Are Polarized Glasses Really Worth Using When You Are Fishing?

As a fisherman who has been on the water chasing fish for more than two decades, the answer to whether or not I need to wear polarized glasses when fishing is really quite simple.  Of course I do!  Now, keep in mind I spend most of my time in rivers, so being able to see into the water is very important, both for safety and strategy.  

There was a time when technology and manufacturing quality hadn't caught up to the products that were being sold to fishermen and there were a lot of inferior polarized glasses on the market.  This is the time when I was originally introduced to the world of polarization and glasses and at that time also had a limited budget.  What this meant is that I would purchase inexpensive polarized glasses and invariably be disappointed the their performance.

Luckily, this all changed about 5 years ago and now find very serviceable polarized fishing glasses in the $25-50 range.  I mean sure, the you can spend more than that (which I now do) simply because I prefer certain manufacturers, but the bottom line is that you no longer need to.  There are plenty of choices for the frugal fisherman and with online reviews, you can be confident in your purchase decisions. 

So, the answer the question posed in the title of this article, probably, depending on your preferred fishing style and/or method.  But, with the decrease in cost and increase in technology and manufacturing processes, for the very minimal investment that is now required there is probably no reason not to have a pair of polarized glasses on hand any time that you hit the water. 

All Polarized Fishing Glasses Are NOT Created Equal

For many years I used to refuse to pay more than $25 for a pair of sunglasses. I couldn't even conceive of why someone would do such a thing. I mean, they're just sunglasses right? I figured that all polarized sunglasses were created equal, and just the price and marketing were different. I was terribly wrong and finally figured it out one day while fishing.

I always wore polarized fishing glasses while I fished, but never really understood the reasoning behind them. I could never see that much better like people claimed that they could. So I figured if they didn't work that well anyway screw it, I'm not investing much money in them. Then one day I was fishing with a good friend who always buys quality everything, including polarized sun glasses. He hooked a nice trout and as he got it within 10 yards of the bank of the river said, "my God, do you see that fish!" I looked and couldn't see anything but the top of the water. He pulled his glasses off of his face and threw them at me saying, "here, put these on and look!". I did, and couldn't believe my eyes! I could now see the monster rainbow trout that he had been fighting. It was amazing! Not so much the fish, but the clarity with which I could see it.

I was so impressed with the glasses, I asked him how much they were because they were so much better than the polarized fishing glasses that I used. He said they were $150, and I about fainted. Then, the next time I went fishing I wore my inexpensive polarized glasses and was so disappointed with them that I threw them away! After seeing how well my friends worked, I couldn't use the cheap ones any longer. So I broke down and bought a quality pair of polarized sun glasses for $100. I couldn't bring myself to spend $150, but I spent $100.

And do you know what has happened? That was 7 years ago and I LOVE my polarized fishing glasses. They are incredible and have performed so well, that when I finally do need a new pair, I'm probably going to get the $150 dollar version. I realized that if you amortize the cost of my $100 glasses, they only cost me about $15 a year. That's less than I was paying for the cheap glasses! This entire experience made me realize that you get what you pay for with polarized fishing glasses. The bottom line is that all polarized fishing glasses are not created equal!