As bass anglers, we must be ready for anything and that is true of the tackle we take each time we hit the water and the gear and clothing we bring along. When fishing your local waters, it's a little simpler and you can always check the weather to ensure you're dressed accordingly. But, when venturing away from home for months, it takes a little more planning and you have to consider all of the scenarios you may encounter for the fishing and the varied weather.
Living on the road for two years, fishing, and covering professional bass tournaments across the country, I experienced this exact scenario. I spent a lot of time planning to make sure I had the correct tackle and gear to cover any on-the-water situation I might find myself in. It took the same planning to make sure I had the proper clothing packed in my boat and truck that would keep me warm or cool and comfortable in all regions. After the journey, these items were must-haves for fishing all across the country.
A Dependable Sweatshirt: Aftco Reaper
A hooded sweatshirt is an angler's friend whenever you make early morning boat runs in most months of the year. They are comfortable and easy to put on and then take off quickly when the sun gets higher. There are some really good sweatshirts out there, but none are quite as warm and versatile as the AFTCO Reaper. Aside from being a great standalone piece of clothing, it's also an excellent layering piece underneath your rain gear.
It's a warmer sweatshirt with great features, like the built-in neck-warming fleece. This keeps your neck nice and warm when driving the boat and also has ventilation holes so you can breathe easily and don't fog up your sunglasses. It's a solid hooded sweatshirt and a must when fishing in cold weather. The one downside is just how warm it is and it can get quite warm if you are fishing in pleasant weather.
Two Sets of Raingear is a Must
I never imagined that you would need two sets of raingear, but having a thin set of bibs and jacket as well as a heavier version of the two is a great idea. If you live somewhere that's really cold, you can get away with just the heavy version and the same thing is true if you live in warmer climates – get the lighter version.
The Hydronaut is an incredible set of raingear that has served me very well over the past four seasons of fishing often. This is the heavy-duty version that I wear anytime the weather is cool and it's built to last. Even after using it countless times, it shows very little sign of wear and is still as waterproof as the day I got it.
The lighter version is the Barricade, which is just as waterproof and comfortable to wear but won't make you sweat in warmer conditions. Because the material is so lightweight, it packs much tighter and hardly takes up any space in a backpack or one of your storage compartments.
Don't Forget Sun Protection
The other must is a variety of clothing designed to keep you comfortable and protected from the sun. This includes a good sunshirt, gloves, and facemask. AFTCO makes several of each, but the following are my favorites.
For a hooded sunshirt, the Samurai is a good choice and comes in many different colors, but the Jason Christie version has become my favorite. It offers the same sun protection but has a couple of little details that I like. The first is that the shirt zips up higher, so you can have more protection on your face. This lets you zip it up and run down the lake without the hood blowing back. Another is the loop sewn inside the sleeves, which are meant for your thumbs and works great for keeping the sleeve down on your wrists.
For neck and face protection, the Solago sun protection fishing gloves and any of AFTCO's vented face masks are great and work better than standard neck gaiters. I have multiple masks and gloves ready to go in the boat and truck at all times, just in case one gets too dirty and needs a wash after a lot of sweat or fish catching.
While many other pieces of clothing are worthy, these are must-haves if you find yourself on the water often. They've all proven their worth in all seasons and across the country, and they have withstood the abuse of constant use and are still going strong.
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