While there are several things to consider when choosing a pair of sunglasses for fishing, it all comes down to eye protection. Whatever color, style and brand you choose, your sunglasses are there to keep your eyes safe from the sun ... and the flying hook at the end of your line.
Instructions
Selecting Sunglasses for Eye Protection
1. The most obvious reason to wear sunglasses while fishing is the sun. A fisherman is getting harmful ultraviolet rays from all sides--not only from the sky, but also reflected off the water.
Too much exposure to high-intensity ultraviolet light can cause permanent retinal damage, so choose glasses that feature a label that guarantees protection from the sun's harmful rays. Darker lenses are best for bright days. However, harmful rays are reaching your eyes even on overcast days, mornings and evenings, so a pair of lighter lenses should be worn at these times.
2. While many types of lenses can protect your eyes against ultraviolet light, polarized lenses are the type preferred by fishermen. Not only do they provide an effective block to ultraviolet light, they block the glare that comes off the water.
An unexpected side benefit of this is that polarized lenses actually allow you to see past the surface glare and into the water. Fishermen swear by polarized lenses because they allow them to spot weed beds, submerged logs and the fish that hide around them.
3. A good pair of sunglasses should protect your eyes from flying lures with impact-resistant lenses. Have you ever whipped your rod forward in a cast but forgotten to release the line? A cast that can send your lure a hundred feet through the air can bring a sharp hook flying back at your face just as fast.
Choose a pair of glasses that fully shields your eyes top, bottom and to the sides. Wrap-arounds do this admirably.
4. Fly fishermen in particular will want to give their choice of sunglasses one final consideration. As your line is whipping back and forth through the air, there is the possibility of it catching on your sunglasses' frames, drawing the hook directly to your eyes. Be sure to select frames that have no sharp corners or other protrusions that could snare your line.
Tags: your eyes, polarized lenses, ultraviolet light, your line, from flying, glasses that, harmful rays