My Favorite Fishing Gloves

Once your hands get cold, the rest of you typically isn't too far behind. Finding good gloves, therefore, is important to any fisherman who spends much time out during the winter. Gloves have been especially important to me for the past couple of years as I have been spending more time sitting on the ice!

I own thick, heavily insulated gloves that will keep my hands warm in any condition, and when the temperatures turn severe and I simply need hand protection, there is no substitute for these. Most of the time, though, I prefer more finger mobility for handling my fishing equipment. I've tried various gloves made of neoprene and other modern materials and a few different types of "glommits," which are glove/mitten hybrids with mitten-like coverings that can fold back; however, most either are cumbersome or they aren't sufficiently warm.

The best gloves I found, and the ones I have with me on every trip north, are Cabela's Ragg Wool 1/2-Finger Gloves. They provide natural insulation and break the wind nicely and are extremely comfortable. Most importantly, I don't have to take them off to fish.

If it's really cold, I usually open a pair of Grabber Mini Warmers, which are air-activated handwarmers that last all days, and stick them in the hand pockets of my coat. Then, if the fingertips get a little frigid, I can alternate my rod hand or take a short break from fishing and warm my fingertips a bit.