{ "vars" : { "gtag_id": "UA-1995064-10", "config" : { "UA-1995064-10": { "groups": "default" } } } }
Heavy may receive a commission if you purchase a product through a link on this page.

21 Best Fishing Gloves For All Anglers

  • 0 Shares

Fishing gloves are an underrated piece of gear that can make a tremendous difference on and off the water when conditions are hard on your hands. Whether you’re trying to battle the bitter cold of early and late season fishing, need some protection from the powerful sun in more southern latitudes, or some added armor while filleting fish, there’s a pair of fishing gloves perfect for you.

Our top list has compiled the best fishing gloves for all anglers in all environments. Regardless of how you chase fish, we’ve got you and your hands covered!

Sort
Recommended Low to high High to low
Price: $ – $
21 Listed Items

Fishing Gloves For Cold Conditions

There is a wide array of gloves for cold weather angling that provide varying levels of insulation as well as wetness and wind protection. Typically (but not always), warmer gloves equal less dexterity and overall feel. If you're a cold weather angler then think about what's most important to you on the water - staying dry, heavy vs. light insulation and use of your fingers are the main points to consider.

Some of the warmest fishing gloves we tracked down include:

Waterproof Fishing Gloves

All fishing gloves provide some level of wetness protection, and many others enable your hands to get wet and still continue to insulate them, but few fishing gloves actually keep your hands bone-dry in the event you need to dunk them. 

There are a few effectively waterproof fishing glove options that actually allow you to stick your hands right into frigid water without the cold-water shock and resulting downward spiral of dexterity function. Keep in mind, however, if you dunk your hands below the wrist-line for long, you'll likely still take on water.

Some of our favorite waterproof fishing glove options for pulling fish through holes in the ice, rigging/handling wet or submerged lines and gear, and tail grabbing fish too big for the net (to name just a few wet-handed applications!) include:

Sun Gloves For UV Protection

If you're fishing out in the full sun, you oughta protect your hands, just like the rest of your body, from the harmful effects of UV rays. Flats fishing, offshore angling, and fishing up at altitude where the power of the sun is extra potent are all settings where you'd be wise to utilize a sun glove.

Sure you can apply sunscreen to your hands, but depending on the species of fish your targeting you may not want to be handling your fishing line or tackle and getting it all greasy - especially if you're a fly fisherman. Most sunscreens are furthermore quite detrimental to the overall health of ecosystems when released into the water, so you're doing both you and the environment a favor by choosing a sun glove over applying sunblock.

Although it's not their designed function, don't overlook fishing sun gloves for cold defense too. They won't provide any real insulation, but when it's just too cold to be comfortable barehanded, having even a thin barrier against the windchill can make a big difference!

Some of our favorite sun gloves for maximizing dexterity and minimizing sun exposure include:

Bait Fishing Gloves

If you're a bait fisherman or commercial fisherman of any kind, it's wise to protect your hands from punctures, abrasions, and cuts while preparing your bait and handling certain species of spiny and/or toothy fish. These gloves don't necessarily call for insulation, but more importantly, provide protection by utilizing tough materials without sacrificing too much dexterity.

Our favorite gloves for cutting bait, hauling nets and gear, handling wire lines, and dealing with spiny fish include:

Fly Fishing Gloves

Fly fishermen will require a glove that's either particularly dextrous or fingerless in order to maintain an effective grip on the fly line while casting and retrieving. The fact that you're constantly touching your wet line while fly fishing in cold conditions means your bound to get cold and lose your precious dexterity eventually.

A fingerless glove at least insulates the main body of your hands, allowing you to tolerate your cold digits while keeping full use of your fingers. Some fly fishermen choose to wear a simple pair of latex gloves underneath their fingerless gloves in order to at least break the wind and eliminate direct contact with the water while still retaining almost full function of your fingers. Latex gloves are in fact remarkable at insulating your digits and take up virtually zero packing space.

Full gloves that cover your fingers are often difficult to get used to, and chances are you'll still have to deglove in order to do any rigging. That being said, when it's truly freezing out there you need full coverage, and fortunately, there are some adequate options out there that won't make you feel too out of touch with your hands.

Pop-top gloves can offer the best of both worlds - a relatively dextrous full glove for maximum warmth that you can pop your fingers out of when you need to re-rig or change flies.

For those fly fishermen seeking some sun protection for their hands as an alternative to sunscreen, most sun glove options are built to be highly dextrous (fingerless or not) and are therefore suitable for fly fishing. All the sun glove options listed above are great fly fishing options. 

It's a wide spectrum when it comes to selecting a glove as a fly fisherman, so carefully consider what your individual needs are. Some of our favorite options of fly fishing gloves from each end of the spectrum include:

Ice Fishing Gloves

Ice fishing gloves need to be warm, like really warm. If the ice is thick enough to be fishing on it, temperatures are exceptionally cold, and if you don't own an ice fishing shelter or shanty then you're fully exposed to the elements. 

Ice fishermen should seek out a glove that is highly insulated in order to keep your hands totally toasty between bites. There are waterproof options that allow for reaching into your hole in order to pull out fish, as well as pop-top options for exposing your fingers to rig when you need to. 

Whether you plan on getting your hands wet or not, some of our favorite fishing gloves for ice fishing applications include:

Fillet Gloves

When cleaning fish after a successful day, it can be helpful to wear a fillet glove. Handling spiny fish and of course using a razor-sharp fillet knife can be dangerous, especially if you're working fast or dealing with a lot of fish.

Some bait fishing gloves double nicely as a fillet glove - the idea is to essentially give your hands some puncture/cut protection while also retaining a solid grip.

Some of our favorite fillet gloves for cleaning fish of any species include:

See Also:

Our top list has compiled the best fishing gloves for all anglers in all environments. Regardless of how you chase fish, we've got you and your hands covered!