The Best Fishing Shirts of 2024

Seeking a simple but well-designed sun hoody at a great price? Then, the Aftco Samurai Hoodie Shirt ($39) is a solid choice. When many of the other options on the market cost double the price (or more!), the Aftco is a great option, and you sacrifice very little.

In addition to the fantastic price point, we appreciated the large number of color options (9 for men) and that they make the men’s version in standard and “big guy” sizing (3x, 4x, and 5x). The Samurai doesn’t have many extra bells and whistles, like pockets, sunglasses chamois, and zippers, but our testers appreciated the simplicity and great fit. Finally, our testers also liked the oversized branding on the sleeve and the small chest logo.

One thing that stood out about this shirt was the soft and breathable fabric. Even after a lot of days out on the water and many trips through the washing machine, the shirt still feels like a high-end soft cotton tee when you put it on. The blend of recycled polyester and spandex seemed to be the perfect combo, and our testers found themselves wearing this shirt regularly, even when they weren’t headed out fishing.

In addition to fishing on warmer days, we also tested it on some hiking outings and a few really hot days in Northern California when the temps were well above 100 degrees. It consistently shined on and off the water. If you are looking for a well-fitting hooded fishing shirt that’s half of the cost of many of the other options on the market, the Aftco Samurai Hoodie Shirt should be at the top of your list.

Note: If you spend any time on the Aftco website or looking through its catalog, you’ll notice that its primary target market seems to be the saltwater fishing crowd. Almost all of the pictures are of folks fishing inshore and offshore in saltwater environments. Our testers primarily spent time putting the Samurai Hoodie through the paces in the Colorado Rockies, fishing on the Arkansas River and high alpine lakes, often above 11,000 feet.

We were very pleased with the performance of this shirt and would love to see Aftco give a nod to this segment of the fishing population. Bottom line: Aftco makes a great product that has a lot of applications beyond saltwater fishing.

Patagonia has been making high-quality products for over 50 years and has a reputation for quality clothing that lasts a long time. The Long-Sleeved Sun Stretch Shirt ($119) is no exception. If you find yourself fishing in frequently hot and humid locations, this shirt should be at the top of your shortlist.

It feels light and airy and excels in conditions where other shirts become a sweaty mess, making you feel like you’re wearing a trash bag. One of the features we loved about this shirt? The fact that the fabric dries quickly in even the slightest breeze. Our tester pulled the shirt right out of the washing machine, soaking wet, and within 10 minutes on the river with a slight breeze, the shirt was completely dry.

Initially, we were a bit skeptical of the large double chest pockets. They seemed overly large, and we assumed that as soon as you put anything in them, the shirt would hang awkwardly. We were wrong. On one recent trip, we had a large (ish) fly box on one side and a bulky cellphone in the other pocket, and surprisingly, the shirt still felt great, and our items felt secure.

We didn’t love Patagonia’s color options for this shirt. Five color options range from tolerable to downright terrible; our least favorite is “Lose Yourself: Utility Blue.” Finally, our testers found the built-in sunglass chamois, a 3” x 5” triangle, to be much too small to be of any real value for its intended purpose.

If you anticipate fishing in hot or humid weather this upcoming season and want a shirt with great sun protection that also breathes well and keeps you cool, look no further than the Patagonia Long-Sleeved Sun Stretch Shirt. 

Our tester first wore the Costa Voyager Performance Hoodie ($60) on a brisk March day on the Arkansas River in Colorado. It was windy and in the upper 30s, a good opportunity to see how this shirt, which felt thicker than all of the other shirts on our list, performed in cooler weather.

We were surprised that this shirt insulates well enough when paired with a super lightweight windbreaker. Whenever the weather was a little cooler, or the wind was up, we instinctively reached for this as our first choice.

Although it wasn’t a fishing mission, our testers put this shirt through the paces on several late winter and spring backcountry ski trips in the Colorado Rockies. The true test of its breathability came on a late April trip up to 13,000 feet, when we experienced every kind of weather imaginable, from snow to freezing rain to high winds to sunny. The shirt was worn as the primary base layer and performed exceptionally in conditions that would normally result in a soaking shirt.

Several of our testers commented on the odd fit of this shirt, specifically that it’s very long. A weird pocket is situated along the bottom seam, and with the lengthy fit, the pocket was inaccessible when worn underneath waders.

If you want a great fishing shirt for the shoulder seasons or live and fish in cooler climates, the Costa Voyager Performance Hoodie is a great choice. Worn underneath a wind or rain shell, this shirt can handle anything.

Maybe you live in Minnesota and regularly fish in the Boundary Waters, where the bugs are so bad you seriously consider giving up fishing every summer. Or, you love backpacking in the Sierras, but no matter how big the trout are, you just can’t stand to get a bit another time.

We’ve all been there — you’re at your favorite spot, and the fishing is awesome, but the bugs are unbearable, and you find yourself having to make a difficult decision to suck it up and deal with the misery or pack it up and go home. Enter the NRS Silkweight Varial Hoodie ($89), a game-changer and potential solution to all your buggy problems.

The folks at NRS did something pretty unique with Silkweight Varial Hoodie, and they built a neck gaiter into the design. We appreciated the 100+ laser cut holes in the neck gaiter, which were consistently effective at releasing moisture and keeping glasses from fogging up. We were initially a bit skeptical that there might just be a bit too much going on around the head and neck and that all the extra fabric would make the shirt feel too hot.

However, we were pleasantly surprised that even on warm days, the shirt didn’t feel overly warm around the neck. The Varial Hoodie also offers exceptional sun protection with the hood, neck gaiter, and laser-cut thumb holes for additional sun protection for your hands.

One minor complaint is that although NRS bills this as a quick-drying shirt, we found it to dry slowly compared to most of the other shirts in the review. Fishing often involves getting wet, whether it’s from taking a rogue wave in the face, releasing an angry fish, or, on occasion, falling in the water. While other shirts in the review dried quickly, the Varial Hoodie tended to stay wet a little bit longer.

If you find yourself fishing someplace where the bugs are brutal and you throw in a side of punishing sun, then take a look at the NRS Silkweight Varial Hoodie. It’ll let you stay out longer (and enjoy it!) no matter what Mother Nature throws your way.

Orvis has been making high-quality fishing products and clothing since 1856, and the Orvis DriCast Hoodie ($89) is no exception. We were initially a bit skeptical of the fabric when this shirt first arrived in the mail, it felt a bit rough and scratchy particularly compared with several other shirts in the review.

Thankfully, once the shirt had been washed once or twice, it felt very soft and comfortable, even on the hottest days. Even after wearing it for multiple days in a row in hot weather, it retained a cotton-like softness. We found the mix of recycled polyester, rayon, and spandex to wick moisture quickly and keep us dry even on hot/humid days or when worn under a rain/wind shell.

This shirt recently came along with us on a multi-week fishing, rafting, and kayaking trip on the Grand Canyon. We noticed that whether it was wet or dry, the lightweight material kept us cool even on the hottest days (118 degrees!) during the trip. The shirt was super quick to dry and somehow stayed odor-free even after wearing it for 6 days straight.

We found that the thin internal thumb loops helped us better than expected but were a bit difficult to access quickly. We really liked the fit of the shirt and the design of the hood, which fits comfortably over a hat or helmet.

If you’re looking for a well-made, super-soft, hooded fishing shirt with lots of color options, then check out the Orvis DriCast Hoodie.

The Grundens Tough Sun Hoodie ($44) is a solid option if you’re looking for a well-fitting sun hoody at a great price. We recently spent 16 days rafting, kayaking, and fishing the Grand Canyon and put the Grundens Tough Sun Hoodie through its paces. The temperature was well over 100 degrees every day of the trip, so staying cool and being protected from the sun were paramount.

We wore this shirt for 7 of the 16 days, and we could have worn it every single day. The soft fabric was extremely comfortable and breathable. To battle the heat, we kept the shirt wet the entire time, and it consistently kept us cool.

The thumb loops were extremely durable. We rowed over 100 miles with the thumb loops on for added sun protection, and there was no sign of wear. The hood was a perfect fit. It fit comfortably over a hat while fishing in the Grand Canyon and was nice to wear over a helmet while rafting, providing excellent sun coverage. One minor complaint was that the shirt was a bit slow to dry, although in situations like the Grand Canyon, staying damp a little longer was appreciated.

We appreciated that, unlike many of the shirts in this guide, this one is true to size. One of our main testers is 6 feet tall and weighs 155 pounds, and the medium fits perfectly. If you need a no-nonsense sun hoodie at a solid price, check out the Grundens Tough Sun Hoodie.

If you find yourself running out for a few quick casts on your lunch break or on your way to/from work, the Orvis Tech Chambray Work Shirt ($98) is a great option. We frequently wore this shirt in the morning with khakis or jeans as we headed to the office and then changed right into shorts or our waders at the end of the day.

It strikes the perfect balance between outdoor functionality and urban style. The classic button-up design pairs effortlessly with everything from jeans to hiking shorts, making it a versatile addition to any wardrobe. Our testers also liked the subtle Orvis logo, which adds a touch of understated flair that we appreciated.

The Tech Chambray Work Shirt is made from a thicker fabric and our testers didn’t love it on warmer days. It doesn’t breathe as well as many of the other shirts in this review and got a bit sticky and wet when the temperature or humidity ticked up a bit. One of our testers mentioned big pit stains on a warm day.

If you’re looking for a shirt you can go straight from the river to the pub for dinner with friends without having to change in the back of your truck, check out the Orvis Tech Chambray Work Shirt. Another bonus? It’s made from recycled plastic bottles so you can feel good about wearing it.

If you’re looking for a simple but well-designed sun hoody at a great price, the Costa Hooded Technical Shirt ($45) is an ideal choice. While many other options on the market cost almost double the price, the Costa is a great option, and you sacrifice very little.

One thing that stood out about this shirt was the soft and breathable fabric. In addition to fishing on warmer days, we tested it on some trail running outings, and it shines even on hot days or underneath a windbreaker when other shirts keep the moisture in and feel wet and sticky. We also appreciated the simplicity of this shirt and the lack of unnecessary bells and whistles.

It’s a simple, well-designed sun hoody that doesn’t have pockets, zippers, snaps, or anything to complicate the design and fit. Our testers also liked the branding on both Costa shirts we tested. It’s certainly not understated like some other shirts, so if you don’t like to be a brand ambassador when you’re out on the water, this might not be the shirt for you.

This is a quality shirt, and our testers lamented that they don’t make a women’s version, particularly given the great price point.

This Costa Hooded Technical Shirt truly excels in a range of conditions, including warm temps, so if you find yourself fishing in places with punishing sun exposure and don’t feel like lathering up with sunscreen every hour all day (it’s UPF 40+), this is the fishing shirt for you.

Do you love fishing in high temperatures and even higher humidity? Then, the Columbia PFG Tamiami II Short Sleeve Shirt ($45) might be the perfect fishing shirt for you.

This is the only short-sleeve shirt that made the cut in this review. We especially love that it comes in a whopping 15 different color options and is also made in standard, big, and tall options. Although we only tested the short-sleeve version, it’s worth noting that Columbia also makes a long-sleeve option and a women’s version.

We have mixed feelings about the pockets on this shirt. Two double pockets seem a bit excessive, and we can’t imagine trying to put more than a few small items in the pockets before the weight of those items would cause the shirt to fit awkwardly at best.

We also prefer shirts with zippered pockets for added security. Taking a slip while wading or falling out of your kayak while fishing on your local lake could easily result in items that “migrate” out of the pockets. We didn’t feel confident putting important items in these pockets because they lacked zippers.

We also felt like the sizing on this shirt was way off. Our lead tester wore a medium in every other brand, but the Tamiami felt sloppy and baggy in the medium. He is 6 feet tall and 160 pounds, and the medium Tamiami fit him like an extra large despite his wearing a medium in just about every other shirt he owns. The shirt also seemed perpetually wrinkled regardless of what our testers did after washing and drying. (No one wants to iron a fishing shirt!)

If you are looking for an affordable fishing shirt that will keep you cool in hot and humid weather and you want a wide range of options in terms of sizing and color, the Columbia PFG Tamiami II Short Sleeve Shirt is a good choice. Just be mindful of the sizing.