Favorite Polo Shirts for the Fishing Lifestyle
When my wife Hanna first met me I must’ve been incredibly charming because she was underwhelmed by my wardrobe. That first night together I wore jeans with a hole in them and an untucked, distinctively non-form-fitting button-down shirt. Even after I’d lured her in, she was dismayed at my willingness to wear a ratty t-shirt to anything less formal than a wedding or funeral.
Gradually she convinced me to dress better. I still have plenty of t-shirts (most of them bearing some fishing-related logo), but I increased my willingness to wear button-down shirts both on and off the water. She also got me to wear polo shirts on occasion. There are occasions when the “country club look” just makes sense, and I grasped that, but there were plenty of polos that I disliked because they were too formal, too casual, too uncomfortable or didn’t fit my odd-shaped body. Nevertheless, I hung in there and kept trying more options. Here are four that I really like and heartily recommend:
This might be the fanciest one in my regular rotation, perfect for the upscale set when we visit Casa Vieja Lodge. The pink placket to set off the navy blue is a really nice touch. It’s UPF 50 and the collar has retained its shape well over time.
I obtained this one in Charleston last year on a redfishing trip, and like all of the Free Fly Clothing I’ve worn it’s super-super-soft and somehow still UPF 50. The stretch fit drapes nicely, even on us slightly overweight guys and the colors are both mellow and popping simultanousely.
I received this at this year’s Bassmaster Classic and I could immediately tell that it was headed into heavy rotation because it fits correctly, is nice enough to wear out to dinner without being overly formal, and has both UPF 50 and stain resistance.
This is my latest addition to the group, and while I know Forloh mostly as a hunting company, this has a premium country club feel, nice enough even to wear to work. It comes in solids, but I opted for the “Sea Clear” pattern. Built-in odor protection and wicking is a huge benefit for those of us who sweat a lot.
