Why Fishing Guides Love Bibs

With all the late-season rain we’ve been getting on the San Juan, I wanted to talk about one of my favorite pieces of guide gear: bibs.

The bib revolution has happened.

Bass anglers seem like they were ahead of the curve on this one, but more and more Western fly-fishing guides are figuring out just how useful a good pair of bibs can be—especially if you spend most of your time fishing out of a boat.

Think of bibs like a pair of waders without the booties. Basically, waterproof coveralls.

They’re lightweight, easy to travel with, easy to layer underneath, and they give you a ton of protection from both rain and wind. Because they come all the way up your chest, you get considerably more coverage than you would from regular rain pants.

This season I’ve been wearing the Simms Challenger Bib, and it has become one of my most-used pieces of gear. It’s lightweight, easy to move around in, and gives me protection from rain, spray, and wind. Simms also redesigned the front flap area, which helps keep water from pooling up around the zipper when you’re sitting down in the boat.

But regardless of what brand you like or have an affiliation with, I cannot recommend bibs enough.

Why Not Just Wear Waders?

One of the biggest advantages of bibs is that you’re not committed to wading boots.

You can pair them with insulated muck boots, XTRATUFs, or whatever waterproof footwear makes sense for the conditions.

That can make a surprisingly big difference when it gets cold.

With stocking-foot waders, once you step into the water, cold water fills the space around the neoprene stocking and inside your wading boot. Even though you’re staying dry, that cold water can still pull heat away from your feet.

With bibs and insulated waterproof boots, you can stay completely out of that equation.

For fishing out of a boat, that setup can be extremely comfortable.

Easy On. Easy Off.

The other advantage is convenience.

If a storm rolls in, you can throw bibs on quickly. If the sun comes back out, you can take them off just as fast.

You don’t have to completely change into waders every time the weather gets questionable.

Pair a good bib with a rain jacket and you have a pretty complete weather system for the boat.

Rain? Covered.

Wind? Covered.

Cold morning? Layer underneath them.

Warm afternoon? Take them off.

They pack down small, travel well, and don’t take up much room in the truck or boat.

Every year I find myself recommending bibs to more of our clients, especially anglers coming to fish the San Juan during spring and fall when the weather can change quickly.

There are plenty of brands, styles, and price points out there. You don’t need the most expensive pair on the market.

But if you spend a lot of time fishing from a drift boat, raft, skiff, or anything else where you aren’t standing waist-deep in the river all day, bibs are one of the most practical pieces of fishing gear you can own.

Look around at guides on the San Juan—or guides on rivers all over the West—and you’ll see more and more of them wearing bibs.

There’s a reason for it.

They’re easy to layer under, easy to transport, easy to get on and off, and they work.

For me, they’re one of the best pieces of outdoor gear a fishing guide can own.