5 Best Winter Fly Fishing Gloves & Why

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Sure, you can definitely go fishing in the winter, whether fly fishing or otherwise, as long as the water is not frozen. Fishing in the winter or during the colder seasons can provide you with some pretty good results, but you do need to have the right gear on hand for the job.

Speaking of hands, if you try and go fly fishing in the winter without the right gloves, or without any gloves at all, you are going to be very sorry and your fishing trip is not going to last long so it’s important to get the best winter fly fishing gloves you can so you can have a warm, enjoyable fishing day (Pro Angler gloves are our top pick, you can see them on Amazon here).

We have narrowed it down to 5 options that we personally feel are the best, before we jump into our reviews let’s quickly look at the 4 essentials of good fly fishing gloves for cold weather;

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4 Essentials Of Good Winter Fly Fishing Gloves

fly fishing gloves

Before you go out and buy winter gloves for fly fishing, there are a few key considerations that you definitely need to keep in mind. Here are the most 6 most important;

1. The Design – Fingers

Perhaps one of the most important things to keep in mind when buying winter gloves for fly fishing is the design of the fingers. Now, some come with full finger designs, which is nice if you want to keep your hands as warm and dry as possible.

Some options come with half or three-quarter fingers, which will provide some warmth, but will also expose your fingers so you can do things like tying fishing line with ease.

In our opinion, the best option to go with is a glove that does have full fingers, but also has slits at the knuckles, at least for the forefinger and thumb, so you can keep them warm, but also take some fingers out for maneuverability.

Moreover, there are also options with half or three-quarter fingers, which also have a folding mitten top. Mittens are of course way better for warmth than gloves are, but keep in mind that you definitely cannot tie fishing line with mittens on.

2. The Material

You do also want to pay attention to what material the winter fishing gloves in question are made of. Most of the time, this kind of glove is going to be made out of neoprene, which is the same material as wetsuits are made of.

Neoprene is good because it is fairly lightweight, it is flexible, and decently durable too. Although, do keep in mind that some neoprene gloves are not totally waterproof, which can be a problem.

On the other hand, there are also some really nice leather winter fishing gloves, and yes, leather will last longer than neoprene, and usually offers decent warmth too, but is not always too flexible. It’s really a matter of personal preference and your own comfort.

3. Insulation

Something else to think about before buying winter fly fishing gloves is how well insulated they are, if insulated at all.

Now, insulation is of course a key aspect of any winter glove, and the more insulation is present, the warmer your hands will be, although it is a bit of a trade off between thick insulation and maneuverability.

Yet, when it comes down to it, although maneuverability and finger sensitivity is important for fishing, you won’t last long either way if your fingers are freezing.

4. Wind & Waterproofing

The other important factor to keep in mind here is if the gloves in question are waterproof and windproof. If you are going fishing in the winter, going for gloves that are at least wind resistant and water resistant is important.

Yes, being totally waterproof and windproof is nice in terms of warmth and comfort, but do keep in mind that these features usually also come along with thicker and harder material, which then makes it harder for you to work with your fishing gear.


5 Best Winter Fly Fishing Gloves For Cold Weather

The amount of choice can be a bit overwhelming so hopefully we can help here, we have narrowed it down to these particular 5 gloves that we feel are the best. Each has its own benefits, but they all make for good fly fishing gloves in our opinion.

1. Pro Angler

The Pro Angler cold weather fishing gloves come to us from the Glacier Glove brand, a highly reputable brand name when it comes to this sort of thing.

This particular glove is made out of the same material as wetsuits are made of, which is neoprene. A big advantage of neoprene, for one, is that it is quite stretchy and flexible, so you should have no problems when it comes to maneuverability, especially when it comes to your digits.

Something else that helps with comfort and maneuverability is the fact that these things feature a seamless palm design. What is even better is that the thumb and forefingers have slits in them so you can keep your thumbs and forefingers out of the gloves for better grip and maneuverability if you choose to do so.

The pre-curved fingers as well as the Velcro wrist straps are both good features as well. Moreover, neoprene does insulate quite well and should keep the heat in. Moreover, these gloves feature a 2 mm fleece lining on the interior, which is nice because this also helps keep your hands warm.

Now, one thing that does need to be said here is that these gloves will get soaked with water when they get wet, and they also keep moisture and sweat in too. So, while these gloves are very warm while they are dry, once they get wet, they will probably be pretty cool.

Pros

  • Very warm.
  • Comfortable.
  • Flexible.
  • Thumb and forefinger slits.

Cons

  • Will absorb water.

You can check the current price on Amazon here


2. Goture Fingerless Gloves with Cover

Here we have another good option to go with, one that is actually a combination of mittens and fingerless gloves.

Now, this particular option features a fingerless glove design, or in other words, the fingers end at the first knuckle, therefore keeping your hands and half of the fingers warm, while leaving the front of your fingers exposed so you can easily fish, deal with your fishing gear, and even use your smartphone without taking the gloves off. It’s pretty convenient indeed.

Moreover, these gloves do come with a mitten cover, which you can put over all of your fingers, therefore effectively creating full hand mittens.

Now, this is nice if you want to keep your hands really warm during the winter, but do keep in mind that mittens, which have all of your fingers in the same pocket, are not exactly ideal when it comes to fishing, especially in terms of maneuverability.

On the other hand, something which we do think is beneficial about the Goture Fingerless Gloves is that they are made with flexible neoprene, and it is fairly thick too.

They are flexible enough for maneuverability, but also thick enough to keep your hands fairly warm, but do keep in mind that they are not insulated, so they are not the best when it comes to extreme cold.

However, what is beneficial here is that the Goture Fingerless Glove are water resistant, although not totally waterproof.

Pros

  • Convert from fingerless gloves to mittens.
  • Flexible neoprene.
  • Water resistant.

Cons

  • Not the best insulation.
  • Not totally waterproof.

You can check the current price on Amazon here


3. Palmyth Neoprene Fishing Gloves

If you need a good pair of cool weather fishing gloves, the Palmyth Neoprene Fishing Gloves are definitely a nice option to go with. Now, these are fingered gloves, so all of your fingers are totally covered, which is absolutely beneficial when it comes to cold weather fishing.

Do keep in mind that both the thumb and forefinger here have slits in them halfway up, so you can take your thumb and forefinger out for better gripping abilities, and so you can easily deal with your fishing gear.

With that being said, these gloves are made to be fairly thin, flexible, to allow your fingers to feel, and they have decent grip too. All of this comes together to provide you with a glove that is very maneuverable and sensitive so you can easily perform tasks without taking them off.

Something else you might like about these gloves is just that, that they are made of several layers of neoprene. Neoprene is pretty tough, so getting a fishing hook caught in them should not be the end of the world.

Moreover, the neoprene does help to keep some heat in, plus the outer shell is totally waterproof, which is a pretty big deal when it comes to cold weather fishing.

However, do keep in mind that these things are technically not insulated, so they are not the best option when it comes to extreme cold.

Pros

  • Totally waterproof.
  • Forefinger and thumb slits.
  • Comfortable and flexible.
  • Durable

Cons

  • Not moisture wicking.
  • Not for extreme cold.

You can check the current price on Amazon here


4. Alaska River Flip Mitt-P

Here we have another good pair of fingerless gloves and combination mittens. What is nice about these things is that you can choose to have all of your fingers exposed beyond the first knuckle, which does make it easier to maneuver, especially when it comes do doing things like fishing line.

Now, these things do come with a mitten cover, so you can protect all of your fingers from the cold if need be. However, once again, do keep in mind that mittens really are not the best for fishing due to limited maneuverability and functionality.

Moreover, these gloves do also come with a separate thumb slit, so you can choose whether or not to have your thumbs inside of the gloves.
The Alaska River Flip Mitt-P is made with neoprene, which is good because neoprene is very durable, as well as quite flexible too.

Also, the palm of this glove is lined with 2 mm of fleece for a bit of added insulation and protection, although keep in mind that the fingers without the mitten cover are not insulated.

However, the rear of the glove is also fleece lined and features a windproof design for even more warmth. Yet, a downside here is that these gloves are not waterproof, and once they get wet, your fingers will get cold.

Pros

  • Fingerless and mitten combo.
  • Thumb slit.
  • Windproof.
  • Durable and flexible.

Cons

  • Not waterproof or water resistant.

You can check the current price on Amazon here


5. Brace Master Gloves

This might be the final option here on our list today, but still a good one none the less. The Brace Master Gloves are technically sailing gloves, but they can also be used for fishing.

Now, the biggest benefit which these gloves come with is that they are very durable and flexible. These gloves are made out of real leather, and they feature a reinforced palm.

When it comes to durability, you won’t find much better glove material than leather. Now, they do take some time to break in until they become really flexible, but we think this is a small price to pay for a really durable glove that provides your hands with a lot of protection.

These gloves are wind and water resistant, but not windproof or waterproof. So, they can handle a bit of a splash and a cold breeze, but they are not the best for extreme cold. Yes, this glove is moisture wicking and quick drying, which is nice, but if you get them soaked, your hands will get wet and cold.

Now, the leather here does offer some warmth, a decent amount, but it is not an option we would go with for extreme cold. Something that is beneficial about these gloves is that they come with a Velcro wrist strap to keep them snug and secure.

Pros

  • Extremely durable leather.
  • Fairly flexible.
  • Decent warmth and wind protection.
  • Snug and secure fit.
  • Quick drying.

Cons

  • Not totally wind and waterproof.
  • Require some breaking in.

You can check the current price on Amazon here


Other Tips To Keep Your Hands Warm While Fishing

Let’s just quickly go over a few other tips when it comes to keeping your hands warm while fishing in the cold;

  • When you are fishing in the winter, getting your gloves and your hands wet is more or less unavoidable, especially if you fish for more than just a few minutes. You would be wise to bring along 2 or even 3 pairs of gloves, because once the first pair is wet, if you only have that single pair, you are going to be sorry.
  • Another thing to keep in mind here is that when your hands get wet, they get cold and lose heat way faster than when they are dry, and the cool winter air only worsens this problem. So, you would be wise to bring a towel with you so you can quickly dry your hands. Simply switching your wet gloves for a dry pair is not nearly good enough. Always dry your hands quickly if they get wet, which they probably will.
  • Did you know that keeping your fingers moving, even small movements like bending them, will keep the blood flowing and help to keep your fingers warmer? It’s an important tip no doubt. If you start standing still and not moving your fingers, they will get cold much quicker and easier.

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Conclusion

The bottom line is that you absolutely do not want to go fly fishing in the winter without gloves. Heck, doing anything in the winter without gloves is not a good idea. So, get yourself some durable, flexible, and resilient gloves that will protect your digits from the elements. We would absolutely recommend going with one of the options which we have reviewed here today.

Jason Downs

I created Fishtackly to share my 30 years of fishing experience and knowledge with others with the aim to help, and hopefully get more people involved and educated in this fantastic hobby that I love.