Dress for Success | What to wear for Fly Fishing

Folks who come into the shop or call to book their first fly fishing trip often ask questions they describe as “stupid”.  Let me tell you that there IS a such thing as a stupid question (such as, “Do you think the moose will mind if I try and ride ‘im?  Here, hold my beer and get this on video…”), but asking for advice from experts is NEVER stupid.  One of the most frequent questions we get is, “what do I wear for fly fishing wade trips?”  The answer is a little longer than one might think.

Checklist

• Sunglasses are a safety item.  We won’t fish with you unless you have something to protect yourself from the possibility of a hook in the eye.  Additionally, polarized lenses help cut the glare and allow you to see fish.
• A brimmed hat and long-sleeved shirt are helpful for fishing in the high country, as our sunshine is significantly brighter than it is in most elevations.   We just don’t have much atmosphere to get in the way of sunburn rays.  Along with dress shirts, we love the bamboo-blend sun shirts from Freefly.  They look awesome with a Minturn Anglers logo on them, and they’re so breathable that we don’t feel tempted to push up the sleeves and sunburn our forearms.
• You need layers.  a 40-degree temperature difference between the morning and afternoon is not uncommon in Colorado.
• Bring the rain gear.  If you bring it, chances are it won’t rain.  More importantly, the fish don’t care, and we love how they eat in the rain!  We dig the torrentshell as a packable, lightweight jacket.
• Wear socks.  Waders are lovely, breathable, layered Gore-Tex above your calf, but they have Neoprene booties, which can get a bit swampy in bare feet.  The waders almost certainly won’t get wet from the outside water, but your feet will sweat, and anything below the waterline can’t “breathe” that moisture out.

  

  

Rudy Hemkens is a dashing Minturn Anglers guide who can usually be found floating the Upper Colorado River or in executive boardrooms across our great land.