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. 

Why Should I Wear Polarized Glasses While Trout Fishing?

For people who have never worn a pair of polarized sunglasses while fishing a question that is often

asked is why exactly it is that a pair of polarized sun glasses should be worn? I know this is a question that I used to ask myself all the time, right up until I actually purchased and used a pair of quality polarized fishing glasses. Since doing that, you would be hard pressed to find me on the water fishing without a pair of polarized sun glasses covering my eyes.

The bottom line is that if your favorite style of fishing involves sight fishing in any way such as; bass fishing over spawning beds, drift fishing live bait in a river or stream, or fly fishing in any way a pair of polarized sunglasses are one of the most important pieces of fishing gear to have. So why exactly is this the case?

The main difference between regular sunglasses and sun glasses that have polarized lenses is that the polarization cuts through the glare created when the sun refracts horizontally off of the water or other objects, enabling you to see into the water rather than seeing a ton of glare. Without getting into the science of polarization and boring everyone to death, the point is that wearing polarized fishing glasses is key to fishermen because by wearing them the glare is eliminated and you can then see into the water (for lack of a better, more concise description). Not only that, but keeping the glare from entering your eyes is good for the health of your eyes themselves.

For many styles of fishing, such as the ones mentioned above, polarized fishing glasses are a "must have" item. There is however one caveat to polarized sunglasses whether they are being used for fishing or any other outdoor activity and that caveat is that when it comes to polarized sunglasses you get what you pay for. In other words if you head out to your local mall or super center and buy a cheap pair of polarized sunglasses they more than likely aren't going to perform very well and leave you disappointed. No matter what type of product you are referring to, quality products are more expensive and when you are talking about polarized sun glasses this rule certainly holds true.  

I used to try to buy polarized glasses for twenty five bucks or less and found that they were terrible and didn't "work" very well, if at all.  As a matter of fact the cheap glasses that I would buy used to distort my vision to the point that I thought polarized glasses were some sort of joke.  Then a fishing friend convinced me invest in a quality pair of polarized fishing glasses (that cost me $150 by the way) and I realized what all of the "hubbub" was about. The point is that when it comes to polarized sun glasses expect to "invest" $50 to $150 and you will be extremely happy with your decision because not only will the glasses look good, but they will perform as they should as well.

As to the answer to the question posed in the title of this article, "should I wear polarized fishing glasses", the final answer is a resounding YES.

Trout Fishing Glasses – The Best Polarized Glasses For Trout Fishing

If you are a trout fisherman and fish for trout in moving water, polarized glasses are a "must have" piece of gear and in this post I will outline a few of the most effective pairs of trout fishing glasses that are available today, along with some of the reasons why polarized glasses are so important to the river or stream fishing trout angler.

For many years I labored under the delusion that polarized glasses weren't necessary when it comes to fishing, but this all stopped the day that I borrowed an old pair of polarized glasses from a friend and had the comparison to the cheap polarized glasses that I was used to wearing. Once I saw for myself what is what like to be able to see into the water and how much better I was able to see my fishing line when drift fishing, I was hooked. I have owned and used a quality pair of trout fishing glasses ever since that day.

The biggest thing to look for when choosing a pair of polarized glasses for trout fishing is that they offer optical clarity in polymer and light-adjusting polarized glass. It is also a good idea to have multiple lens options available so that you can tailor your fishing glasses for the particular conditions that you find yourself fishing in.

So, who makes the best trout fishing glasses and is there one choice in particular that stands out above the rest? The "best" pair of polarized glasses for trout fishing will vary from angler to angler, but some quality manufacturers to look for are Habervision, Typhoon, and Smith, all of which make very high quality and long lasting polarized glasses for fishing.

The bottom line is that wearing polarized glasses while fishing for trout gives you the ability to see into the water, which is an advantage for seeing underwater structure as well as some of the trout that you are attempting to catch. Once you put a quality pair of glasses on your head and spend the a day of the water trout fishing, you will be sold, there's no doubt about it. Just remember what your Mother told you. You get what you pay for, so if you try to save a few bucks and buy the least expensive polarized glasses that you can find, you will probably end up disappointed.

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!