My Other Shirt Is Also a Fishing Shirt

Over time, most of my wardrobe has become pieces appropriate for a day of fishing. Have you noticed this happening to your clothes?

This conscious realization only hit me because I was packing for a recent monthlong trip through Florida with my wife. Yes, we would be fishing a lot, but we would also be enjoying the sights, dining and cultural offerings of the cities and towns we passed through between fishing spots.

Historically, my packing strategy has been to bring fishing shirts, water shoes and rain gear... then just hope the restaurants were close enough to the water that everyone else would be dressed like me.

I know I’m not alone. I’ve enjoyed many meals in fine restaurants with a table of my peers—all of us in faded hoodies and sun-bleached lucky caps emblazoned with various tackle manufacturers’ logos. It's not sloppiness—it’s easy…and it’s tribal. A Tactical Bassin' logo is a credential.

Five fishermen at a restaurant, al dressed in hoodies and fishing caps. — When fishermen go to dinner. | Kurt Mazurek

But somewhere along the way—maybe it’s travel, maybe it’s my days in the corporate world (trying to earn enough to support my hobby), maybe it’s having an amazing wife who has never tried to change me, maybe it’s just from getting older—I began to realize that look doesn’t always fully describe who I am or how I want to be seen.

Function and Performance Don’t Have To Sacrifice Style

The author dressed in his new Huk apparel, posing in front of Jimmy Buffet's recording studio on a day wandering Key West. | Julie Mazurek

Huk Gear is an apparel brand I’ve been wearing since they hit the market. I can spot lots of their hooded sun shirts, pants and shorts as I flip through my years of fishing photos. But they also offer a pretty wide selection of pieces that comfortably make that transition from “I’m going fishing” to “I’m going somewhere after.”

The author relaxing on a park bench wearing Huk performance clothing. — The Huk Tide Point Button Down Shirt and Rivercamp Pants look just as great on the boat as they do in the park. | Julie Mazurek

Yes, a lot of the fabrics are still technically fast-drying and sun protecting, but their styling doesn’t announce it. They travel well without a lot of wrinkling and they aren’t all emblazoned with big logos. Sitting across from my wife at dinner, she may even remark something like, “You look nice.”

The author wearing his Huk shirt and hat checking the time. — This Huk Corduroy Button-Down Shirt quickly became one of my favorite, versatile, comfy but stylish parts of my wardrobe. | Julie Mazurek

A few personal favorite pieces include the fashionable Huk Hawser Corduroy button-down shirt. It’s versatile, comfortable, and very flattering. Its medium-weight corduroy material is perfect for cool evenings in the summer or layered up to keep warm in the fall.

The author on the streets of Key West in his new Huk clothing. — The author—definitely not a professional model—still manages to look very presentable in his Huk Tide Point shirt and Next Level shorts. | Julie Mazurek

Also, I really liked the Huk Tide Point button-up shirt. It is fast-drying, outdoor-performance built, but looks great strolling around town or grabbing lunch at a cafe. I paired it with their Next Level shorts to complete the look and feel.

Shoes and Accessories Can Change Everything

Closeup of the leather boots the author is wearing in the park. — The Officer's Boot from Saddleback Leather Co adds a huge boost to any guy's wardrobe. | Julie Mazurek

With the clothes sorted, what can I do for shoes that match that style? Yes, I’m a real outdoorsman, but no, I don’t always look like a slob. And, in case you haven’t read my work in the past, I’m a bigger than average guy. Finding cool shoes that fit me has always been a challenge.

Closeup of the author sitting in the park, removing his laptop from his leather bag. — These high-quality leather accessories are the exact opposite of throw away fashion. | Julie Mazurek

Then I found Saddleback Leather Company’s Officer’s Boot. These are an absolutely classic design, lace-up-style boot, handmade in Italy and available in sizes up to 15-wide. If, like me, you’ve never allowed yourself to step up to this level of quality in your footwear, it is an amazing feeling. I don’t want to get all weird about it, but wearing them has a psychological effect—worthiness, confidence, and even a feeling of inspiration that makes me want my own work to meet the same high standard. And maybe these aren’t quite right for a day in the boat, but everywhere else, they fit the image I’d like to portray.

Closeup of the author holding his leather briefcase. — I will carry this Saddleback Leather briefcase for literally the rest of my life. I love it and I have no doubt it will outlast me. | Julie Mazurek

And as long as I’m talking about Saddleback Leather’s shoes, I want to mention their all-leather packs and bags as well. For my past couple trips I’ve carried my computer and accessories in their Leather Front Pocket Briefcase, and my clothes in the 34” Beast Duffle Bag. Like their shoes, these leather bags have kind of a special way of making you feel great about yourself. And they fit perfectly with the grown up, accomplished fisherman look I’m trying to create.

The Saddleback Leather brand’s tagline “They’ll fight over it when you’re dead” is both clever and accurate. Yes, these shoes and bags cost more than other brands, but they will serve me in function and style, literally forever. The 100 year warranty on their bags lets you know it's not just marketing hype.

A Fashion Statement Piece for Anglers

A Citizen ATTESA wrist watch on a wooden table with a few other EDC items and a glass of whiskey. — The Citizen ATTESA Super Titanium in this particular color combination is the perfect statement piece for the sophisticated fisherman. | Kurt Mazurek

As the lifelong, mostly schlubby fisherman I described earlier, I had heard the term "statement piece" in fashion, but I never knew what it meant—and I’m quite sure I never owned one. But when I saw the Citizen ATTESA Super Titanium men’s watch, I started to understand. This watch transcends its primary purpose of telling time and becomes an anchor for a guy's style.

Split screen: Citizen Attesa on an angler's hand holding a fishing rod and the same person's hand while sipping espresso — An amazing timepiece anywhere you see it. | Kurt Mazurek

This watch’s grounded but incredibly sophisticated styling makes it perfect for the river, a client meeting or a night out with the wife. The distinctive dark gray, brown and rose gold accent colors are elegant while at the same time, rugged. And they look great with the earthy, muted palette of a lot of the Huk clothes I’m wearing.

The author out for a drink with his wife, sporting his favorite Huk shirt and favorite Citizen watch. Still looks like a fisherman, but a responsible, accomplished, adult fisherman. | Julie Mazurek

This watch just feels special from the moment you pick it up. The face and the frame are ultra scratch-resistant, and the ATTESA line includes Citizen’s Eco-Drive technology, which means it never needs a battery. And for the fishermen wondering how it will hold up on the lake, it's water resistant up to 100 meters.

I understand that this is a lot of watch for a guy who mostly wants to go fishing. But I picture this as a once-in-a-lifetime purchase that becomes part of an angler’s identity and legacy.

The Tactical Bassin' Hoodie Stays

The sun-faded lucky cap and Tactical Bassin' hoodie aren’t going anywhere. But now I understand that between the boat ramp and the dinner with fancy cloth napkins, an angler doesn’t have to be the only thing people see when they meet me. I’m proud to be a fisherman, but I’m also a husband, a father, a business owner, and a lot of other things. I might as well look like it.

Transparency Note: Although I have not been paid by any of the manufacturers or companies mentioned, some of the gear or places reviewed in this article have been provided to me at no cost for evaluation. The views and assessments presented are entirely my own.

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