Fishing Gloves: Complete Guide

Protecting your hands while fishing is an often overlooked aspect of spending time on the water. The right pair of fishing gloves can protect anglers from cold weather, sun exposure, and fishing-related injuries involving hooks, fillet knives, wire leaders, or fish fins/teeth/spines. AFTCO offers a wide variety of fishing gloves, all serving a specific purpose.

With so many fishing glove styles and types available, choosing the ideal pair that matches your fishing conditions and style can feel overwhelming. Our team has dissected the distinctive features of each style to help you select the perfect gloves for your next outdoor adventure.

Sun Protection Gloves

Wearing sun-protection fishing gloves protects your hands from the sun by blocking or absorbing harmful UV radiation. For beginners and seasoned veterans alike, ensuring your hands stay protected from the elements is crucial for a comfortable day on the water. Sun gloves rated UPF 50+ allow less than 2% of harmful rays to penetrate, providing exceptional protection against the sun. Hands are also one the quickest areas of the body to show signs of aging, like sunspots and accentuated veins (spider veins). Grab SPF gloves to keep your hands and skin healthy before hitting the water. 

One of the most popular sun glove options for anglers is fingerless fishing gloves. Fingerless sun gloves are perfect for protecting your hands from the sun on those hot sunny days while allowing for increased dexterity. If you’re consistently re-rigging your tackle or tying knots, a fingerless fishing glove might be your best choice. For a bit more protection, the Sol Pro Gloves feature the same fingerless style but offer more coverage for your wrist. If you are also looking for extra palm protection, the Solmar UV Fishing Gloves feature extra palm padding while leaving your fingertips exposed for easy knot tying. For more sun protection gear tips, check out the how to choose sun protection blog.

Cold Weather Fishing Gloves

Die-hard cold weather anglers demand fishing gloves that offer warmth, waterproofing, dexterity, and grip. Not all gloves meet these standards. Finding the best cold weather fishing gloves can be challenging but essential to prevent cold fingers. We recommend a dual-layer approach to protecting your hands. As a base layer for hand protection, the Helm Insulated Fishing Gloves offer a 4-way stretch outer shell with microfleece insulation and a reinforced silicone textured palm. For ice fishing anglers and those tackling frigid days, the Hydronaut Gloves are the best ice fishing gloves. They’re warm fishing gloves constructed with a 220D 4-way stretch shell and feature 3M™ Thinuslate™ insulation, water-resistant DWR, adjustable wrist straps, touchscreen-sensitive index fingers, and reflective accents for low light conditions. Explore our guide for selecting the best cold weather fishing gear.

Jigging Gloves

In just a few years, slow-pitch jigging has seen a remarkable surge among American saltwater anglers. It has become one of today's hottest techniques, emphasizing the need for quality jigging gloves. Jigging demands constant reeling and line manipulation, often causing strain on your hands, particularly during multi-day trips. AFTCO's Jig Pro Gloves were crafted to provide full-finger protection without compromising sensitivity or dexterity. Check out our guide for expert slow-pitch jigging tips.

Saltwater Fishing Gloves

Reliable fishing gloves are essential whether navigating offshore or inshore. Drawing from extensive on-water experience, the AFTCO team has encountered and addressed a wide range of challenges. Leveraging insights from our dedicated pro staff, we consistently innovate hand protection, providing gloves tailored for anglers, deckhands, and wiremen to cover all scenarios.

Wire Max Gloves

In big-game saltwater fishing, the wireman has the most dangerous job on the boat. Handling a heavy leader with an above-average-sized fish, the wireman grips the line by hand to bring in the catch. Hand protection isn't just a choice; it's essential. The Wire Max Gloves feature a tacky palm for improved grip and closed-cell foam with super-tough Armortex shielding the top of your hand from taut lines. 

Release Gloves

As the name implies, the Release Gloves were crafted specifically for releasing and landing fish. They are reinforced in the thumb, index, and middle finger for added strength. The glove's index finger and outer section employ super-tough Armortex, enhancing protection during fish leadering. Additionally, this fish landing glove helps improve grip on the leader and wet boat rails. 

Utility Gloves

Whether pulling the anchor or cinching down connection knots, the Utility Gloves protect against cuts and blisters. Ax Suede G-Series material on the palm panels enhances grip even in wet conditions. The Utility glove is an all-around glove that doubles as a fish landing glove and keeps anglers' hands protected from the elements and their catch while on the water. 

Short Pump Gloves

Fishing gets slippery. The Short Pump gloves ensure a strong grip on your rod and reel handle while preventing palm and finger blisters during prolonged battles. Constructed with Spandura 4-way stretch material and ½ length fingers, they offer the dexterity needed for rigging baits and tying knots.

Choosing the perfect fishing glove isn't just about the technical stuff; it's also about finding a fishing clothing brand that aligns with your values. AFTCO and the Shedd family contribute at least 10% of company profits towards organizations and causes working to conserve our oceans, waterways, and fish populations while protecting angler rights and public access to these resources. Learn more about our sustainability and conservation efforts.