Fly fishermen everywhere, particularly those who fish rivers, or who stalk their prey in smaller / shallower stillwater, will tell you that there’s one piece of kit they wouldn’t be without: a good pair of glasses.
The right glasses should fulfil two objectives:
- Clarity – to make it easier to see your fish; and
- Safety – by offering protection from windswept or wayward flies.
The first point raised above, that of blocking out reflections from the water, is best performed by a pair of polarised sunglasses. Polarised glasses essentially separate reflected light from that which has shone directly. Just don’t ask me to explain how!
An interesting way to test whether or not your glasses lenses really are polarised is to look at the screen of a modern mobile phone through them – you should be able to see it. Turn the phone the other way up and the screen may become invisible! This method only works with some phones, and a particularly good pair of glasses, but when you can get it to work, its truly amazing. It also proves beyond doubt that your polarised lenses really work!
Photochromic Lenses
The top of the range fishing glasses also feature what is known as Photochromic lenses, which essentially means that they react to the intensity of the light: getting darker when the light is at its brightest and lighter when the natural light dims. This is also of great benefit to the fisherman as it allows him to see clearly in all light conditions without having to switch glasses or take them off (which, as we will see, could lead to a safety concern).
Safety
Now we come to perhaps the most important reason for wearing a pair of glasses – that of safety. It is not impossible to strike oneself when casting a fly, particularly in a breeze. Most of us have done it once or twice out of the many times we go fishing – the law of averages says so! I have a friend who managed to get his fly embedded in the side of his head on a particularly gusty day, which resulted in a very painful trip to the doctors as we were still, at the time, using barbed hooks. Imagine if that fly had struck him in the eye.
This can, has and still does happen to fly fishermen. Even the cheapest throwaway pair of sunglasses will afford you protection from taking a fly full in the eye, though there are several great pairs that provide so much more to boot. Here is a selection that those of you from the UK can buy online:
- Ekynox SX Titanium - £88.64 – this is almost the best pair of fishing glasses available! Its polarised, light sensitive and wraparound for that total protection. At the price, you might be worried about dropping them, but these are a lovely pair of fishing specs.
- Exception Titanium – $355 – Similar in many respects to the Ekynox, this pair is slightly lighter weight and is rimless at the bottom, providing enhanced visibility.
- Ketyum Titanium – $355 – As photographed at the top of this article, this pair of glasses has it all: superior vision all around; great protection; lightweight; excellent polarisation and light sensitivity. You couldn’t be much better prepared, optically speaking!
If you have a particular favourite pair of fly fishing glasses, or would like to make another related comment, please do so below.
Keep your eyes healthy – and see the fish!
