Most people don’t give much thought to the subject of fishing socks. However, you could sum up the importance of them like this: a good pair of fishing socks will make even the cheapest fishing boots feel comfortable, whereas a bad pair of fishing socks will make even the most expensive pair of fishing boots feel like you’ve filled your boots with drawing pins!
Fishing socks are important!
Forming the layer between your precious fishing boots and your even more precious feet, the humble fishing sock performs quite an important role. If you were sitting in front of the TV at home, then your choice of sock wouldn’t really matter. However, as an outdoor person, your sock has to perform a number of roles; it has to keep you warm, but not too warm. It has to feel comfortable, especially when you walk. And it also has to keep you dry on occasions.
Your choice of fishing sock, like most things in fishing, will depend on what you plan to do. The key is to think ahead – you don’t necessarily need the most expensive pair out there!
For a match / pleasure angler, who may well choose to remain stationary all day, basic warmth may well be the overriding factor required. If you’ve got a basic pair of wellies, there are a number of welly socks available. These tend to be fairly loose fitting, but of thick material and extremely warm! However, if your boots are the old ‘Moon Boot’-stylie, then your sock needs may well be even less demanding, but I would still suggest that you go for something designed for proper outdoor use, as they tend to be better wearing and give the edge when times get really cold. It could be that a liner sock is all you need, which are designed to go under thicker socks, but can be worn on their own if it’s warm enough.
If times are really cold, then you need to up the ante. I’ve said it before in articles and I’ll say it again; cold hands and cold feet make for very uncomfortable fishing. Whilst you can generally reheat hands quite easily, it’s very difficult to warm up freezing cold feet. Prevention is better than cure, so get your socks and boots right and worry about fish, not feet!
We’ve listed quite a few different socks on this website – CLICK HERE to view them – and for extreme cold weather, look for one that is specifically designed for it. You may well NOT find this from a fishing tackle dealer, which is why we’ve featured ones from outdoor and shooting specialists. Look for a sock that is for ‘extreme’ weather or ‘4-seasons’ and it’s well worth considering a longer sock, as you can turn over the top and double up on the warmth! The word ‘thermal’ is often used, but delve a bit deeper to see what the sock actually offers, as ‘thermal’ seems to be used far too often these days!
Obviously, if it’s not so cold, then you won’t need to go to such extremes, and it’s worth choosing a sock that is designed for the time of year you’re fishing in. A thinner purpose-made outdoor sock will offer a lot more comfort than a High Street everyday sock. For most of the year, I use socks from the 1000 Mile range. I’m not saying they’re better than any others, it’s just that I use them and have had no reason to change them.
There are times when having a fully waterproof sock comes in handy. For example, if I’m session carp fishing and wearing bivvy slippers, I’ll often want a bit of extra protection. Similarly, when the weather’s nice, I fish from the beach in trainers. That’s fine, until you get wet!
The only truly waterproof socks that I’m aware of, which are also designed for walking, are from Sealskinz. You’ll find details of them in the sock section on this website and, whilst they’re not cheap, I doubt you’ll ever find a Sealskinz wearer who doesn’t like them! The entire Sealskinz range (they also do hats and gloves) is just perfect for anglers. If you’ve got a bit of money to splash, or somebody asks you what you want for your birthday, it’s well worth taking the plunge!
To summarise: like everything in fishing, your choice of sock is a personal thing and will depend on what type of fishing you intend to do. There is no ‘one solution fits all’ – the choice is yours and we have designed this website to help people think about the choice, rather than sell them something inappropriate. Sometimes, proper outdoor gear can seem more expensive than ‘normal’ everyday stuff, but that’s because it’s designed to actually do a job, not just look like it does. A good pair of fishing socks, if you look after them, should last you a long time.
One final point on the subject of socks; keep a spare pair handy, either in your tackle bag or in your car. Accidents do happen (I’ve got a black belt in falling in!) and cold, wet feet are not nice, especially if you’ve got a long trek back home. Even a cheap pair of dry socks will feel better than a wet pair in such circumstances!
Elton