The Best Fishing Pants: There are options for every climate and season

Fishing pants are important, regardless of whether they’re worn to protect from the sun or the cold.

The best options are tough and comfortable. No matter what season they are worn, they must be able to withstand stains.

This is a difficult task, and many pants that are advertised to anglers simply don’t meet the challenge.

We’re here to help you if you don’t know where to begin.

Below are reviews of some of our favorite fishing pants, along with a few tips to help you choose the right pair.

Warm Weather and Three Seasons

  • Columbia Men’s PFG Blood and Guts III Convertible – The Most Comfortable Fishing Pants
  • Columbia Men’s Terminal Tackle
  • Huk Men’s Reserve Quick-Dry Performance –The Most Fashionable Fishing Pants

Winter and Ice Fishing

  • Striker Ice SI Water –Warmest Fishing Pants
  • Frabill I-3
  • Eskimo Men’s Roughneck – The Best Three-Season Fishing Pants For Cold Climates

The Best Fishing Pants Reviewed

Warm Weather and Three Seasons

Columbia Men’s PFG Blood and Guts III ConvertibleThe Most Comfortable Fishing Pants

Columbia Men's PFG Blood and Guts III Convertible Pant , Grill, 30 x 32

Material Stain repellent treatment on 100% nylon

Anglers love Columbia’s fishing clothes. This is a testimony to Columbia’s no-nonsense quality.

For fishermen who prefer the option of changing to shorts, their PFG Blood and Guts III Convertible trousers are a great choice.

These pants are made from 100% nylon and treated with a proprietary stain-repellent. They’re extremely light and comfortable even in hot summer temperatures. These pants are an excellent choice if you don’t like the idea that your legs and ankles will be sunburnt.

These pants don’t have a lot of pockets so you shouldn’t expect to keep a lot of stuff in them. Wallet, keys, knife, and the phone will all fit in these pockets. You can also count on them being well-executed and secure.

As is the stitching, the zipper, and other hardware are of top quality. Excellent durability.

These pants, as their name implies, are very resistant to stains and wash well. These paints dry quickly so you can hand-wash them in a tub or sink while on a long fishing trip. They will dry quickly if left overnight and, surprisingly, they will look great when you are done.

Colombia’s Blood and Guts III, true to size, are great for hot weather fishing.

Pros

  • Durable
  • It is easy to wash
  • Very light
  • Convertible

Cons

  • Pockets are small
  • No warmth. For cooler weather, an underlayer is recommended.

Columbia Men’s Terminal Tackle

Columbia PFG Men's Terminal Tackle Fishing Pants, Stain Resistant, Sun Protection, Black, 34

Material 91% Polyester, 9.9% Elastane with a stain repellant

Columbia makes several lines of angling pants. The Terminal Tackle is directly comparable to the Blood and Guts III.

These pants are made from a mixture of polyester and elastane. They have a slimmer fit but still, allow for freedom of movement. These pants are also light, although not as cool as Blood and Guts III. However, that’s mostly subjective.

Columbia’s chemical wizardry has worked to treat them with the same stain repellant. They are easy to wash by hand, dry quickly, and can be worn the next day.

Terminal Tackle’s mesh pockets are smaller than those on the Blood and Guts III. This means that anything larger than your essentials can get lost. This is combined with a slimmer and more flexible fit. I think the pockets are more decorative than practical.

This is not necessarily a problem, especially if there’s plenty of tackle storage. However, anything beyond a smartphone and a slim knife will likely push the front pockets to their limits.

These pants are beautiful from an aesthetic standpoint. They also look great if you want your gear to be covered at the marina.

This product is a bit small for some anglers. You might want to size up. However, they are very stretchy.

Pros

  • Durable
  • It is easy to wash
  • Very light
  • Fashionable and stretchy

Cons

  • Pockets are practically useless
  • No warmth. For cooler weather, an underlayer is recommended.

Huk Men’s Reserve Quick Drying PerformanceStylish Fishing Pants

HUK Men's Reserve Quick-Drying Performance Fishing Pants with UPF 30+ Sun Protection, Khaki, 38

Material 98% Polyester, 2% Spandex treated using antimicrobial and stain repellant agents

HUK is another trusted name in fishing apparel. Their Reserve Quick-Drying Performance pants prove why.

They are basically chinos made of a mixture of spandex and polyester. They look like regular dress pants, but they can be worn like fishing gear.

They are very light and dry quickly. They’re also treated with stain-resistant chemicals like Columbia’s offerings, which makes them easy to wash. HUK also added an antimicrobial agent to ensure that they don’t accumulate sweat or skin cells, and become stale like polyester.

You’ll need more storage than dress pants. This means you will also need other options like pliers and a Lipper. These are a great option for anglers who want to be smart and stylish while socializing after or during a fishing trip.

These HUK pants fit true to size and are tough-wearing despite their slim silhouette.

Pros

  • Durable
  • It is easy to wash
  • Very light
  • Fashionable

Cons

  • Pockets are practically useless
  • It’s not necessary to have warmth, but it will be warm enough for colder weather.

Winter and Ice Fishing

Striker Ice SI Water –Warmest Fishing Pants

Striker Ice SI HardWater Bibs, X-Large

Material 600D Endura nylon, Hydrapore waterproofing

Striker’s Ice SI HardWater Bibas is amazing. They provide warmth and allow for movement.

They are made with 600D Endura nylon shells. These bibs are warm and dry thanks to their proprietary waterproofing system and 150g of Thermadex insulation.

They are also very comfortable, with plenty of padding at your knees and seat.

These bibs score really high on this metric, with two large, accordion-style pockets and a zippered pocket at your chest.

These are excellent, warm, and comfortable options for cold weather. However, they are probably too much unless you are really working hard water. These clothes are suitable for windy, rainy, and just above freezing water days.

Pros

  • Tough
  • Well-insulated and warm
  • Windproof
  • Great waterproofing
  • Good storage
  • Place the padding where you are most needed

Cons

  • For most people, it is too warm to swim in open water

Frabill I-3

Frabill Bib I3 Black Medium

Material 300D nylon

Frabill is a reliable name on the ice. The I-3 will not let you down.

The bibs are not as durable as their counterparts, made of 300D nylon. However, this also means that they can bend and stretch more to allow for more active fishing.

An extra layer of 500D nylon is added to the knees and cuffs, strengthening these areas of abuse. As you would expect from Frabill’s, durability is exceptional.

These bibs are great for cold weather, with 150g of Thinsulate insulation. They also have plenty of waterproofing and windproofing. You can kneel and sit on the ice with ease, as long as you have your bibs padded where you would expect.

The Frabill is distinguished by its full-length zippers that allow for easy on/off.

To improve visibility in low light conditions, you’ll find 3M reflective panels on your chest and back.

These are another warm option in climates with extreme winter temperatures. However, if worn over non-insulating layers, they might also be a good choice for cold open water days.

Pros

  • It’s pretty tough
  • Well-insulated and warm
  • Windproof
  • Great waterproofing
  • Excellent storage
  • Place the padding where you are most needed

Cons

  • It’s not as difficult as the competition

Eskimo Men’s RoughneckThe Best Three-Season Fishing Pants For Cold Climates

Eskimo Men's Roughneck Bibs, Gray, Large

Material Duradry 600D polyester fabric

You’ll find plenty of Eskimo Roughnecks bibs on hard water. That’s quite a statement. These bibs are made with quality in mind but may not be as warm as other options for cold-weather fishing on open water.

These bibs are made with durable 600D polyester fabric and have a fleece lining. They also include a floatation material in case you get into the water. They won’t keep you floating by themselves, but they will help keep you above the water.

These are waterproofed and windproof, making them a great choice for bad weather. Storm flaps on both the legs and long zippers make it even more durable.

The large storage space is abundant with two big pockets at either the front and chest, as well as a zippered chest pocket.

They are warm enough to wear in temperatures as low as -10 F. I also like them for warm days out on the open water.

Pros

  • Tough
  • Well-insulated and warm
  • Windproof
  • Great waterproofing
  • Good storage
  • Place the padding where you are most needed

Cons

  • The Striker is not as warm as it used to be

Here are some things to consider when choosing fishing pants

Durability

Fishing can be very hard on your gear. You need your pants to be strong.

Durability is directly related to the quality of the manufacturing process and the material used. Stronger, more reliable hardware like zippers and buttons cost more and more robust–and stain-resistant–materials are equally expensive.

These extra costs are almost always passed on to the consumer. Typically, you get what you pay.

You’ll often see “D” used to refer to heavier options in ice fishing bibs. It’s a measure of the weight of individual fibers. What really matters is that heavier fabrics are more durable.

Comfort

Light, breathable fabrics are the best for the heat. The lightweight nylons, polyesters, and pants on this list will shine when the heat is on.

These summer plants may become uncomfortable as temperatures drop.

If you plan to wear the listed pants over three seasons, I strongly recommend that you have an insulating layer.

Ice fishing bibs are the best for colder weather. They offer unparalleled windproofing, waterproofing, and warmth.

These are great options for climates that can be quite cold in spring and autumn.

Storage

Fishing pants are a great way to organize your gear.

However, this is not always necessary, especially if you have tackle bags, PFDs, and other storage options.

We did however note the storage capacities of each product that we tested.

Last Thoughts

Although we can’t give you a recommendation, you can be sure that at least one product from our review will work for you, no matter where you fish.

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