Reviewed by: CAPT. MIKE SCHOONVELD
When it’s “glove weather” in the Great Lakes area you know there’s some fabulous fishing available. Every ice-fishing fan knows that last-of-the-season ice can produce the best action of the season. Every ice-out angler knows those March days can feature hungry walleyes, northerns, cohos, browns and other species in many places. So put on some warm gloves (along with warm clothes) and go fishing! Don’t forget Lake Erie walleye that bite until boats are frozen off the lake.
It seems AFTCO understood this when they designed their Breakwater model gloves with features every cold water/weather angler needs. Though there are many types of waterproof gloves, few are versatile. The rubber or plasticized versions ward off water but most aren’t supple enough to allow fishing maneuvers like gripping a reel handle or grabbing a minnow. Some gloves are warm and flexible, but bulky. None are perfect, but the Breakwater model I used late last fall during late winter-type weather are as close to perfect and all-purpose as I’ve ever used.
I couldn’t clip walleye spoons onto snap swivels or tie fishing knots with cold fluorocarbon, but I could deploy the lures on divers or attach the lines to planer boards using the same gloves I used to grip the steering wheel when heading to the fishing area. I didn’t have to peel the gloves off to do most work or sacrifice gripping power due to a slippery, warmth-only glove on the throttle or steering wheel.
AFTCO started with a quick-drying stretch knit fabric to provide a snug fit and warmth. Inside, there’s a waterproof membrane to prevent water and wetness from getting through to the soft, fleece inner layer that makes the glove extra-warm. I was able to handle wet, slippery fish and grip cold-handled pliers to remove the fishhooks.
The palm and inside of the fingers have a tough, silicone-like coating to make the gloves more durable and give a non-slip grip. The thumb and first finger have a touchscreen-compatible fingertips that allow me to swipe my cellphone screen and move the cursor around on my sonar/plotter screen.
AFTCO Breakwater Gloves are widely available in either black or olive color at retailers and online sources including Amazon. You can also check them out and/or purchase at www.aftco.com along with all the other top-of-the-line fishing products from AFTCO.
FISHING TOYS 