Why You Should Wear Gloves When Fishing

04 Sep 2023

A fisherman wearing gloves is cutting a bunch of sea urchin on his boat

The average person most likely wouldn’t think of or place much importance on using gloves for fishing activities. But experienced anglers, know the importance of those hand protectors. And he knows the different types of fishing gloves to use in different types of angling activities.

Fishing gloves are essential fishing accessories that all anglers, regardless if they’re a novice or an expert, should have. These gloves, no matter what styles or specifications they have, protect your hands from freezing in frigid weather conditions or getting sunburnt by the harsh heat of the sun. Fishing is an outdoor activity and weather conditions can get extreme in the water. Gloves are important to keep your hands from volatile weather conditions. Holding fishing rods all day, preparing bait, and checking lines mean that your hands are constantly exposed to weather and temperature changes.

Gloves also protect fishermen from getting themselves hurt such as wounding their hands due to sharp objects from fishing hooks and sharp fins from fish. They could get their hands sliced, cut, or obtain abrasive wounds. Wounds on hands are painful and can be uncomfortable to use their metacarpus in heavy labour. Gloves, especially made with synthetic leather can keep their dukes intact.

Another benefit fishing gloves can provide to anglers is that it helps them grip slimy things better. A lot of fish have a slimy coating on their bodies which can be difficult to hold them. They can also irritate the skin as well. Gloves help mitigate this subtle yet annoying problem in a big way. Open salt water can also carry irritants that build up over time and become painful or itchy, especially for sensitive skin. If anglers are fishing in a lake where pesky insects such as mosquitos reside, gloves can protect their hands from painful and itchy bites.

And finally, gloves make the little tasks of fishing so much quicker and more efficient. Often, anglers have to handle taut lines that can cut, de-hook their catch, or even prepare a good catch. Using gloves will increase personal confidence when doing all of these little fishing tasks.

Different Types of Fishing Gloves

Ice Fishing Gloves

Applicable for fishing in areas where temperatures drop to 0 degrees Celsius and below in the winter months. These gloves keep your hands warm and prevent them from freezing when you’re fishing.

Waterproof Fishing Gloves

Most fishing gloves feature waterproof insulated gloves, which make them resistant to water. This is useful to keep the hands dry and prevent pruning.

Fishing Gloves for Sun Protection

These gloves have slightly different materials and features compared to other kinds. Fishing on a sunny day will keep you dry and sweat-free, which will make you think that you don’t have to wear gloves anymore. It is somehow true, but don’t forget that UV light can bring some problems to your skin. These gloves will protect your hand from getting sunburnt. Over time, heavy exposure to UV rays can lead to skin irritation and damage. UV exposure can also contribute to skin cancer.

Saltwater Fishing Gloves

These gloves are water-resistant, flexible, lightweight, and suitable for fishing and boating activities such as doing maintenance to your Mercury boat engine,  operating your boat or cleaning your boat deck.

Fingerless Fishing Gloves

These are the particular type of fishing gloves that cover your hands but have tiny openings at each tip of the fingers. This design offers more hand grip and control over the rods and overall offers more dexterity which is the primary reason most anglers prefer using this kind of fishing gloves. A fingerless design on a glove can help protect you from the sun and still give you a good tactile feel and dexterity. However, you may want to avoid using it in cold weather, deep water fishing, and big game fishing as they won’t offer any protection to your fingertips.

You can find and purchase these fishing gloves in your local marine boat stores or you can order them in online stores.

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