Sunglasses
There it is again! That's about the fifth time you've seen
the same fish sipping in that spot. Or is it the same one? You've been
straining against the glare. Your sunglasses are just too dark and the
morning reflection is just too much to get a clear view. If only you
hadn't left your polarized photochromic fishing sunglasses on the table
in the lodge, instead of wearing these glasses from your beach vacation
last January. If only you could convince your buddy to go back and grab
them. Darn, there it is again. If you weren't looking for something
subtle, it wouldn't matter. But Ol' Mossback is out there...
The Simple Story -Choosing the Best Sunglasses for Fishing
Let’s cut right to the chase. The highest quality sunglasses
are the best investment you can make when deciding on where your fly
fishing dollars should go. The right sunglasses can make all the
difference in the world when it comes to not only difficult
‘sight’ fishing, but, in fact, for improving all of your fishing. In
fresh or saltwater, you need the best polarizing lenses to cut through
the masking glare to see the true story of what’s above AND below the
water’s surface. Judging the exact location of a fish can be as
important as what that fish is feeding on. Your eyes get a hard work out
during a full day of fishing and the best glasses not only protect your
eyes from the full spectrum of the sun’s harmful rays, but soothe your
eyes while enhancing your visual acuity on the water. So, it
makes little sense to invest in a quality fly rod like a Sage, Winston,
or a Scott, and then go out and attempt to fish in a cheap pair of
sunglasses. You need to see at your best, and you simply can’t perform
without the right stuff.
Lens Polarization and Lens Materials
There is no doubt that most important element of good fishing sunglasses is lens polarization. Without getting overly technical,
polarization
employs iodine crystals positioned vertically on a thin plastic film to
absorb reflective light (better known as glare). This film, when
sandwiched between two layers of lens material, acts like a molecular
Venetian blind to filter out intense light that is aligned by smooth
surfaces such as water or the hood of your car. Sunglasses without
polarizing film will simply darken the brightness of the sun. They will
not remove glare that is reflected off the water. In low light
conditions or on foggy/cloudy days, non-polarized glasses are virtually
useless for fishing situations. Try to look through the water surface to
see fish? Forget about it!
Lens material is of particular importance to the fisherman.
Polycarbonate plastic is a tough, shatterproof, lightweight alternative
to glass. Leland Oakleys have changed all that with the development of their lenses that deliver razor-sharp clarity, impact-protection, superior
scratch-resistance and glare-reduction all in one ultra-lightweight
lens.
There goes another rise in the same area. You start you cast and from
behind you hear, "Wait, the big lunker just moved off." It's your buddy
with your glasses on. "Okay," he tells you, "she's back in the feeding
zone." You make the cast, see the take and set up. As you're fighting
the leviathan, he promptly tells you how great YOUR sunglasses are!
Lens Color
Too many of us think that lens color doesn't play a role in
the selection of the best performing glasses; if the glasses block out
glare and look good on our faces then that’s about all we need to worry
about. Wrong! Although fishing glasses come in a wide spectrum of lens
tints, specific lens colors will actually enhance your eyes’ ability to
see with increased contrast and definition, particularly in lower light
conditions when trout and other gamefish are usually the most active.
Generally, a warm spectrum color such like the Leland Oakley All Day Lens absorbs
the greatest amount of higher energy blue light wavelengths compared
to cooler lens tints, and thereby allows your eyes to focus more clearly
on objects, particularly at distance. These warm tints are also more
soothing on your eyes and tend to function better across a range of
brightness. Thus, the ever-popular classic Gray color is usually not
your best choice for an all-around fishing glass.
You can hear the guide whisper, “Permit 80 feet at 1 o'clock." You
gently turn, start your cast as you search for the silver-gray fish you
know is there. Your eyes adjust and you spot the 15 pounder, suspended
just off the bottom, nose up in the tidal current. As your heart pounds
in your chest, all you can think is "Just let me make this cast!” At
this moment, there is no better place to be than on the bow of this
boat, rod in hand, with the right pair of sunglasses on.
Lens Shape and Frame Fit
I’ve sold high tech sunglasses to mountaineers and fly
fishermen for over thirty years, and I can tell you that, regardless of
how many features a glass has, vanity usually
holds sway; the first thing that we all do when trying on a new pair is
to look in the mirror. Now don't get us wrong, we like styling with the
best of them;
but the fit comes first. The important part about picking the shape and
size of a pair of sunglasses is function and comfort. At Leland, we’ve
done our homework and chosen the sunglass models that not only look great, but whose frames have proven to fit people
the best. The Leland Edition Polarized Sunglasses by Oakley are versatile and sleek, providing all day comfort and protection. Of course, faces, like feet, come in different sizes, so we’ve
classified each model of sunglass frame into whether it tends to fit
smaller, average, or larger faces. In our opinion, these are the top
fishing sunglasses available.
You've never seen clearer water; the permit appears to be hanging in
mid air. Heck, you can even see the fish's shadow. You make the cast and
watch your fly fall, a perfect cast. You watch in amazement as the
permit, in slow motion, tips down and your fly disappears, STRIKE NOW!