What kind if sunglasses are best for fly fishing? This is a question that I’ve been asked many times. First of all, they must be polarized. The polarization allows you see beneath the surface and deeper into the water to spot fish. You usually get what you pay for when it comes to quality polarized sunglasses. The degree of optical quality in the lenses is usually apparent in the price. The cheep polarized sunglasses will usually have very thin lenses that warp very easily. The thicker the lenses are the less likely to have waves due to warpage. The waves caused by warpage will certainly decrees visual acuity and comfort. The amount of polarization is greater in higher quality lenses.
You should stick with a trustworthy brand. Good fishing sunglass names include, but are certainly not limited to, Action Optics, Costa DelMar, Maui Jim, Hobie, Flying Fisherman, Oakly, etc…
You can easily pay more than $200 for some of these super high quality sunglasses. However, you can get a very good polarized sunglass for around $50. Seldom will you find an off the rack sunglass for $9.99 that is worth very much.
OK, What about lens color? The biggest selling color in fly fishing sunglasses is in the brown/amber range. This color seems to work best for spotting trout in medium to shallow streams. The lake fishermen seem to prefer gray polarized lenses. My favorite sunglass lens for low light conditions is a yellow polarized lens. They are not very dark but the contrast, visual acuity and ability to spot fish in the streams are fantastic. So, I stick to the brownish/amber/yellow range. Finally, make sure they fit and feel comfortable. I recommend taking your new sunglasses to a certified optician and ask then to custom fit the frames to your face. Most opticians will do this for you at no charge.
Steve Robbins is the owner of The Full Creel Fly Shop at https://www.opticalusa.com/, the eBay Fly Shop at https://www.opticalusa.com/