Here’s a riddle for you… What gets’s wetter the more it dries? The answer is of course a fishing hand towel. Fishing towels are not the most glamorous of topics and don’t get us going quite as much as say, a new reel. But they are a vital piece of gear. In this article, we are going to look at the benefits of a fishing towel, why you need one, and some really great suggestions.
If you’ve ever had to handle a fish, wipe your hands after loading a method feeder, or have inadvertently discovered what happens to a banana when you leave it in the bottom of your seat box, then you’ll already know that a towel is a real luxury in the right circumstances.
Contents
Best Fishing Towels
Ridgemonkey LX Hand Towel Set
- Black
- 35 x 25cm
Ok this towel set isn’t limited to fishing, but the good thing is the small one would be of perfect size to take in your box. It is just over a foot square so won’t take up much space in your box. The soft cotton is super absorbent and quick drying. It is embossed with a funky looking logo, and you can use the larger towel in the bathroom. Ideal for when you get home and the Mrs demands that you jump in the shower.
Daiwa Handy Towel
- Dark green
- 60 x 45 cm
Daiwa are great at making purpose-built fishing solutions, including fishing hand towels. The Daiwa logo will show everyone what a pro angler you are (even if you have cheaped out on your pole floats).
The towel is around two feet long by a foot and a half. The benefit of a slightly larger towel is that you can have a wet side and a dry side. The thing we like the most is the handy clip, so you can ensure that it stays fixed right where you left it, and not in the mud on the bank.
Trakker Fishing Hand Towel
- Olive green
- 70 x 40cm
This towel looks the business. If you are the type of angler who likes to dress like a military sniper then colour will be in keeping with your theme. It is big enough to easily perform most tasks. Sadly it doesn’t feature a clip so you’ll have to be careful where you put it.
Guru Microfibre Towel
- Bright orange
- 58 x 40cm
You aren’t going to wonder where you left this, as it stands out. The bright orange colour will mean it wont be missed. You’ll just have to be careful not to ‘flash’ it when you are fishing. Microfibre is super absorbent and quick drying. In fact if you give it a good ‘wring’ it will dry even when wet.
Drennan Apron Fishing Towel
- Aqua marine
- 80 x 50cm
Drennan don’t mess around when it comes to 100% functional gear. We love this towel. You can tie it around your waste ensuring that it never gets lost. It will keep your lap dry and maybe even a little bit warm. If you are unhooking fish on your lap then it stops your pants getting a bit pong-whiffy too. The towel is large enough to ensure that not a drop will grace your trouser legs.
Buyers Guide
Fishing towel size
A good fishing hand towel shouldn’t be too big or too small. Sure, big towels are great, but if it becomes a burden to carry or causes storage issues then the end doesn’t justify the means. As an ideal size we would say maybe twice the size of a normal tea towel is optimum.
A personalised fishing towel
We like to write our name on everything. Why? You’ll find that if you’ve got a good piece of gear, it tends to magically ‘grow legs’… We still haven’t found out what happened to our 3-piece disgorger set.
Fishing towel colour
If you bring a day-glow pink monstrosity then you’ll be a laughing stock on the bank and chances are you’ll spook the fish. Choose a towel that is a dull or drab colour.
Fishing towel material
Essentially you will want something that is absorbent and dries relatively easily. If you’ve ever purchased a sub-standard towel and just moved water around instead of soaking it up, you’ll know what we mean. When we say ‘dries’ we mean it in both ways. It should be absorbent, but you don’t want the towel to stay wet for the day.
Fishing towel extras
We’ve done it in our own kitchen… Now, where did we put that bloody towel? You don’t want to be asking this question when you’ve got your arms full of roach slime. The solution is to perhaps look at a fishing towel apron. You can wear it around your waste and it sits in an optimum position… on your lap. So, you don’t need to wipe your hands on your jeans any longer.
Conclusion
Well, what’s in a towel? Perhaps more than you would think?
Before we go, if we might just offer a word to the wise with regards to fish safety? It used to be the done thing that fish (including big carp) were unhooked on the ground on damp towels. Whilst this is undoubtedly kinder than the bare bank, it still isn’t great for them. Towels are designed to soak up moisture… This includes protective slime which covers fish. With small roach, you might be ok, but it does require that your towel is completely wet, which kind of defeats the object.
Overall a hand towel is a great bit of kit, if you haven’t got one, buy one, as you won’t realise what you are missing until you have used one.
Mike has over 30 years of fishing experience in carp fishing and general coarse fishing. He is always looking for the latest fishing kit to try out and talk about and needs a bigger shed due to all the fishing tackle he owns. You can read more about him here.