As you fish, you'll find the clothes that suit you. You may wind up with a ragged old "lucky" shirt, a nice, thick pair of wool socks and a favourite vest. Or you may prefer to tough it out with little more than a tank top and some jeans, but there are a few items that any sensible angler will need to keep in their wardrobe.
Waders
Waders are those long boots you see fisherman wearing to stay dry as they wade through the rivers and lakes. If you plan on doing any serious fishing, you'll need a good pair of waders. The type you select will depend on a number of practical factors. They include where you plan on doing most of your fishing, your price range, how often and what type of fishing you do and so on. Ultimately, it comes down to personal preference. Here are a few of your options when buying a pair of waders.
Material
You have four options for material: rubber, PVC, Gore-Tex and neoprene. Rubber, the traditional material used for making waders, and the most common. They are relatively inexpensive but they don't offer much protection in terms of durability being easily torn and scraped.
Gore-Tex on the other hand is great for a number of factors. It breathes well, it's tough and durable, but it's also a bit pricey so finding the perfect pair within your price range could be tricky.
Neoprene is lightweight and offers great insulation against colder waters, but the downside is that they're not quite as tough as Gore-Tex and are easily torn.
Finally, PVC is cheap, offers great waterproofing, it's fairly durable, but in terms of insulation, it may not be quite as high-performance as the others. If you have any friends who do a lot of fishing, you may want to see if they have some waders of different types that you can try before you select a material to go with.
A Good Jacket
A decent jacket really is a must for all fishermen and women. Whether you're fishing off the end of a boat or wading waist-high in the river, you'll need a jacket to keep you warm in the winter and guard you against winds and cold nights in the summer. Look for a warm wind and waterproof jacket that is breathable and has plenty of handy extra pockets.
Hats
A good hat is a fisherman's best friend. It protects you against the sun for long summer days, meaning that you won't dehydrate as quickly, get sunburned or have to block your eyes against harsh light. In the winter, the majority of body heat is lost through the head, and the hat will insulate you against that. Once you find a good hat, treasure it.
From there, you're free to explore the other
fishing clothing items out there, but without a pair of waders, a nice jacket and a good hat, you may as well not even own a fishing rod.
