What sunglasses are best for fishing?

[markdenis]

What sunglasses are best for fishing?

 

[HORNS]

Anything polarized.

Amber lenses for hazy conditions.
Gray lenses for brighter conditions.

 

[horton]

Maui Jim's

 

[texas_jack]

Anything polarized. I actually like yellow shooting glasses. You need to combine them with a hat though because they don't block sunlight sufficiently.

 

[thomaskenn]

Hi,
The best sunglasses for fishing protect the eyes from glare, while giving good vision into the water. They should wrap-around the eyes to protect from wind, water, and dust. Polycarbonate lenses and frames are a must, because they are flexible, lightweight, and shatterproof. A strap is a good idea to keep the sunglasses from ending up with the fish! polarized lenses help reduce the glare from the water, too.

 

[Kai]

Depends on what you want them for. If you're flats fishing in the tropics, you will need a very dark lens. For trout fishing, my current favorite fishing sunglasses are by Kaenon Polarized.

The model is the "Kore" with C-50 Lens.

I bought these sunglasses for only one reason. They allow the most light transmission for any polarized sunglasses that I know of. Kaenon sunglasses are available with a number of different lenses, and the C-50 lens is copper colored (hence the "C") and allows 50% visible light transmission. Typical polarized fishing sunglasses allow about half that amount of light. For example, my Smith/Action Optics sunglasses with a polarized, photochromatic "all conditions" lens allows a maximum of 28% light transmission.

So why am I looking for sunglasses that don't block the sun? It's because when I fish, I need the polarization feature to cut the glare and allow me to see into the water, but I don't often need a really dark lens. I don't fish on white sandy beaches or other super bright places. I typically am fishing on mountain lakes or streams. It's sometimes shaded, sometimes cloudy, and I sometimes fish until the evening.

A lens that blocks 50% of visible light is fine for these conditions. In fact, I've found that my depth perception and general vision tends to be better if my sunglass lenses aren't too dark. Like a camera lens, your eye focuses more easily if the pupil is not too dilated. With darker sunglasses, I would often remove my sunglasses when threading hooks and tying on flies. I could just see more clearly and focus better without them. With the Kaenon's bright lens, this is no longer an issue.

The quality of these lenses is superb. They are made from a new plastic material that Kaenon calls SR-91. It's lightweight, strong, and has excellent optical clarity. I am pretty sure that the lenses are made from the same material that the new Julbo mountaineering lenses are made from, (that Julbo calls "NXT".) In the light, C-50 tint, the lenses just seem to sharpen everything up, and they are just dark enough to be soothing to the eyes. Even when the sun is shining brightly, I don't experience any eye fatigue from fishing all day.

The frames are very comfortable and reasonably light weight. I can wear them all day long without noticing that I have them on. The sunglasses come in three different lens sizes. I just ordered a medium, and it seems to fit me well. If you've got a small or large face, you have the option of buying the Kore with small or large lenses. They came with a nice case and a soft bag. Overall, I am very pleased with the Kore sunglasses.

I bought them thinking that I would use them only in low light situations such as dawn and dusk. However, they work so well that they have become my primary fishing sunglasses even in bright light. About the only thing I don't like about them is the price. At around $200, they are pushing the edge of what I'm willing to pay for a pair of sunglasses, no matter how great they are.

And, just in case you're wondering, I fish a lot. (2-3 days a week during the summer and fall.)
I've used sunglasses by Maui Jim, Action Optics, Julbo, Oakley, and others.

 

[HORNS]

^^^ Very informative post. Thanks.

 

[texas_jack]

Originally Posted by Kai

And, just in case you're wondering, I fish a lot. (2-3 days a week during the summer and fall.)
[/IMG]

You son of a *****.

 

[Beta]

costa del mar, maui jim, ocean waves.

 

[cheekychops]

Originally Posted by markdenis

What sunglasses are best for fishing?
How about some of these: Wrap around glasses These cool Armanis or these raybans are pretty cool

 

[BernardMN]

Originally Posted by Kai

Depends on what you want them for. If you're flats fishing in the tropics, you will need a very dark lens. For trout fishing, my current favorite fishing sunglasses are by Kaenon Polarized.
The model is the "Kore" with C-50 Lens.
........

Kai,

WOW - that is THE best response I have ever read. I have two pairs of Action Optics; one for dusk and one for the full-strength daytime. I am an obsessed angler and love spotting fish. One's eyes are critical to the game. The Kore sounds like my next purchase. Thanks!

Bernard

 

[BDC2823]

Originally Posted by BernardMN

Kai,

WOW - that is THE best response I have ever read. I have two pairs of Action Optics; one for dusk and one for the full-strength daytime. I am an obsessed angler and love spotting fish. One's eyes are critical to the game. The Kore sounds like my next purchase. Thanks!

Bernard

You're in LA. Where do you fish? I haven't been in the ocean in awhile and it's been a few down years in a row now, but I used to (and definitely need to more), fish Catalina, Huntington Flats, Horseshoe Kelp, the kelp off Palos Verdes, and on up to the Channel Islands.

 

[BernardMN]

Originally Posted by BDC2823

You're in LA. Where do you fish? I haven't been in the ocean in awhile and it's been a few down years in a row now, but I used to (and definitely need to more), fish Catalina, Huntington Flats, Horseshoe Kelp, the kelp off Palos Verdes, and on up to the Channel Islands.

Don't hate me but I rarely fish salt. I hit the local mountains and go deep (long hikes through brush, bears and snakes). That said, I am warming to the beach thing (with fly gear). I keep seeing those corbina in summer while surfing and a lot of my friends target them with fly gear; sight fishing as though hunting for bones on the flats. And now that I've said all that, I certainly can be persuaded. Seasonal fish like yellowtail and WSB interest me immensely for the table.

B

 

[BDC2823]

Originally Posted by BernardMN

Don't hate me but I rarely fish salt. I hit the local mountains and go deep (long hikes through brush, bears and snakes). That said, I am warming to the beach thing (with fly gear). I keep seeing those corbina in summer while surfing and a lot of my friends target them with fly gear; sight fishing as though hunting for bones on the flats. And now that I've said all that, I certainly can be persuaded. Seasonal fish like yellowtail and WSB interest me immensely for the table.

B

I've never fished with fly gear and own one fly rod and reel. Looks like a blast though and you can get corbina, perch, and halibut fishing from shore on fly gear. Sad to say, most of my freshwater fishing involves trout fishing at Irvine Lake and the occasional trip to Big Bear or Bishop. But in true fisherman style, I have way more gear than I need.

Ocean is great because you're out there on the water and you truly never know what you will catch and how big it is going to be. Yellowtail are really fun to catch and the best time is late summer out of San Diego...but depending on conditions, they can be at all the local islands and around the kelp beds. WSB sure live up to their nickname of "ghosts". They're there one day/minute, gone the next. Live squid is by far the best bait and I'd venture to say that Santa Rosa island is the best place around for them, but they can be had all over. These winter/spring months are usually slow for the ocean and I tend to stick to freshwater now, but once the summer hits and if we finally get some warmer water this year, nothing beats hooking up with some big saltwater fish.

That said, if you like trout or bass fishing, you may also like fishing for Calico bass. It's very similar in that you can just dunk bait, but I fish for them with lures and most specifically Big Hammer plastics in the 3" (if from shore) to 5-6" if from a boat. they gravitate around kelp and are a blast.

Renting a skiff from Daveys Locker and fishing Newport Bay is also a great way to get used to salt. I've caught a host of fish in the bay including calico bass, sand bass, spotted bay bass, barracuda, white sea bass, halibut, dogfish and other sharks, perch, sculpin, bat rays, etc.

Also, 2 things that may sound odd but are great fun when the fishing is down and you want to really test yourself with something of good size are bat rays and giant squid. I used to go up to Channel Islands Harbor and catch bat rays as they'd come through every night and once you hook one, it is taking you up and down the jetty for sometimes more than an hour before you can land the damn thing. We've got them upwards of 100 lbs. before. Giant squid unfortunately have made a few runs in years past, and you can jump out on a twilight boat. All you need is a rod/reel and a squid jig. I'd recommend at least a 25lb setup, but I typically will use a 30-40 lb setup. They rang from 15-50+ lbs and after bringing a couple up (especially if they are suspended at 300 feet), you will be sore. Plus, the added bonus is that the boat gets filthy and its hilarious seeing people bring in the squid and hold it wrong, getting squirted with a face full of ink. Just a couple fun things available when the fishing is slow.

 

[Matt]

I am not a fishing-type, but I do have a pair of polarised Maui Jims that were suggested by a fishing dude in Australia. I bought a pair on eBay pretty cheaply, and, while they aren't the prettiest glasses in my drawer, they are undoubtedly the best lensed pair I have ever owned. I wear them now mostly when I play golf...so not all that often, but they are excellent.