Where to Get Top-Notch Fishing Clothing for Less
You may suffer from email inbox overload, but if you’re like me you’re always on the lookout for more and better outdoor clothing. As my friend Bradley Simmons said, “There’s no such thing as bad weather, just bad gear.” I’ve spent my life trying to prove that axiom. It’s the “Three Little Bears” theory of fishing – I don’t want to be too hot, too cold, too wet or reeking of body odor.
Unfortunately, the companies that make great gear (and there are now more of them than ever) put lots of R&D into their products and they’re not afraid to charge for it. If you agree with Cosmo Kramer that “retail is for suckers,” then you’re always on the lookout for a way to save a few bucks.
Whether you prefer gear from AFTCO or Simms or Patagonia or Columbia or Howler Brothers or some other brand, get on their email lists. It doesn’t cost anything, and occasionally you’ll be surprised by some great deal or discount code.
At the same time, there are numerous non-brand-specific outfits that can provide some ridiculous bargains if you’re vigilant about searching them. We’re not being compensated by any of the following outfits, but we’ve made orders from all of the following and we’ve been satisfied:
Steep and Cheap offers numerous top flight brands that you might not find at your local tackle store, including Marmot and Arc’teryx and North Face, typically at substantially reduced prices. You can also sort their products by sport, and while the tag says “Fly Fish” there are plenty of products you can still use if you like conventional gear, soaking bait, or any other style.
In addition to a constantly-rotating selection of gear categories and clothing brands, The Clymb also offers curated travel, which is not all fishing-related (some may be), but is nevertheless right up our alley. Right now they have great deals on Hoka One One shoes, my latest favorite casual around-town footwear for my rapidly deteriorating feet.
STL used to have the craziest, most comprehensive selection of online deals anywhere – I’ve bought formal clothing, dog treats and boots from them. At times it felt like you could have ordered Kung Pao Chicken, blueberry pancakes and a sofa from them and they would have had it to you in two days. Now they’ve opened a string of stores, and their online options have been reduced, but typing “fishing” into the search box turns up all sorts of products, including some from Simms, Filson, Shimano and Costa Del Mar.
Overstock Bait and Tackle (AKA Outlet Bait & Tackle)
Finding the right deals may take a little effort of searching, and they’re certainly not Tackle Warehouse, but if you find things you’ll use some of the deals are insane. Right now I’m looking at a specific War Eagle spinnerbait for $1.98, or two others I’m more likely to use for $8.60 for the pair. You can get two Berkley Choppo (Plopper topwaters) for $15.98. Some other deals are not as great, but it’s worth the occasional search.
This is a general apparel site, but if you enter the right search terms they have lots of clothing and footwear that’s ideal for fishing, especially from Columbia’s PFG lineup – but also including brands like Ex Officio and Royal Robbins. A few years ago I got an Under Armour SPF shirt that I’d coveted for a long time for about a third of the retail price. They also have some non-fishing but fishing-adjacent brands like Vineyard Vines.
Don’t laugh or scoff, anti-fly-snobs – Orvis has some really nice and functional clothing, and if you’ve gone to any of their retail outlets you know that their prices often reflect a clientele more refined than yours truly. Nevertheless, if you find items in their Clearance Room it’s 50% off or more and their Tent Sale offers some even better deals, albeit with a more limited selection. I’ve gotten $80 button-downs for $29 and a really nice fleece pullover for about the same.
