The Best Walleye Fishing Shirts
We make DEERLY'S shirts. Below, we put them next to the brands you already know and say where those brands beat us.
Walk the fishing-shirt aisle and you'll find marlin, redfish, tarpon and the occasional bass. Walleye? We checked Huk, AFTCO, Columbia PFG and Guy Harvey. Zero between them.
So if you want the fish you actually chase on your back, the choice is short. If you want a certified UPF rating above all else, it's a different list, and we'll point you to it.
The short answer
- Best walleye fishing shirt: Misty Timber Walleye, $34.99. Our most-ordered walleye design.
- All-day summer sun? Get a UPF 50 shirt from Huk, AFTCO or Columbia. Ours aren't rated.
- It's a gift? Order by mid-November. Printed after you order, so it isn't a two-day thing.
In this guide
Our picks
The one most walleye guys pick
Misty Timber Walleye Long Sleeve
$34.99 · Rated 4.8 by 35 buyers
A walleye sitting just under a flat, foggy surface with drowned timber below. That first hour before the wind comes up. Grey-green, so it works with waders, jeans or a hoodie over top.
Flaws but not dealbreakers
- Feels like a soft tee, not a crinkly tech shirt. Some guys want the crinkle.
- No UPF rating.
For the guy who starts when everyone else packs up
Nightfall Timber Walleye Long Sleeve
$34.99 · Rated 4.9 by 17 buyers
Black water and one eye catching the light, the way they look in a headlamp beam. If he's out at last light or under a lantern on the ice, he'll get it without a word.
Flaws but not dealbreakers
- Reads deep blue, not black, in daylight.
- Dark shirt, warmer in July sun.
The one about who he fishes with
Father & Son Walleye Long Sleeve
$34.99 · Rated 5.0 by 4 buyers
Two guys in a small boat, a big walleye under them. Every other design here is about the fish. This one's about the boat. Most of these go to dads and grandpas.
Flaws but not dealbreakers
- Busier scene than the others.
- Newer, so only 4 reviews so far (all 5 stars).
Also great · brightest
Cold Teal Walleye Long Sleeve
A walleye diving on bait through cold teal water. The lightest one we make. 5.0 from 20 buyers.
Also great · reef guys
Hardrock Walleye Hunt Long Sleeve
Gold light over a rock pile. For the guy who knows every reef on his lake by GPS.
Also great · hot days
Misty Timber Walleye Sun Hoodie
The top pick on a cool-touch knit with a hood, for long drifts in August.
On the water
We'd rather you hear it from guys who've worn them. A few things come up again and again in our reviews:
They get worn on trips, not saved for town. One buyer spotted the shirt right after a Lake of the Woods trip and bought it for her husband. Another wears his on "those long days in a boat."
Light enough for hot days. "Very light weight for hot days," from a guy on his second order. Another called it "comfortable even on a hot day."
The fish looks right. The comment we see most. "Fish so life-like," one wrote. Another buyer's husband, who has a walleye tattoo, gave it the only review that matters: "oohhh ho ho ho!"
Fit: runs roomy, arms on the long side. Between sizes, go down one.
How to pick one
Five things decide whether it gets worn every trip or lives in the drawer.
1. Is it actually a walleye?
You'll know in a second if the artist has never held one. Check the eye, the white tip on the tail, the spiny dorsal. A generic "fish" is a gift from someone who doesn't fish.
2. How is it printed?
All-over prints are dyed into the fabric, so there's nothing to crack. Screen-printed graphics look sharp at the store and start cracking by the second season.
3. Will it work in the boat?
Light, quick-drying, a little stretch for jigging. Long sleeves cover cold mornings, noon sun and the bugs at dusk.
4. Does it come in his size?
Plenty of walleye guys wear 2XL and up, and some big brands stop at 2XL. Check the top size before you fall for a design.
5. How much sun is he really in?
Long summer days in full sun? A shirt with a tested UPF 50 rating is the safer bet. Any long sleeve covers skin; only a tested rating tells you how much UV gets through.
How we stack up
Each brand's best-known long sleeve fishing shirt. Longer bar is better. We don't win them all.
The other brands
Huk Pursuit · $40–45 · UPF 50+
Light, well-cut, with good flats and camo patterns. Huk leans saltwater; no walleye.
+ Stain- and odor-resistant, with solid sun protection. — USAngler roundup, not hands-on
– Runs warmer than Huk's own Icon X. — USAngler roundup
Choose it if: he's in full sun all day and cares more about UPF than the fish on his back.
AFTCO Samurai · $39 · UPF 50
Great stretch fabric, 60-day returns and AFTCO pays the return label. Mostly solid colors with small logos.
+ Dries fast; picked as Best for Sun Protection. — Outdoor Life, tested (hoodie version)
– Solid colors only. — Outdoor Life, tested
Choose it if: he wants a clean tech shirt and you want the easiest return.
Columbia PFG Terminal Tackle · $40 · UPF 50
Sold everywhere, and the separate Big line runs to 6X, with Tall sizes too.
+ Held up with no real wear; good value at about $40. — OutdoorGearLab, tested the hoodie version
– Runs large, dries slower and feels stuffy in humidity. — OutdoorGearLab, hoodie version
Choose it if: he's big and tall, or you need it from a store this weekend.
Guy Harvey Performance · $50 · UPF 40–50
The original fish-art shirt: marlin, sailfish and tuna wrapped around the body. Beautiful, but saltwater only.
+ Soft polyester that wicks sweat. — The Gear Hunt, 2018 roundup, not hands-on
– Not cheap for what it is; limited colors. — The Gear Hunt, 2018
Choose it if: he fishes the ocean and loves fish art.
Rattlin Jack · $44.99 · UPF 50+
A small walleye brand with an all-over printed shirt and a 90-day free return.
Choose it if: you want a walleye shirt with the longest return window.
What buyers say
“The shirt actually looks better in person than it did in the advertisement. The quality of the shirt and the laser-crisp design is perfect!”
Jeff G., Ohio · verified buyer · Nightfall Timber Walleye
“I bought three and gave two of them away! … nice print and quality stitching. Highly recommend.”
Werner G. · verified buyer · Hardrock Walleye Hunt
And the complaints, straight from our 3- and 4-star reviews:
“It takes nearly a month to get here.”
3 stars · Misty Timber Walleye
Fair. It's printed after you order. Plan on 2–4 weeks and don't leave Christmas to December.
“They feel more like a t-shirt than a fishing shirt, but the graphics are great.”
4 stars · Misty Timber Walleye
That's the cotton-feel knit. Want the crisp tech feel? Huk or AFTCO is closer.
Buying it as a gift
His size: grab a tee he actually wears and match it. Ours run relaxed with long arms. Between sizes, go down one.
Wrong size: check the size guide first. Picked the wrong size? Email us with your order number. We look at every case and work with you to get the right fit. If we send the wrong size or it arrives damaged, we replace it free within 30 days.
Timing: it's printed after you order, and most US orders arrive in about 2 weeks (usually 10–18 days), a few days sooner with Priority. For Christmas, order by mid-November to be safe.
Make it a set: each pick has a matching phone case, any 2 for $30 each. Two shirts ($69.98) also gets you free shipping.
FAQ
Do DEERLY'S shirts have UPF sun protection?
They're long sleeve and cover skin, but they aren't UPF rated, so we won't put a number on it. If certified sun protection is the priority, get a UPF 50 shirt from Huk, AFTCO or Columbia.
Will the print crack or fade?
It's dyed edge to edge into the fabric, so there's nothing to crack or peel. Wash cold, tumble dry low, skip bleach and the iron.
Why cheaper than Huk or AFTCO?
We sell direct and print to order: no store markup, no warehouse of unsold shirts. The trade-off is 2–4 weeks of waiting.
Where are they made?
Each shirt is printed to order by our production partners after you check out, then shipped to you. That's why it takes 2–4 weeks rather than two days.
Can I return it if he doesn't like it?
We replace or refund within 30 days for defects, damage or a wrong item. Change-of-mind returns aren't covered, since each shirt is printed for your order.
How we compared
Price, UPF, fabric, sizes and returns come from each brand's own site, checked October 1, 2026. We counted walleye designs by scanning each brand's full catalog. What reviewers say about the other brands is quoted from their published reviews, linked above. Our picks are ranked by what walleye anglers ordered from us in the last 90 days; reviews and photos are from verified buyers. Something out of date? Email info@thedeerly.com and we'll fix it.
Walleye. 70+ designs, one species.
Long sleeves, short sleeves, sun hoodies, phone cases and woven throws.
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