Buying stuff for fishing isn’t the best investment that we could make according to a strictly traditional definition of investing. Rarely can we sell a rod, reel, lure, or whatever for more than we paid for it. But some items that we use when we go fishing are good examples of smart investments. Not investments for financial gain, but investments in our well-being.

We go fishing for a lot of different reasons, but for most of us, it’s because it’s a good time. A good time is an investment in your emotional well-being, and that in itself is a good reason to go fishing.

So, we’re going fishing because it makes us happy. Let’s contribute to that long-term happiness by wearing sunscreen that protects your skin. I learned this one in a painful way. Many years ago, during my very brief involvement in tournament fishing, a friend and I participated in a local Chamber of Commerce tournament. It was a one-day deal on Saturday. 

I spent Friday on the water, practicing for the event. It was early June. After a long, cold, dreary winter, I was ready to enjoy being outside. And since I was young and concerned about such things, I was going to work on my summer tan. I covered myself with a sunscreen that the bottle said would create a “Savage Tan.” It had a sun protection factor (SPF) of 4. That’s not enough.

I fished all day under a bright sky with a light breeze. Shorts, no shirt, and flip-flops. Horrible idea all the way around. The next day, it was too painful to slide my fried body into regular clothes. Thank goodness for a cheap, loose-fitting rainsuit. That was all that I could comfortably get on over my sunburned skin. That day, I quit worrying about a tan and put more thought into skin protection.

If you’re going to be outside, wear adequate sunscreen. Many dermatologists say that 30 SPF is the minimum. Wear a shirt with long sleeves and long pants when you’re going to be in the sun for an extended period. There is clothing available that reduces the chance of sunburn, but also very comfortable, even on the hottest days.

Wear sunscreen when you’re ice fishing. On the ice, you get direct sun rays, and sun rays that reflect off the ice. Put sunscreen on any exposed skin. Also, invest in lip balm.

Just as important as investing in your skin is investing in your eyes. Vision is precious. Wear sunglasses. Sunglasses help you see shallow-water, fish-holding spots, but more importantly, they protect your eyes. If you’re motoring across the lake, sunglasses provide protection from bugs.

Maybe more importantly, they’ll protect your eyes from flying jigs and sinkers. When we get snagged, and the bait releases from the snag, it often shoots through the air like a bullet. Getting hit in the forehead with a jig or sinker is no fun. But a jig in the eye can be a lifelong reminder that sunglasses are more than a good idea when you’re fishing. They’re an investment in your vision. Strike King has a nice selection of sunglasses at an affordable price.

Invest in appropriate sunscreen, lip balm, and sunglasses. You’re not going to make money from them, but they’ll help you enjoy fishing even more. The stock market can’t provide a better investment than that.