13 Best Fishing Shirts for Fly Fishermen: Which Is Right For You?

The Drirelease Quarter-Zip from Orvis is a super comfortable to wear, temperature and moisture-controlled garment that you stay comfortable in all day. This is a casual-looking long sleeve that’s sharp looking on and off the water, but don’t be fooled – this shirt means business.

The Drirelease line is my personal choice of casting shirt when fly fishing due to its excellent range of motion, breathability, and quick drying nature. It also offers great sun protection on roasting hot, shadeless days where you need UV coverage but also don’t want to pass out from heat exhaustion. I wear it while boating and wading the tidal flats as well as when I kayak-fish under full sun-exposure. 

The quick-drying nature of the Drirelease line is perhaps my favorite feature of this garment. Nobody likes the feeling of being wet, but choppy days on the ocean, canoe paddle drips, and unpredictable weather means we often get soaked as fishermen. The material of this shirt doesn’t stay wet for long so you can get back to casting without any soggy spots. This also makes it a stellar choice for wet wading applications.

When the Drirelease is clean, it’s exceptionally soft. This shirt layers great but also feels really nice directly against your skin. 

This is the kind of fishing shirt you can head straight off the water and right to a dinner party in (well maybe don’t do that). It’s got a casual, yet sharp look to it that’s appropriate for all sorts of contexts.

Here’s another great fishing shirt from Orvis’s Drirelease line. I own several Drirelease Pullovers and absolutely love the way they perform. These shirts dry super quickly, provide excellent UV protection and allow you to cast without any motion restrictions.

The Drirelease line also stays remarkably clean and does not require washing after light to moderate use. If you like to fish hard for a few days at a time in the same shirt (on camping or boating trips for example) then this is a fishing shirt that should be on your radar. It won’t pick up odor, not will the shirt lose its soft to the touch feel.

Orvis has built their entire Drirelease line to be minimalist so there are no pockets, zips or clips included. These are fishing shirts built for fly fishermen so the focus is on freedom of movement and also avoiding line snags. 

The included hood is a seriously awesome touch for flats and boat fishermen who spend a lot of time in the open under the sun. The shade protection of a hood not only keeps you safe from harmful UV rays, but also keeps you cooler than you would expect. It’s all in the material – you’ll be impressed with how a hooded shirt like this can keep you so cooled off.

The moisture wicking ability of the Drirelease line is likely why it’s so popular amongst fishermen.

Not to be overlooked, this shirt looks dam sharp on top of being one of the ultimate casting garments on the market. I wear my hoodies to the beach, the bar and even to work when I’m not wearing them on the water. Definitely a versatile choice for the high-speed/low-drag angler. 

The Filson Twin Lakes Sport Shirt is both a classy and highly capable top for warm-weather fishing applications. 

Built with an ultralight polyester/nylon blend, this shirt breathes wonderfully, dries quickly, and excels in hot climates. This makes it a particularly excellent option for wet wading applications as well as high-exertion scenarios such as hiking into fishing destinations. Offering UPF30+ sun protection as well as a vented rear yoke with mesh underlayer, you can rest assured Filson has engineered a shirt here that won’t cook you alive when temps really spike.

Equipped with button-flap and slotted-utility chest pockets, the Twin Lakes Shirt provides you with some storage for your on-hand essentials without feeling too cluttered or busy. The pockets furthermore have drain holes, so they won’t mind going for a swim.

Not to be ignored, an odor-fighting antimicrobial finish has been applied here so you can get lots of wear between washes without feeling nasty. This makes the Twin Lakes Shirt a particularly great option for far-away fishing trips and backcountry excursions where laundromats are few and far between.

While the color selection is limited, all of the available styles offer a sharp, handsome aesthetic – true to the nature of Filson garments.

If you often brave buggy conditions in search of fish, the Simms Bugstopper Hoody should most definitely be on your radar. Equipped with an Insect Shield® treatment for effectively repelling biting bugs, this shirt dramatically dampens your appeal to mosquitos, gnats, and more.

Perfect for enduring bug-ridden salt marshes, streams, lakes, and coastlines, this fishing shirt will make for a trusty companion in all sorts of environments where flying pests try and take your focus off the fishing.

The 100% Polyester build features quick-drying, wicking, and anti-odor properties, so this is a stellar option for wet wading, boat days, and beyond. The arms and shoulders are cut for a full range of motion so as to not affect casting, while an articulated hood cooperates with virtually any hat.

UPF 30 protection, this is a solid choice for sunny environments where sunburn is a risk. The addition of the hood also of course aids in sun defense. 

One thing worth noting is that the fabric here is a bit thicker than a lot of sun shirt competitors, but it nonetheless remains effectively breathable. This shirt may roll up just a bit more cumbersome than other casting shirt alternatives, but unless pack space is really a factor, this should be a non-issue.

Here’s a sweet outer layer from Orvis that would pair beautifully with a Drirelease Shirt on cooler days. The Chambray Work Shirt is a killer choice of fishing shirt that has you covered on all angling fronts. This is a versatile shirt that wears great on its own or when paired with an underlayer for use in virtually any climate or conditions.

The lightweight, stretchy MarinoWul+ fabric utilized here is quick drying and provides you with UPF 40+ sun protection. It’s an incredibly soft, moisture-wicking, breathable, temperature-regulating fiber made from recycled plastic bottles and reclaimed oyster shells – so you can feel good about the sustainability incentive here as well!

Trust us when we say this shirt feels great against your skin and also breathes very effectively. There are even air holes built into the underarms for giving you that breeze where you really need it most. 

If you’re looking for a fully equipped fishing shirt, this is a garment you should be looking into. There are chest pockets present, a hidden pencil hole sunglasses holder, and a button-down collar to avoid flapping in the wind. Orvis has decked this shirt out with just about every feature you’ll need on the water aside from a built-in rod holder.

There’s a great array of professional-looking colors all of which are appropriate for just about any social context. This is a go-anywhere type of shirt that’s great for travel when you need to pack for the stream and for see,mi-formal get-togethers.

Awesome on its own in the heat, or with an insulating underlayer in the cold, the Chambray Work Shirt is another winner from Orvis.

Here’s a somewhat unique material choice for a fishing shirt that you might wonder why you’ve never owned once you try it on. Seersucker is a cotton or synthetic fabric with a surface consisting of both flat and puckered sections. It’s a fabric meant for warmer climates and it’s been praised by anglers for its temperature control. 

Although seersucker fabric is traditionally cotton-based, Orvis has built their Clearwater Shirt with a nylon/polyester blend. Some reviews claim they prefer the weight and feel of a cotton-based seersucker, but you can’t achieve the quick-dry and moisture-wicking properties this garment offers with cotton. Orvis has built this shirt to be high performance on all fronts so they spared the cotton construction.

This shirt has been based on Orvis’s crowd favorite Rainy Bridge Shirt if it looks familiar. It’s a tried and true design that’s angler approved.

Roll-up sleeve tabs, a hidden button-down collar, and a sunglasses cleaner tucked into the hem add some fishing functionality to the Clearwater Shirt. It’s just as equipped with practical features as Orvis’s other model fishing shirts but offers an alternative material for those who are interested in exploring seersucker or already know they prefer it.

Reviews insist that where this shirt really excels is in dry, hot climates. Perfect for hot, western summers or flats fishing in less humid southern latitudes. 

The cut and shirt pattern are both attractive and suitable for any situation. You’ll be the best dressed on the stream and at the dinner table with this bad boy without looking like an elitist fly fisherman. No doubt a fantastically designed shirt for those who want to wear the best. 

Sewn in the USA with 18 ounce, 100% wool, the Filson Seattle Wool Jac-Shirt is a truly high-quality, remarkably versatile layer that you can plan on wearing for decades! Albeit an expensive garment, the quality of craftsmanship, impressive adaptability, and handsome, timeless aesthetic here make this layer well worth the price point.

Built with high integrity for decades of service, Filson has built this piece to be worn as a heavy shirt, overshirt, or light jacket. While the wool material utilized here is a wonderful insulator (wet or dry), the fabric is also impressively breathable, so the Jac-Shirt is suitable for wear on warm days as well. We don’t suggest donning this layer during the peak of summer heat, but when spring/fall forecasts turn sunny and temps rise, you’ll remain perfectly comfortable with this option. 

In the words of the brand, the Jac-Shirt is “crafted with a tight weave that delivers an optimum balance of breathability and wind resistance, while providing durability for decades of service.”.

Flap-covered chest pockets with hidden buttons go on to provide you with some essential storage, while buttoned cuffs enable easy rolling up of the sleeves – Filson has really hit all the bases here.

An undeniably cool shirt/jacket hybrid, the Seattle Wool Jac-Shirt will remain a wardrobe staple for fishing applications and beyond for many years to come!

The Orvis PRO Insulated Shirt Jacket is a brilliant layer to own for brisk days on the water that call for lightweight, reliable insulation. A stellar performance garment for on the water wear, this highly capable shirt not only excels in a plethora of fishing contexts but also dresses up nicely for virtually any semi-formal occasion. 

Designed as a versatile garment for cool weather applications, Orvis describes this garment as a “highly technical option in casual disguise and a mid-layer you’ll reach for on typical fall and spring days when the wind chill sneaks up on you”. Built with PrimaLoft Gold Active insulation, the PRO Shirt Jacket very effectively holds your body heat for its weight, and will even insulate when wet. This makes it perfect for wear over a t-shirt or baselayer during cool conditions, or equally awesome for use as a mid-layer underneath a shell on those especially chilly or snotty days.

The inherent nature of this down garment furthermore makes it a highly compressible and therefore packable piece, even stuffing down into a specially designed interior zippered pocket.

While some down garments restrict motion, Orvis has engineered this layer for enhanced arm/torso mobility by applying stretchy 20D mechanical ripstop nylon into the design. Also unlike traditional down layers, the fabric here is treated with a coating for tear, wind, and water resistance. Durable, abrasion-resistant stretch-woven cuffs go on to heighten the overall integrity here, so you can plan on owning this jac-shirt for quite some time.

Certainly not to be ignored, cozy, fleece-lined, zippered pockets are located at the hip in order to provide your hands with a place to heat up and recharge after prolonged exposure. 

All in all, this is a wonderful investment purchase from Orvis that you’ll end up wearing in countless cool weather contexts both on and off the water!

Designed as an all-season top for active pursuits, we find the Ibex Men’s Journey Long Sleeve Crew to be an excellent option of fishing shirt for a variety of contexts. Built by wrapping ultra-thin merino fibers around a nylon filament for lightweight durability, this garment offers the awesome natural properties of wool while also incorporating the integrity and light weight of synthetics.

Engineered to be highly breathable for optimal layering as well as naturally moisture-wicking and odor-resistant as a result of the merino wool build, you can hike, ski, hunt, and fish in this layer, to name just a few potential applications. The aesthetic is also totally suitable for hanging at the bar, days in the office, and even dinner parties – talk about a versatile garment! 

While this is a bare-bones shirt with no fishing-specific features, the fabric utilized here means it will excel as a wonderful base or mid-layer for on the water use and beyond! It’s all about the wool!!