The Best Fishing Hat in Australia? The One That Ends the Great Aussie Salute for Good
I was about ten years old, fishing with my dad, when it happened.
The flies were horrendous that day. Between trying to watch my line and swatting flies away from my face, I swallowed one. The gagging, the disgusting feeling, the yelling "Help Dad — get me a drink, I've swallowed a fly!" — that memory has never left me, not to mention Dad thinking what next! Every Australian fisher knows exactly what I'm talking about. This Australian hat for flies has you covered!
After 20–40 years fishing the ocean in South Australia, I can tell you that a fly-free day on the water is not too much to ask. And the Dreamtimez Fly Net Hat has finally made it possible.
Why Fishing Is One of the Worst Activities for Flies
If you think flies are bad in the backyard, wait until you're standing still at the water's edge with bait in your hands.
Where there's water and bait, there are flies — guaranteed. Coastal and ocean water, rivers, mixed with the smell of fish and bait, creates a perfect haven for flies and mozzies. You're often standing relatively still, focused on your line. You're sweating in the sun. You can't move quickly without disturbing the fish. It's the perfect storm.
The result? You spend half the day doing the Great Aussie Salute instead of actually fishing. Your concentration breaks. Your patience frays. What should be one of life's great pleasures becomes a battle of endurance.
What Fishers Have Tried (and Why It Doesn't Work)
Over the years, most of us have tried every option:
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Waving them away — the Great Aussie Salute — exhausting and never-ending
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Insect repellent sprays and creams — chemicals on your face all day, in the heat, near food and water? No thanks
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A regular cap or wide brim hat — provides zero fly or mossie protection
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Cheap fly net hats — the net collapses onto your face, flies still get through, or they're so uncomfortable you rip them off before lunch
None of these solve the problem. They just manage it badly.
The Hat That Changes Everything: Dreamtimez Fly Net Hat
The Dreamtimez Fly Net Hat was built for people who actually live and work outdoors.
The wide brim is the key. It keeps the net completely off your face, so you're not feeling mesh on your skin all day. The breathable insect net gathers securely at the bottom, so flies can't crawl in from underneath. There's airflow through mesh side panels, so you're not overheating in the Australian sun.
And it combines with your existing gear perfectly. You can wear it comfortably all day with sunnies and a neck gaiter underneath — a setup many experienced fishers swear by for full face and neck protection on long days on the water.
No sprays. No creams. No swatting. Just fishing.
The Sheep Yards Test (Which Applies Directly to Fishing)
One of our customers put this hat through the ultimate fly test — a full day drafting sheep in the yards. If you've never worked sheep yards in summer, just know: the flies are in the thousands, relentless and inescapable.
His review? "Hands down the best day I'd ever had in the sheep yards. There were thousands of flies — but not one on me."
Now apply that to a day on the water. Same principle, same result. You concentrate on fishing. The flies are irrelevant. You go home having actually enjoyed yourself.
More Than a Hat — A Story You Wear
Here's what makes the Dreamtimez Fly Net Hat genuinely different from every other fly net hat on the market.
Each hat features original Indigenous artwork, licensed from Dreamtimez artists who receive ongoing royalties for every single hat sold. Not a one-off payment — ongoing royalties. Every design tells a story of culture, country and family, passed down through generations.
When you wear a Dreamtimez hat on the water, you're wearing a piece of living Australian culture. You're supporting an Indigenous artist's income, directly and continuously. That's something no other fishing hat on the market can offer you. If you'd like to learn more, read the full story behind the Indigenous artwork and how Dreamtimez was built from the ground up on fairness and respect.
The Perfect Gift for Any Fisher
At $45 (on sale from $49), the Dreamtimez Fly Net Hat is honestly one of the best value purchases you can make for your time on the water — or gift to someone who loves the outdoors.
Think about it: a fishing mad mate, Father's Day, a birthday, a holiday, Mother's Day. Anyone who spends time outdoors in Australia will use this hat constantly and thank you for it. It's practical, it's meaningful, and it's something they simply won't buy for themselves.
Imagine gifting someone a day of fishing without the Great Aussie Salute. That's genuinely priceless.
What You Get With the Dreamtimez Fly Net Hat
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UV50+ wide brim sun protection
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Breathable insect net gathered securely at the base
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Mesh side panels for airflow
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Adjustable head cord — one size fits most
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Ponytail hole (yes, really)
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Adjustable chin strap for windy days on the water
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Hidden Velcro pocket under the cap
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Comfortable with sunnies and neck gaiter
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Original Indigenous artwork with royalties paid to artists
For more on why UV50+ protection matters specifically on the water, read our guide to UV50+ protection for Australian summers.
Final Thought
I swallowed a fly as a seven-year-old and never forgot it. Decades of fishing and swatting later, I can tell you — the Dreamtimez Fly Net Hat is the answer we've all been waiting for.
A pleasant day on the water, concentrating on fishing, not flies. That's what this hat delivers. And it's been proven everywhere from the open ocean to the sheep yards.
Ready to fish without the Salute? Shop the Dreamtimez Fly Net Hat here — currently $45.