Fishing hats may sound simple to an observer from a store shelf. They has a wide brim, mesh panels, and a toggle cord to secure the hat. However, a person who stand all day on the fishing boat will encounter problems with these fishing hats.
The sun will be beating down on the person wearing the fishing hat while the wind will be playing with the hat so that it will sit awkwardly on a persons head. Furthermore, the fishing hat might fog up the lenses of the person’s polarized sunglasses that is used to fish, or the hat might become soaked in the water while the person is fishing. All of these problems with fishing hats is very common among those who fish every season.
Furthermore, the anglers will share fish stories about these problems. A correct fishing hat will perform a variety of functions for those who fish. A correct fishing hat will protect a person’s neck from the sun.
It will help a person to see fish in the areas where the sunlight is unable to reach those fish. A person can even use the fishing hat to clean a persons fishing gear with one of its panels. If a fishing hat does not perform these functions effective, the person who is fishing will waste the day.
A person will not be able to see the fish properly, will miss some fish bites, and may develop a headache after an eventful day on the water. It is useful for a person who is interested in fishing to be aware of these problems with fishing hats before they purchase one. The list that follows will discuss the problems, the causes of the problems, and the solutions to the problems.
By knowing the problems, a person will avoid purchasing fishing hats that will fail to perform their various functions for the person who is fishing.
Common Problems With Fishing Hats
1. Sunburn and Neck Protection
Sunburn is an issue for all fishermen during the first few days of the fishing season. A fishing hat with a baseball cap style will expose a persons ears and neck to the sun.
The sun will burn a persons skin and cause those afflicted individuals to develop blisters. This problem is worse for those who are on aluminum boats or on flat water. The solution to this problem is to wear a fishing hat that has a full neck flap or a brim that extends at least three inches from the hat.
2. Neck Flap Disturbances
Some fishing hats also have a chin cord that will prevent the fishing hat from getting blown into the eyes. A person will no longer have to adjust their fishing hat during their fishing trip with this solution. If a person chooses a fishing hat with a neck flap made out of a stiff material, this could cause another problem.
The stiff neck flap will flap in the wind and scare the fish in areas that are limited in the amount of space that the fish have to swim. To avoid this problem, a person should purchase a fishing hat that has soft fabric for the neck flap as this will not create any disturbances to the fish while fishing.
3. Sweat and Moisture Management
Sweat is another problem for those who spend the day on the water. On humid days, the sweat that accumulates under the fishing hat will drip onto the sunglasses that a person wears when fishing. The person wearing the fishing hat will not see the fish that are caught in these sunglasses because of the water droplets on the lenses. To avoid this problem, a person should purchase a fishing hat with a sweatband made out of absorbent materials such as terry cloth.
4. Hat Heat and Ventilation
Furthermore, fishing hats with small high vents will allow the person to avoid the excessive sweating problem. However, if the fishing hat only has mesh panels on the sides of the hat, then the top of the hat will still accumulate heat like a greenhouse. To combat this problem, a person should purchase a hat with mesh panels on the top and with a light-colored fabric. This will allow the person to avoid excessive sweating during their fishing trip. A black hat will cause more problems than a khaki hat when fishing.
5. Wind Resistance and Retention
Wind is another problem for people on the water. A persons fishing hat might get blown twenty feet behind the boat. This is not only frustrating for the fisherman but also for the fishing hat as it will likely be lost. The solution to this problem is to purchase a fishing hat that has an adjustable toggle cord that allows the person fishing to set the fishing hat to their desired tension. This way, a fishing hat can remain on the person without digging in the fisherman’s temples. A person can attach a breakaway fishing clip to the persons clothing so that in the case that the fishing hat gets blown off, the fishing hat will remain attached to the person. Both of these solutions will work for a person on the water. The most important is that a person has a plan in place in the case that the wind might pick up.
6. Brim Sag and Shape Retention
One more problem with fishing hats is brim sag. The brim of a fishing hat gets wet when a person is on the water and afterwards dries out. Over time the foam that is used for inexpensive fishing hats will lose its shape. A persons head will feel tired from tilting it back to see the water in front of them. Instead, a person can purchase a fishing hat that has a thin plastic insert that will retain the shape of the brim. Although these hats are more costly up front, they will retain their shape from year to year. A person can fix a brim that sags by wetting the fishing hat and setting it on a large bowl of water to dry in the sun. This trick will work a few times before the brim becomes totally floppy to the point that it can no longer be adjusted. To avoid this problem when purchasing a fishing hat, a person should flex the brim of the hat between their fingers. It should spring back to its original shape. A person should not feel like the brim of the fishing hat bends like wet cardboard.
7. Proper Storage Habits
Another problem that occurs after fishing is with the storage of the fishing hat. Many fisherman will leave their fishing hats on the cars dashboard or place them into their gear bag with their fishing gear. Both of these choices will reduce the life of the fishing hat. To avoid this problem, place the fishing hat into a mesh sack or a pillowcase. Some fishermen will hang their fishing hats on a hook that is located inside the truck so that the fishing hats will dry out before they go on another fishing trip. This small habit will extend the life of the persons fishing hat.
8. Drying and Moisture Control
A person should also pay attention to how long it takes for the fishing hat to dry out. If a person wears the fishing hat while wet again the following morning, their fisherman’s eyes may become irritated by the dampness of the fishing hat. Furthermore, leaving the fishing hat in the sun will eventually cause the fabric of the fishing hat to crack. The best way to allow the fishing hat to dry is to place it in the shade. However, this is not always possible when a person goes on a fishing trip to a busy boat ramp. Instead, a person can purchase a second fishing hat so that one can remain dry while on a fishing trip.
9. Correct Head Fit
The fit of the fishing hat can either be too tight or too loose. If the fishing hat is too tight, a person will develop pressure headaches after a few hours of fishing. However, if the fishing hat is too loose, the hat will slide forward whenever a person looks at their feet while tying a knot in their fishing line. A person can avoid this problem by ensuring that the hat fits properly when they are purchasing it. When purchasing a fishing hat online a person should measure their head. Furthermore, when in stores a person should try on fishing hats while wearing the same type of headgear that will be underneath the fishing hat. The best fishing hats have a hook and loop strap that allows a person to adjust the fit of the hat while they are on the water. Furthermore, a persons hair grows and sheds during the year. The fit of the fishing hat that a person chooses when fishing in the spring will not necessarily be the same as when the person is on the water in the height of summer. Therefore, a person should take into account how long their hair is when they purchase their fishing hat.
10. Uniform UV Protection
One last trouble spot deserves to be mentioned because this is a problem that even experienced anglers can fall into. Many fishing hats will advertise that they have UV protection, but the UV protection is only for the fabric, not the mesh panels of the hat. A person will get a checkerboard sunburn on the top of their head. A person should read the product details to ensure that the hat has a uniform UPF protection rating for each panel. A person should not assume that each panel has the same protection as the rest of the hat. Taking a few extra seconds to read the labels will allow a person to focus on fishing instead of doctoring their scalp at night.
None of these problems are glamorous. However, they are problems that will turn good fishing days into mediocre days and take mediocre days and turn them into miserable days. However, once a person starts to fix these problems, the hat will begin to work for a person in a way that they can trust the next time they reach for their fishing hat. A person will feel the difference in the first five minutes of being on the water. This sense of confidence in their hat is a feeling that is worth noting about this accessory.
While a good fishing hat will never catch fish for a person, it will make it easier for a person to focus on the things that will catch fish. Therefore, a person should pay attention to these common pitfalls. By doing so, a person will spend more time watching their line than fiddling with their fishing hat brim.