Professional angler John Cox makes his living out in the sun and the summertime provides a unique set of challenges for him. Whether at home in Florida or the northern states following the Bassmaster Elite Series or Tackle Warehouse Pro Circuit schedule, he's on the water just about every day and in the direct sunlight. To combat the rays, he gears up with the proper clothing for the job to protect his skin, but it also helps him catch more fish.
A Shallow Water Wizard
Cox is one of the best in the game right now, sitting near the top of the Bassmaster Elite Series points standings and he's a threat to win everywhere he goes. What separates John from the rest is that he sticks to shallow water nearly all the time, whether fishing for spawning bass in the spring or hunting individual shallow fish throughout the summer. One of his secrets is simple: a hooded sun shirt like the Simms SolarFlex Guide Cooling Hoody in the cloud camo gray color.
"I'm wearing that anytime I'm fishing shallow water that's clear," he said. "For sight fishing, that cloud gray camo color makes all of the difference, and I never thought it was that big of a deal because I'm fishing from a big red wrapped boat, but I'm a believer now. I looked back at some of the photos from the days when I had 25 or 30-pound bags and that's the color shirt I was wearing. I catch so many fish close to the boat, and I think it's just because I blend in better and now have a bunch of those shirts in that color."
Cox also appreciates the shirt's comfort and the fact that it has a hood. While the hood is extremely simple, they are still a relatively new trend. He recalled his early days of cutting the sleeves off of a hooded sweatshirt to have the benefit of a hood.
"I remember back in the day; I'd be wearing a hoodie with the sleeves cut off in 80-degree weather, sweating like crazy, just because I wanted the hood to give me a better view when sight fishing shallow water. It could be 100 degrees out, and the hood will be perfect for keeping you cool, protecting your face and blocking out the corners of your eyes so you can see fish better.
Looking back, Cox is glad to have today's hooded sun shirts and believes it has helped him catch more fish.
"It's so simple, but I think we take for granted how it was not that long ago," he said. "They have definitely made me a better sight fisherman. Without a hood, you have to use your hands to help block your eyes to see better and then you can't cast and fish while you are looking for fish and that's so important."
Face and Hands
In addition to the hooded sun shirt, Cox also likes to wear Simms SolarFlex SunGloves on his hands and a Sungaiter over his face.
"Having the Sungaiter on in extreme heat is huge for protecting your skin and keeping you comfortable," said Cox. "It completely covers your face, protects you from sunburn, and is very cool, even in the summer heat in Florida."
When fishing, Cox likes the lightweight feel of the SolarFlex SunGloves. "They are light and comfortable and you don't lose any of the feel from your rod," said Cox. "You forget you even have them on and they protect your entire hand. They're also great for grabbing fish and after a long week of catching a bunch of fish, your hands are not nearly as torn up as they'd be if you weren't wearing gloves."
Fishing Pants
Long pants protect legs from the sun when fishing all day in the sun and keep anglers comfortable all day long. Cox wears Simms Challenger Pants or the Bugstopper Pants when fishing northern fisheries with mosquitos and other insects.
"I like to wear those pants because they are very comfortable to wear all day and they do a great job with not getting stained," he said. "When you have fish slime and everything you get on the water, they still look nice and fresh. They dry really quickly too, so if you get a little wet from a boat ride or light rain, they are dry in no time."
Fishing for a living is a dream of many bass anglers and it's definitely a good life, but the toll of being in the sun from daylight to dark is a challenge. Professional anglers need to control everything they can, including wearing the right clothing to protect themselves from the sun and ensure that they can continue to perform at their highest level for years to come.
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