The Anna Maria Island Sun Newspaper


Vol. 16 No. 23 - April 6, 2016

reel time

Seeing is believing

Reel time

rusty chinnis | sun

Polarized sunglasses provide protection for the eyes and are
indispensable when sight fishing.

Polarized sunglasses are an essential tool for any angler. They serve multiple purposes including protecting the eyes and cutting the surface glare by reducing the amount of visible light that passes through the glasses. This enhances visibility below the water's surface, an indispensable advantage when sight fishing and looking for signs of fish. Many anglers choose their glasses according to style, not realizing that the color of the lenses and other factors determine their real effectiveness. Color is important, but it's just one of the choices that you will need to make to get the most from your sunglasses.

After choosing a frame that's comfortable and fits your face, lens color is the most important component. Anglers who fish blue water and spend long hours over the open sea should buy grey lenses. Grey provides natural contrast and minimizes color distortion in offshore waters. Brown/amber lenses are the best choice for flats fishermen who sight fish shallow water. Brown/amber lenses offer a brighter field of vision, better visual acuity and excellent color contrast. Many dedicated anglers own more than one pair of glasses. The color vermillion and light copper heighten visual acuity and enhance color in low and flat lighting conditions. When the sun is out and bright, they switch to the darker brown and amber. Another option is to choose a line of sunglasses that feature interchangeable lenses.

The reduction of the glare has another beneficial component. The eye functions like a camera and must adjust to varying light levels. On a bright day, the pupil constricts, muting light levels. Polarized lenses help eliminate reflected glare, so the remaining light falls in a much narrower range of intensity. The eyes can then relax, allowing greater depth perception and truer color contrast.

When choosing polarized glasses you have a number of options: cheap versus expensive, glass versus (polycarbonate) plastic, cast versus laminated polarized lenses and color. The lowest quality are the so called rack glasses, the kind you find in the local pharmacy. These are better than no sunglasses, but you should buy the best pair you can afford. As a rule, a quality pair of polarized sunglasses will cost you, but they're well worth the price.

One of the major decisions is choosing glass or polycarbonate (an advanced plastic) lenses. Glass lenses provide better visual (clarity) acuity than plastic, although there are constant advances, and are more scratch resistant. However, glass lenses are heavier and can fatigue the ears and nose after many hours. If you purchase glass lenses, make sure you buy a quality pair with a broad, comfortable nose piece.

Whether you choose a good quality pair of glass or plastic sunglasses, your primary considerations will be frame style and lens color. Choose a frame that is comfortable and one that helps block out extraneous light. Some glasses wrap around the side of the face, while others have separate side shields.

Several of the top manufacturers of sunglasses feature technologies that further increase the effectiveness of polarized lenses. Some offer photo-chromic lens that lighten or darken as light levels vary during the day. I have found the glass lenses to be superior to polycarbonate, but good polycarbonate lenses may be a better choice for other anglers.

If you wear prescription lenses with or without bifocals, make sure your sunglasses have them too. Trying to tie on a lure or fly after gazing at the water for a long time can be frustrating and put you at a distinct disadvantage. You can get prescription lenses with bifocals in both glass and polycarbonate.

When you choose a pair of polarized glasses follow the guidelines above, while experimenting to find the color that works best in your fishing situation. By choosing a quality product with the proper color, you'll greatly expand your fishing horizon while protecting your most valuable asset, your vision.

Some of the more popular brands you might want to consider are made by Smith Optics www.smithoptics.com and Costa Del Mar www.costadelmar.com, but there are many brands available. Choose your sunglasses carefully; they're one of the angler's most valuable tools!


AMISUN ~ The Island's Award-Winning Newspaper