A question I'm often asked by someone booking a guided beach fishing trip for the first time is: "What clothes should I wear?"
The answer depends on the season and type of fishing we're doing, with the following three outfits ones I recommend personally to my clients, to keep them warm (or cool) enough to fish effectively and safely throughout the year.
Beach Fishing Clothes - What to Wear for Every Season page index
Beach Fishing Outfit for Summer (65 – 80°F water temps)
In my opinion, choosing the right clothing for your fishing trip is really important, especially in a climate such as the West Coast and North East where temperatures and conditions can vary wildly. It's a subject that's often overlooked - but can really make or break your day.
Starting with summer, particularly in warm areas such as Florida, Gulf states, SoCal in summer, the goal is to stay covered skin-wise and cool with a well-ventilated technical performance shirt a good starting point to build a summer surf fishing outfit around.
The graphic below shows what I wear when the sun is shining and I'm chasing shallow water species like corbina.
From top to bottom, the summer beach fishing outfit I recommend and wear myself is as follows:
Mesh-backed cap with a wide bill
Good quality sunglasses with Polarizing lenses
Large buff (or two smaller ones) covers my neck and back of cap
Performance shirt with vented panels and pockets for tackle, bait etc
Shorts with built in liner and section for pliers in the back pocket
Water shoes with a strong mesh upper and well vented sole so sand and water can disperse
I usually carry a small waterproof pack (fanny pack or over-the-shoulder dry bag) with spare tackle, a drink and maybe a hoodie if it's an early start in cooler temperatures. But, generally, the goal with a summer surf fishing outfit is to facilitate being mobile, cool, covered up and well shaded in the face area.
Beach Fishing Outfit for Spring and Fall (60 – 65°F water temps)
I've lumped spring (March, April and May) and fall (September, October and November) into the same category because they require a similar approach in terms of clothing.
With cooler mornings and evenings, a couple of extra layers are best employed and a hoodie-buff-cap top combo with shorts and sports leggings on the bottom keeps everything covered, but you're not going to roast if the sun comes out.
From top to bottom, the spring and fall beach fishing outfit I recommend and wear myself is as follows:
Adjustable cap with a wide bill
Good quality sunglasses with Polarizing lenses
Large buff (neck gaiter) covers my neck front and back
Medium-weight hoodie with front pocket
Underneath this I either wear a long-sleeved performance-style UV-resistant top for when the sun comes out, or a t-shirt if that's looking unlikely
Specialist fishing shorts with built in pliers pocket and loops for belt and tethers
Sports leggings in black or a neutral shade, preferably UV blocking
Swimming-style shorts beneath leggings
Water shoes with a strong mesh upper and well vented sole so sand and water can disperse
Beach Fishing Outfit for Winter (40 – 60°F)
In any water temperatures south of 60°F, I rely on increasing amounts of neoprene in the form of modular wetsuit–style items purchased from the local surfing store.
I find these to be durable and effective at keeping me warm and on the hunt – whereas sports leggings and tops with less insulation definitely begin to cost you body warmth and energy when in contact with cooler water.
From top to bottom, the winter beach fishing outfit I recommend and wear myself is as follows:
Large-size knitted beanie hat to cover cap, ears and back of neck
Adjustable cap with a wide bill
Good quality sunglasses with Polarizing lenses
Large buff (neck gaiter) covers my neck, front and back
Lightweight gilet or jacket with hood to block wind and rain
Heavyweight lined hoodie with front pocket
Underneath the hoodie I use a t-shirt and a thermal base layer to keep my core warm
Specialist fishing shorts with built in pliers pocket and loops for belt and tethers
1mm – 3mm full-length neoprene surfer's leggings
Swimming-style long undershorts beneath leggings
Water shoes with a strong mesh upper and well vented sole so sand and water can disperse
I swap the shoes for 1mm – 3mm neoprene surfer's booties with a solid rubber sole for fishing in contact with sub–58°F water, which is when my toes start to go numb in normal water shoes (but everyone will have a different tolerance!)
More Beach Fishing Clothing Tips
Whatever the weather, I always use an SPF30-plus sun block lotion on my face, arms, hands and any other skin exposed to the sun, applied before I leave the house
Fingerless gloves designed for kayaking and canoeing are a great addition to the ensemble for keeping knuckles and fingers from freezing or blistering. Kayaker's gloves have an extra patch on the inner thumb area that takes some of the abrasion from constant casting
I rarely fish without some sort of buff (neck gaiter) – these are great for covering areas like a neck or head without taking up much space
Specialist fishing shorts like the ones pictured in this article are great because they have a re-enforced pliers pocket, upgraded zips and loops for mobile phone tethers etc. Surfer's board shorts fall apart pretty quickly
A full 2–3mm wetsuit is often employed for situations such as rock-hoping for striped bass in the North East, or a separate zipped neoprene top is also useful if you expect to get waist or chest deep in cooler water
I spend most of the year wearing water shoes for beach fishing as I find these give me a good blend of mobility, protection from sharp objects, and ease of use in terms of being able to hop in the car after a session and not change footwear. Look for a snug fit, sturdy mesh uppers and a sole with lots of large drainage holes to let sand out
Are Waders a Good Idea for Beach Fishing?
This is the usually the follow-up question when discussing fishing in cooler conditions: "Should I wear waders?" I'm not a fan of chest waders, to be honest, and here's why.
Primarily, with the unpredictable nature of fishing a beach open to the wild ocean, safety is a concern.
If a rogue wave, rip current or large piece of kelp causes issues, I want to be able to move fast and have as little material for the water to drag on as possible – neoprene bottoms win over chest waders in this regard, every time.
If I was roving the beach or shallows and happened to stumble over into a hole or gully whilst wearing neoprene leggings, I'd have little difficulty in picking myself up compared to someone in chest waders, no matter how tight that chest strap is. They're just more cumbersome.
If you're fishing super-calm conditions and don't intend to enter the water, waders are fine, but otherwise I'd rather wear neoprene bottoms with a matching top layer if needed. I'm just as warm but more mobile and safer.
The answer, in my opinion, is that waders are rarely a good idea for beach fishing.
Thank you for reading this article about clothes and footwear for beach fishing. If you're interested in learning more, I run specialist guided surf fishing lessons and sessions in Southern California and I'm also happy to answer any questions via ben@americanseafishing.com Get in touch if there's anything you'd like to know or need help with!
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