Cool weather and great fishing are here for those who choose to spend time on the water instead of the woods. It’s a great time to be outside, and it can provide some of the best fishing of the year as the seasons change. Bassmaster Elite Series pro Matt Arey is home in North Carolina after a long season traveling the country on tour, and he’ll still be hitting the water. This time of year, he’s prepared for everything with the correct tackle, gear, and clothing for the season.
A professional angler's job is enviable, but it also adds pressure and stress to catch bass to get paid. That’s why Arey spends most of his cooler weather fishing with buddies for fun and to work on new techniques for the coming year.
“I’ll occasionally go crappie fishing and spend time fishing with buddies,” he said. “It’s also a great time for me to practice new baits and techniques and get comfortable with them. We have Lake Norman close to me, and you can always go out there and catch some spotted bass, work on new techniques, and catch a few.”
He also has a role as a product designer and tester, and he gets much of that work done right now. “I’ll do some testing for Lunkerhunt and Pulse Fish Lures,” he said. “Another focus is dialing in my electronics and staying up to date with all of the latest advancements that will help me next season.”
As someone who spends as much time on the water as he does, Arey knows how to gear up for everything. Here are a few of his must-have products.
Gloves
After 17 years of working full-time as a professional angler, Arey has learned to take sun protection seriously and always has something on his hands to protect them.
“12 months out of the year, I’m wearing some kind of glove on my hand,” he said. “I wear sun gloves religiously because skin cancer is a reality. Many younger guys don’t think about it as much, but it’s good to see more and more anglers taking this seriously because the top of your hands is always exposed to the sun.”
His sun gloves of choice are the AFTCO SolPro, which he says allows him to fish as he would without wearing gloves.
“The SolPro are the one I wear, and they have an exposed hand but are super breathable on the rest of your hands,” he said. “They also have longer fingers and cover most of them instead of just a little bit of your fingers. I also like their length, so they cover your wrist when fishing.”
As it cools, he’ll switch from the SolPro to a warmer glove called the AFTCO Helm Insulated Glove.
“The sun gloves will keep your hands warm if it gets a little chilly, but those insulated gloves are very warm with the microfleece,” he said. “They also have a grippy texture on the palm and fingers, so you can still fish like normal. That material also lets you use your touch screen electronics and phone without taking them off.”
Pants, Hoodies, and Rain Gear
For the rest of the clothing, Arey has settled on a few favorites. They are warm enough to keep him comfortable on an early morning boat rides and allow him to fish effectively.
“The Reaper Hoodie is perfect for cooler mornings, even if it gets down into the 40s,” said Arey. “They offer a great windbreak and they make a Reaper Windproof Jacket that is great into the winter months.”
For pants, Arey goes with comfort and prefers either the Honcho or Deckhand pants. “They are super comfortable, and I have a bunch of pairs that I wear in the fall and for early spring tournaments,” he said. “They are lightweight and easy to move around but will keep you warm.”
Another must this time of year is a good set of rain bibs and a jacket. There are many options, but Arey said the AFTCO Fortress Jacket and Bibs is his choice. This is a new product, and Arey said it will be great for multiple seasons.
“It's lightweight, breathable, and very waterproof because they use a Toray fabric,” he said. “I used to have different suits for different seasons, but this is perfect for all seasons, and you can layer underneath it if you need to stay warmer.”
Fishing during cool weather can be a great experience, and the lakes are generally less crowded as there are fewer pleasure boaters and a group of anglers choosing to hunt instead. Gearing up with the correct tackle and clothing is just one part of a fishing trip equation.
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