I Spent a Week Abusing the Poncho Fly Fishing Shirt. Did It Pass the Test?

Recently, I was introduced to a shirt that is flying under the radar in the world of fly fishing technical apparel, but has become one of my favorites.

A fly fishing technical shirt is worth writing about when it serves as a functional tool while on the water, and looks good when worn casually. | Photo by Christopher Kokorda

Recently, I put a shirt through a week of hard fishing in saltwater. This was wade fishing in knee-to-chest deep water, being hit by waves, hot sun, and a cool breeze that will chill you to the bone at the end of the day.

The Making of a Great Shirt

The shirt is the Gunnison, made by Poncho Outfitters, a shirt company founded by Clay Spencer. Before starting Poncho Outfitters, Clay worked as a fishing guide in Alaska. It was during this time of fishing and guiding that he learned what was needed in a good technical shirt. No need for bells and whistles, features that look good but have no real purpose. He insisted that every attribute served a specific and valuable need. He wanted all that in a fishing shirt, plus comfort and durability, so he made it himself.

After a day in the salt, rinse with freshwater and hang. The Poncho shirt is quick drying and easy to care for. | Photo by Ken Baldwin

My Yearly Pilgrimage to the Brewster Flats of Cape Cod

When I fish the Brewster flats in Cape Cod, I have a system that I strictly follow. I've honed and developed it over several years of trial and error, constantly tweaking it to make my fly fishing easier and more productive, i.e., more caught fish.

I don't add things to my system haphazardly or just because something is the newest, hippest trend in fly fishing. When you are wading in waist-deep water a mile offshore, and the tide is rising, safety is a concern. You don't want to carry too much, and what you do have should contribute to the cause. Anything else is dead weight.

The Poncho Gunnison fishing shirt fit right into my system, filling weaknesses I found in lesser "fishing" shirts. | Photo by Geof Garth

The Fit

The Gunnison fits loose and comfortable. It wasn't baggy or oversized, but cut in a way that allowed for easy movement in the shoulders and arms (good for casting). I was able to add base layers as needed, depending on the weather for the day.

Dries Quickly

I was wading in cold water, temps that range from the 50s to the 60s. If the sun goes behind the clouds and a slight breeze blows, a chill can take over, making for a miserable day, especially if your shirt is soaked from the waves. The Poncho shirt dries quickly, keeping the chill out.

Pockets

Two chest pockets that have magnet closures, and a vertical hidden chest pocket. That's all the pockets I need. The magnets make getting in and out easy with just one hand, and the zippered chest pocket fits a large cell phone, tippet spools, a small fly box, or a peanut butter and jelly sandwich. I've tried each one at least once.

Quality Build

The stitching is clean and tight with no loose ends. If you examine the shirt piece by piece, you can see that emphasis was placed on creating a well-made shirt for durability.

Sunglass cleaner

I don't know why all shirts don't have this feature. It's such a small thing that can make a big difference when sight fishing. I can't count how many times I've been without a lens cloth when I've really needed one. The Poncho shirt has one built in. No more digging through pockets for a piece of fabric or borrowing from your fishing buddy, who probably doesn't have one either. The sunglass cleaning cloth is built into the inside of the shirt. That's it, no need to worry about it anymore.

Poncho Shirts Are Built From Necessity

When fishing in a challenging environment, you will know right away whether a shirt is up to the task. Poncho Outdoors keeps things simple, functional, and ensures that their shirts are well-made. It's an added bonus that they look good too. KB

"The gods do not deduct from man’s allotted span the hours spent in fishing.” - Herbert Hoover

The gear reviewed in this article was provided to me at no cost for evaluation. The views and assessments presented are my own.