Fishing sunglasses: Are fishing sunglasses necessary? I see a lot of anglers with sunglasses on. I wear prescription glasses unfortunately so if I were to get sunglasses they’d have to...

FS Digest

Are fishing sunglasses necessary? I see a lot of anglers with sunglasses on. I wear prescription glasses unfortunately so if I were to get sunglasses they’d have to be prescribed. But I wanted to know how useful they actually are, any thoughts?

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by LORDKuufu

FS Digest

Polarized sunglasses are useful, but not necessary. They let you see through the “glare” and into the water better (better....they are not x-ray Superman vision). You can get a decent pair for pretty cheap ($10) or spend hundreds. Since you have prescription glasses, maybe try an inexpensive pair of polarized glasses that fit over your regular glasses or a set of those “clip on” ploarized lenses?

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by montanabob68

FS Digest

That’s a smart idea, I’ll check some of those out

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by LORDKuufu

FS Digest

I actually got 2 pairs of those clip on, one is black and one is yellow. I use the black one when the sun is up and the yellow when the light changes and overcast. The black one does polarise but not 100 %. You can test when tilting your head how the glare increases when you have them over prescription glasses

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by RangerZEDRO

FS Digest

Not strictly necessary; you'll still catch fish without them.

Personally I view them as one of my most important bits of kit; the difference in what you can view with them on is tremendous, and it's much more comfortable on sunny days not having to deal with the glare from the water.

You can get clip-ons that attach to a standard pair of glasses,and over-sized Polaroids that you can wear over another pair of glasses. I have no experience of prescription Polaroids so can't comment there.

Personally I prefer amber lenses as these are still effective in lower light conditions, which means they're still useful at dawn & dusk and on overcast days. I've used everything from £10 ESP glasses to £200+ Maui Jims; there is obviously a difference in quality, but for a fishing situation it's negligible.

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by CleanBurning

FS Digest

Where polarized glasses really work well for me is in a trout stream/river that is fairly clear water. I can see more of whats under the surface and have actually seen trout come up to hit my lure. A hat with a brim that hangs over also enhances how well they work. A dark brim is a must, a white one reflects glare onto the glasses. If I am fishing darker/cloudier waters like a large river, lake or the ocean the effect is not as noticeable.

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by INDIANSTREAM

FS Digest

I use prescription glasses. My previous job required me to have ansi safety sunglasses so I had to get some. They happen to be polarized.

Since I don't work there anymore and I do fish a lot in my area the sun beats down really hard here in Florida so I wear them all the time. They definitely help. When I use regular glasses I see water glare but once I put the polarized ones they do help with the glare and can actually see what's under water within reasonable depth and depending on how clean the water is.

Aside from helping with the glare just protecting your eyes from the sun is enough for anglers to use sun glasses. But they do help a lot.

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by SRG4Life

FS Digest

It isnt necessary but definitely recommended for long days on the water. In an around town, you may be fine, but your eyes are absorbing so much light and uv rays because of the reflection off the water itll actually prematurely wear your eyes out. I'd highly recommend them if you already wear glasses.

As for catching more fish with them, it's only beneficial if you're fishing shallow, clear water where you can spot fish or underwater structure. I love sight fishing bass in 5 or less feet of water so it's almost a necessity for me. But otherwise, it's going to depend on your fishing conditions

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by oOorolo

FS Digest

They may be help you. As they helped me alot. https://www.mkdil.com/products/photochromic-sunglasses-polarized-lens-driving-goggles-for-men-fishing

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by BornLoan2

FS Digest

Here in the glaring sun of the southwest, polarized lenses are absolutely necessary. There's a double whammy effect you get from the sun shining down and then the water reflecting it back up... sunburns can take less than a few minutes, and there's no sunscreen for your retinas.

As for polarized lenses and fishing, I suppose you could say they're not necessary but I'd have to ask why wouldn't anyone want to wear them while fishing? They dramatically cut surface glare, help distinguish the colors of the water due to depth changes, and -- if you fish in water as clear as I do -- they bring the subsurface features of cover an structure into 3D, plus you can sight the fish!

Yes, prescription polarized lenses can be expensive -- I know, I've been wearing them for years -- but they're absolutely worth the investment for both the health of your eyes and the enhanced fishing.

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by Racklefrack

FS Digest

I must say they make a huge difference, especially if you like to sight fish. I also have to have prescription sunglasses but in my opinion they are worth it. I have Maui Jim prescription sun glasses and they are without a doubt the best sunglasses I’ve ever had, prescription or not. They were a lil expensive tho but luckily my insurance paid a good chunk of it

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by Sgrayo01

FS Digest

check out calcutta brand, i got a pair last year for 25 bucks and they work great!

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by flipflopphishin

Flytier Loc: Wilmington Delaware

FS Digest wrote:

Are fishing sunglasses necessary? I see a lot of anglers with sunglasses on. I wear prescription glasses unfortunately so if I were to get sunglasses they’d have to be prescribed. But I wanted to know how useful they actually are, any thoughts?

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by LORDKuufu

From a .medical standpoint, they are very important. UV light is damaging to the lens of the eye. Over time exposure makes the lens cloudy, also known as cataracts. Almost all sunglasses are treated to block UV radiation, so polarized lenses aren't needed, they are more useful for fishing

Ronniejw Loc: West Point MS

FS Digest wrote:

Are fishing sunglasses necessary? I see a lot of anglers with sunglasses on. I wear prescription glasses unfortunately so if I were to get sunglasses they’d have to be prescribed. But I wanted to know how useful they actually are, any thoughts?

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by LORDKuufu

Always used the polarized blue lenses fishing saltwater and brown for inland, cuts the glare and can see better in clear water. Can't go past them for sight fishing. Clip ons are not expensive and work ok

Robert J Samples Loc: Round Rock, Texas

LordKufu: I don't know where you live, but here in Texas we get a LOT of sun. So, not only are sunglasses warranted for fishing, but also for everyday driving your automobile. I recommend having polarized glasses as well. I wear them all the time out of doors! Just Sayin...RJS