to the intuitive temperature regulating technology, designed by Optimer, that is infused in the Adapt Fabric. Wow, that’s a mouthful for a fishing shirt, right?
Their top hoodie is the Samurai long sleeve sun protection hoodie that is ranked as one of the most comfortable and stylish.
Columbia Sportswear
While many companies are new in the business, Columbia has been around since 1937, but didn’t get into the performance gear business until 1966. That’s when they developed their popular Performance Fishing Gear (PFG) line. Their newest product line is the Silver Ridge series of pants, shirts, vests and accessories.
Here’s a gem for you that doesn’t have anything to do with heat protection. PFG shirts have a couple of neat little features that most folks don’t know what to do with. The Velcro loop above the pocket was actually designed so anglers could put their fishing rod in there, close it and not let the rod fall while they change baits, undo a fish or anything else when they need a third hand. The little black and white loop under the front pocket is to hang sunglasses, nail clippers or, just look cool.
Simms
Simms may be thought of as trout gear, associated with the waders made popular by the Bozeman, Montana company. But their Intruder BiComp Long-Sleeve Shirt for Men is a fishing shirt full of features like quick-drying, moisture-wicking, stain-fighting UPF. Stretch side panels ease movement for easy casting and catching.
Simms Intruder Long-Sleeve Hoodies have an integrated hood designed to wear over a cap so you can fight glare off the water, plus it has a snap closure for full coverage. A unique feature is the extended length cuffs with built-in thumbholes to maximize protection on your hands without gloves.
Pelagic
Although it may not be as popular in the south as some other brands, Pelagic has been around since 2002 and the California company’s technologies and top-of-the-line fabrics are perfect for angling.
The company’s international presence with such products like Vaportek, Aquatek and Mako includes popular shorts, shirts, pants and hoodies. Their Tails Up hoodie is among the top sellers. They also have a full line of accessories from gloves to socks to caps.
Yeti
Yes, they make cool things besides ice chests and drink tumblers. They have a full line of fishing clothing including the Bass Badge T-shirts, Tarpon and Pocket long sleeve Sunshirts. Sunshirts are the companies first UPF protection hooded shirts.
Others
There are several other companies that are heavily into protective fishing clothing, including Orvis, Mojo Sports Wear, Under Armor, Frogg Toggs, Seatek and more.
There’s one guide above all others in choosing proper attire for summer fishing. After you make sure you are getting a top-quality product, not an ineffective knock-off, then chose the garments that fit well and are comfortable, then there’s just one more factor.
Check and make sure they make you look cool!
