What Is a Fishing Hat Called and Why Are Bass Pro Hats Popular?

“Fishing hat” is the generic term, with bucket, boonie, and trucker caps being the specific style names people actually wear.

Whether you call it a fishing hat, a bucket hat, or a boonie hat, the style you choose says more about your sun-protection needs than your fishing skill. The term “fishing hat” works as a catch-all, but the three main styles serve different purposes. The Bass Pro Shops Mesh Trucker Cap, in particular, has become the most visible fishing-adjacent hat in America — and it’s not even technically a fishing hat.

The Three Styles Behind the “Fishing Hat” Name

People use “fishing hat” as an umbrella term, but the actual hat they’re wearing usually falls into one of three styles:

• Bucket hat: A soft, circular-brimmed hat that shades the face, ears, and back of the neck. Anglers who spend hours in direct sun reach for this one.
• Boonie hat: Similar to a bucket hat but with a stiffer brim and often a chin strap. Military origins, serious sun coverage.
• Trucker cap: A baseball-style cap with a foam front and mesh back panels. This is what Bass Pro’s famous hat actually is.

If you ask most people to picture a “fishing hat,” they’ll imagine the bucket style. But the hat they’re most likely to own — especially if they bought it from Bass Pro — is a trucker cap.

Why Is the Bass Pro Shops Mesh Trucker Cap So Popular?

The Bass Pro Shops Mesh Trucker Cap became a cultural phenomenon for reasons that have almost nothing to do with fishing. The Wall Street Journal documented how a $6 hat turned into a fashion statement and a TikTok staple. The appeal breaks down into a few concrete factors:

• Price: Listed at $5.99, it costs less than a fast-food meal. That makes it an impulse buy and a low-risk fashion experiment.
• The logo: The screen-printed Bass Pro Shops logo is instantly recognizable. It signals outdoor credibility without shouting.
• Breathability: The mesh back keeps your head cool, which matters both on the water and in a summer crowd.
• Social media momentum: TikTok and Instagram turned the cap into a visible style choice, worn as much by people who have never held a rod as by actual anglers.

The Wall Street Journal piece tracking the Bass Pro hat’s rise as a fashion trend noted that the cap works because it carries the brand’s outdoor heritage without trying too hard.

Is the Bass Pro Hat Actually a Fishing Hat?

Technically, no. The Bass Pro Shops Mesh Trucker Cap is a trucker cap, not a dedicated fishing hat. The distinction matters if you’re buying for function rather than fashion.

Bass Pro sells both. The mesh trucker cap is their lifestyle piece — the one you wear to run errands or post a photo. Their dedicated fishing hats, which include bucket-style options and technical sun hats, offer features like moisture-wicking fabric and wider brims for actual UV protection.

If you’re shopping for real time on the water, the trucker cap’s mesh back keeps ventilation high, but its limited brim leaves your ears and neck exposed. That’s the trade-off buried in the hype.

Where to Start When You’re Buying

If you want the cultural icon, the $5.99 Bass Pro mesh cap is at every register. If you want a hat built for full-day sun exposure, look at the bucket and boonie styles instead. The material matters: the mesh cap is 100% polyester, which dries fast but offers no inherent UPF rating on its own.

For a roundup of hats actually designed for fishing conditions, our tested list of the best bass fishing hats compares brim coverage, material, and price head to head.