Back in the late 1970’s steelhead fishing became an important part of my life. I’d fished for the stealthy, often times seemingly non existent fish in at a younger age, but once I turned twenty steelhead fishing became an important part of my life. At least twice during the summer months several of my fishing buddies would join me on the Kalama River in southwest Washington, for a week or super long weekend of steelheading fun. Standing side by side, my buddy Craig always seem to spot steelhead as they entered the long stretches of fishy looking water. At the time his talent for spotting fish seemed almost magical compared to my inability to see fish without straining my eyes.

The difference between my buddy’s keen eyesight and mine didn’t have anything to do with vision – my eyesight is 20/10 – virtually twice as good as 20/20. Craig’s ability to see fish first, at greater distances and with greater detail had more to do with the sunglasses he wore. Unlike me, he had an expensive pair of polarized sunglasses; I had a cheap pair that claimed to be polarized but barely blocked any glare. My pair scratched easy, they were terribly uncomfortable and they just didn’t allow my eyes to see as well as his. Not being able to see into the water with crystal clarity caused me to catch fewer steelhead and too not wear my sunglasses.

In the mid 1980’s I finally splurged and purchased a high quality pair of sunglasses. The first time I wore them at the river a whole new world appeared before my eyes. Suddenly the rocks that had been nothing more than a dark spot in the river now had detail. With those sunglasses I could easily pick out detail like lost lures stuck to the bottom or tiny fish hiding in rocky crevasses. When my awesome sunglasses suddenly disappeared, probably from leaving them somewhere, I found myself back at the discount store buying another cheap pair of sunglasses. While I wanted to spend more money on another good pair of sunglasses, the money just wasn’t available. I had a family and what little extra money came my way for fishing went to better rods, reels or other important items such as gas to get there. The old saying, hindsight is 20/20 couldn’t be more accurate when I think of how cheap I’ve been over the years when it comes to quality sunglasses. Being able to see is far more important than the cost of a rod or reel. Protecting the only pair of eyes I have is even more important!

Seeing fish gives the advantage of being able to put lures, flies or baits in the strike zone, which in turn should put more fish on the sharp end of the hook. Protecting your eyes speaks volumes without explanation. Using hindsight I would have been much better off being able to see beneath the surface of the water, where the fish are, than having a more expensive rod and reel. In all honesty, I didn’t learn the real value of quality sunglasses until last summer, while field testing several pairs of Ono’s Trading Company bifocals, H2 Optix, Bolle and all of my “cheap” pairs of sunglasses collected over the years. I put the various pairs of sunglasses through a series of fun fishing and other outdoor adventures that included saltwater fishing in B.C., Alaska, Washington, Mexico and Costa Rica. I also used them while fishing rivers and lakes, driving the car and while flying my airplane.

Before discussing which sunglasses worked best for each situation I’d like to point out several important lessons learned. For me fit was the most important aspect of finding a pair of sunglasses that would benefit me the most. If they didn’t fit right I wouldn’t wear them. We all have different shaped heads so fit won’t be the same for everyone. While most of the quality (read more expensive) sunglasses fit perfectly, a few pairs felt great for an hour or so and then became uncomfortable, either pinching at my head or nose and caused me to take them off for adjustments. Some of the cheap brands of sunglasses I tried fit great but for the most part didn’t compare to the higher quality pairs when it came to seeing into the water and cutting glare. Overall I found the Ono’s Trading Company polarized reader model, Latitude-Grey Titanium rimless frame sunglasses to be lighter, more comfortable, and better at cutting glare than any of the cheaper brands. Onos bifocal lenses enable me to easily tie knots or read a chart making them the best choice for me or anyone who needs reading glasses.

The whole purpose of polarized sunglasses is to cut glare from the sun and glare reflected off the water, sand, glass or other obstructions. If you can reduce or eliminate glare it allows you to see into the water better. Virtually all of the brand name sunglasses provide 100 percent protection from eye-damaging ultra violet rays. Anyone who has purchased sunglasses from vendors on a beach in Mexico or other such places should beware of such purchases. While they will likely say “UV Protected” or “Polarized” these sunglasses might not meet the standards we expect – 100 percent UV blocking. But, not all sunglasses purchased in the U.S. offer 100 percent protection from UV rays. If you own a pair of sunglasses go to an optical shop and have them check your sunglasses with a machine called a photometer that measures UV transmission. If they test any less than 100 percent UV blocking go buy a pair that does, and save the old pair as a spare.

Reflective glare off water, sand or snow magnifies sun exposure and creates more glare. Remember, excess glare will prevent you from seeing fish, and could even damage your eyes or at the very least give you a headache. At worst, not protecting your eyes from the sun could cause cataracts, macular degeneration, corneal burns, benign growths, solar retinopathy or eye cancer. If you have blue eyes or take certain drugs your eyes are more vulnerable to eye damage from sunlight according to Paul T. Finger, M.D., director of Ocular Tumor Services at The New York Eye and Ear Infirmary. Finger says people who take chlorothiazides, sulfonamides, tetracycline, phenothiazines, psoralens, and allopurinol should use extreme caution and protect their eyes from the sunlight with a quality pair of sunglasses.

Now that you understand the importance of fitting a quality pair of sunglasses to you here’s what I found during my tests. As the manufactures suggested, dark Grey lenses provided the best ability to see into the water while fishing offshore and provided truer color perception than other lens colors. Amber gave me the best view into the water while fishing rivers and provided high contrasts that helped me see the bottom and of course, fish. The dark grey with silver mirror finish provided extra protection from harsh overhead light allowing me to not feel eye strain for extended periods of time. I also found that the sunglasses that wrap around the eyes cut more glare and generally provided a more comfortable experience while fishing or enjoying the outdoors from sun up to sun down. When fishing a clear lake amber worked best. If the water was murky grey lenses worked best. Amber lenses also worked best when fishing in rivers during overcast days and helped me to spot fish hiding in the shadows. Having both grey and amber lenses really enhanced my ability to adapt to changes throughout the day caused by clouds or cloudy, off-colored water. The experience of trying different pairs of sunglasses made me realize the importance of always carrying the two different lens colors.

Next time you go fishing remember my hard-earned lessons. Protecting your eyes from the sun is more important than you might think – and being able to see into the water will help you catch more fish. Seeing clearly into the water is believing.