Hanna Robbins wearing Magellan womens fishing clothing from Academy Sports at Lake El Salto Mexico

I might never get the chance to walk the red carpet but I am going to do everything I can to look darn good riding down the lake. We don’t have Academy Sports near our Virginia home, but I’ve shopped at several as we’ve traveled to places like Texas, Tennessee and South Carolina. They have a lot of quality products at reasonable prices and I wish we had one closer. During a just-competed trip to Lake El Salto I tried out some of their gear to see if it met my standards for being both fashionable and functional.

Let’s start with footwear. Until recently I didn’t know that Pete’s boats come standard with a butt seat in the front of the boat. We stand side by side next to each other all day long and the only time we sit is to move from one place to another. Being on my feet all day long is tough on my back and feet and the more sensible “old lady” in me has realized wearing flip flops all day is a thing of the past. That’s why I am super excited to share with you the Magellan Outdoors Pro – Women’s Angler Fishing shoes.

Magellan Outdoors Pro – Women’s Angler Fishing shoes

In Mexico we stand all day on the hard decks and I am so pleased with the shoes’ combination comfort and their girlie look. Finally, I have a lady angler fishing shoe that can be worn not just for fishing but all summer long. They have traction on the soles and drainage holes which I will be testing out in our November Panama trip when we chase both inshore and offshore species. A successful catch results in gaffing the fish, which in turn gets water and blood all over the deck (and on the shoes). We’ll see how well they drain and dry.

They are noticeably light and slip on and off with the help of their toggle laces that cinch up nicely. No loose ends to come untied, or tripped over while fighting a fish or getting around the boat. The sides are low enough that they don’t rub on my ankle bones – something that has been a huge disappointment in other shoes I thought were comfortable while walking around the store in them. I wear a size eight and the sizing is spot on. I wore them without socks and noticed the side ventilation kept my feet from sweating. If I were to wear them walking, I would definitely wear socks as the insoles are not super padded and the holes on the insoles could possibly form a blister. You can remove the perforated EVA footbed and replace it with another insole if you choose to wear them as an everyday shoe.

They come in gray/pink and white/blue. At the end of the day my feet and back weren’t sore and that is what was most important. It just so happens they are on sale at this very time so get a pair before they run out.

Next up are the Magellan Outdoors Women’s Pro Technical Shorties

The polyester and spandex material that make up these short have a little stretch to them. They are water-repellent and UPF treated and are just SHORT of perfect.

The sizing, XS 0-2, Small 4-6, Medium 8-10, Large 12-14, XL 16-18 are spot on. The pockets are deep and made of mesh, the small side pocket is perfect for my SPF lip balm and the back zipper is good for credit cards or money. The inside waistband has strings for extra closure (like a belt). AND GET THIS – the button holds a hidden fishing line cutter. The button is also corrosion resistant. With the line cutter, now there is no worry that the Boomerang Tool Company fishing line cutters, that I don’t properly attach to my shorts/pants and just throw in my pocket, won’t make a hole. Magellan, you are so clever.

These shorts were great for the hot and humid weather in Mexico, They kept me cool and really were water resistant. Those darn fish splash and thrash and coming around the corner in the boat in the afternoon you may get a little “spritz.”

They have a nice open leg but the inseam is right on the edge of, “I wish the shorts were a little longer” (remember, I’m 53). The material, comfort and look will have me put that aside and purchase the other colors in the lineup (they come in grey, caviar heather and blue) not just to fish in but since they are super cute, I can wear them every day. They have been washed and dried and I didn’t notice any shrinkage. At $24.99 each you might as well buy all three colors.

To TOP it off the Magellan Outdoors Women’s Pro Realtree Wav3 Pieced Long Sleeve Crew Top is a nice look with the grey shorts and the grey and pink shoes.

It is long sleeved with UPF 50 sun protection and moisture wicking which helped in that occasionally oppressive June Mexican weather. Made from polyester and elastane single jersey four-way stretch fabric (spandex) I feel it will hold up wash after wash. I already washed it twice and it still looks brand new.

This shirt only comes in crew neck but I found it stayed around the neck without feeling like it could choke me. It’s breathable, has side venting material and water seems to roll right off it. The shirt comes in two colors, blue/pink and green/purple which they call a camo print that adds a rugged look but I feel it’s more of a pretty reptile print that is different and ladylike.

The shirt runs a little large which is good for the “girls” but when wearing it with the Technical Shorties the shirt was almost as long as the shorts. Since I’d much rather have big than small, I tucked the front of the shirt behind the button (easier access to the line cutter) and the outfit was complete.

Thanks to my ACADEMY award winning outfit, the day I wore the full ensemble I caught seven fish over 6 pounds, several others between 4 and 5 pounds and outfished my partner, probably because his outfit looked like he pulled the first two items from the top of the laundry pile.