Fishing hats are special. They display our favorite logos, shops, messages, and hard-earned sweat! Many of last years hats have a HUGE sweat ring on the bill. Some anglers load their hat with hooks and flies or feathers.
Hats are not like barbecue. A smoke or sweat ring does not make your hat better. The aroma of your smelly, sweaty, fishy hat may seem like BBQ. You could wash your stinky crown, but what’s the point? The hat is just not the same after.
Fishermen tend to save their special hats. As a guide, we would wear our hats out. We all have an antler hat rack full of years of smelly, fishy, dirty fishing memories. We can pick out a hat and tell limits of stories and memories.
Dirty hatted fishermen are experienced. A client would never hire a guide with a clean, new hat. Well worn hats show experience, and time on the water. Clean boats, guides, trucks, and hats send the wrong message. I want to fish with the smelly, filthy, unshaven, experienced guide. A Guide trip is not a date, it is a fishing trip.
The style of your fishing hat defines you. Ball caps are very common. A cowboy hat not only defines our western fashion sense but protects your head from errant casts and debris. Fishy scarfs and bandannas are a favorite with younger fishermen. What ever hat you choose, make it your own. The brim works best when over the eyes.
Bright colored hats are great for photos but maybe wear a more earth tone or camo style hat. You don’t want every fish in the lake, or river, seeing you first.
So, head out to your favorite local shop and get this year’s new lucky headgear!
Hats on, rods up, fish on!
Montana Grant
For more Montana Grant, visit his blog at www.montanagrantfishing.com.
