Overtrousers for anglers

What angling demands

Fishing is unusual among outdoor activities: you can spend all day outside in bad weather while hardly moving. That means you generate little heat, so staying dry and out of the wind is vital for staying warm. It also means breathability matters less than for a hillwalker, and a heavier, tougher fabric is often the better choice.

You will also sit on wet seat boxes and kneel on muddy banks to land and unhook fish. Those are exactly the pressure points where a light fabric will let water through.

By type of fishing

• Coarse and match fishing: long sessions on a seat box. A reinforced seat and knees, and a bib-and-brace to stop rain running down your back, are worth having.
• Carp and specimen sessions: overnight and multi-day sessions call for warm, durable waterproofs, often worn over thermal layers. Some anglers choose insulated waterproof bib-and-brace suits for winter.
• Game fishing (fly): you're often on the move along the river, and usually in waders. Waterproof trousers matter less when wading, but a light breathable pair is useful for walking to and from beats.
• Sea and shore fishing: spray, salt and wind. Tough coated fabric or a well-sealed bib is ideal, and rinse off salt in fresh water after every trip, because salt residues attract moisture and degrade finishes.
• Boat fishing: constant spray and wet decks. Bib-and-brace or chest-high waterproofs are standard. Always wear a lifejacket over your waterproofs afloat.

Features that matter

• Reinforced knees and seat with a high waterproof rating.
• Bib-and-brace to avoid a cold, wet gap at the back.
• Room for layers underneath: size up if you fish in winter.
• Quiet, muted fabric. Stiff, rustly waterproofs are noisy on the bank; softer fabrics and natural colours are less intrusive.
• Wide ankles to go over boots or wellies, and easy cleaning, because fish slime and bait end up everywhere.

Care

Rinse off mud, slime and especially salt after every trip, and dry fully before storing. Bait, groundbait and fish oils break down water repellency, so a periodic wash with a technical cleaner helps: see care & reproofing.