Fishing Sunglasses Buyers Guide
Fishing sunglasses come in a variety of shapes, sizes, and lens colors. Selecting the correct combination of these specs all depends on what kind of fishing you are doing. The two primary types of fishing we want to consider are deep water fishing, and shallow water or river fishing. First, we will cover optimal frame and lens choices for deep-water fishing, then shallow water, then we will let you know what is important to consider for both. Prescription lens information for fishing sunglasses is also available towards the end of the article.
Open Water, Deep Sea Fishing Sunglasses Frames
Open water fishing usually involves being on a boat, surrounded by water that is constantly reflecting the sun towards you from all directions. You may not notice the sun coming in from the sides but it is definitely trying to creep past the sides of your sunglasses and into your eyes. This is where thick temples or ear stems come in to play. The thicker, the better as they will act as an impenetrable wall between your eyes and the scattered glare. The frame should also sit close to you eye brow line and not allow incoming light from above as this can affect the dilation of your eyes, causing fatigue that becomes very uncomfortable. A full frame that goes all the way around the lenses is usually best; however a semi-rimless frame can work for you as long as it provides adequate coverage that blocks invasive UV light.
Open Water, Deep Sea Fishing Sunglasses Lenses
Polarized, grey base lenses are optimal in an open or deep-water setting. This is because grey is a neutral color that will make things feel darker and more soothing. Polarization is film embedded in the lens that reduces overall glare whether it be reflecting off the water or coming straight from the sun. If you spend hours fishing out in open water, your eyes need as much of this protection that you can get. While a bronze lens base will give you more contrast and let you see just below the surface, it will also make things feel brighter and fatigue your eyes faster. Considering that you are fishing at greater depths, it is not quite as helpful to have the contrast that allows you to see just under the water as that is more crucial for the shallow water setting.
Shallow Water Fishing Sunglasses Frames
Thick temples or ear stems are not as crucial for shallow water fishing as opposed to open-water fishing since the surrounding reflected light is not as harsh. Having a semi-rimless frame is more acceptable since it provides an uninterrupted view through the bottom of the lens, which is very helpful when tracking fish in shallow water. Still be sure to choose a frame with a decent wrap to prevent any UV seepage.
Shallow Water Fishing Sunglasses Lenses
Contrast lens colors are the key to successful shallow water fishing. A grey lens is your enemy. Choosing a bronze, rose, vermillion, or anything with some brown or red shades in it will amplify the reflections on the fish scales under the water, making the fish much more visible and easy to track. A grey-based lens will do the opposite. Polarized lenses in shallow water are beneficial because it cuts the reflections from the surface, allowing you to see the details at the bed of the river or stream.
Beneficial Tips for both Open Water and Shallow Water Fishing Sunglasses
-Choose frame that fits and grips well to prevent them from falling into the water. A retainer cord can help with this too.
-Polarization is always helpful whether it be for blocking overbearing reflections, or seeing past annoying reflections on the surface.
-Choosing a frame with rubber nose pads and ear socks that increase their grip when they get wet is beneficial for obvious reasons.
Prescription Fishing Sunglasses Lenses
ADS Sports Eyewear specializes in prescription lenses for sports and activities of all kinds. You have all of the lens options you can imagine including tints of any color, polarization, transitions lenses that darken in the presence of more sunlight, mirror coatings, and anything else you could imagine. You have the option of distance-only Single Vision lenses, or multi-focal Progressive lenses optimized specifically for baiting or tying a hook at your preferred distance. We utilize Free-Form lens surfacing equipment that recalculates your prescription at every point on that back of the lens, eliminating the peripheral Fishbowl Effect that used to come with putting a prescription in a wrapped frame. If you have any questions about the technologies available to enhance your fishing experience please give us a call, were here to help.