Putting on a good pair of fishing sunglasses is like seeing the world with new eyes.
You go from staring at reflection to suddenly being able to see through the water and your eyes are filled with all the colors, depth changes, and fishing spots you had never noticed before.
Best Prescription Fishing Sunglasses
Best Sunglasses For Fishing And Boating
Best Fly Fishing Sunglasses
Best Clip On Sunglasses For Fishing
Best Sunglasses For Flats Fishing
Fishing sunglasses make a huge difference to life on the water.
They shield your eyes from harmful hooks and light rays.
They also help you look through the water so you can see fish coming and catch them before they swim past.
If you love fishing you have to own a pair of fishing sunglasses, they change the game. Let’s go through the best fishing sunglasses of 2023
The Best From The Review
Best Prescription Sunglasses For Fishing
Costa Del Mar Cut
Offers great coverage and is light, durable, and comfy to wear. Features lenses that cut out surface reflection and give clear optics.
Costa Del Mar Cut
The best polarized fishing sunglasses if you’re after a prescription are the Costa Del Mar Cut sunglasses.
Prescription lenses are added from Costa by request and have you covered in terms of: lens quality, clarity, durability, and color options for all your fishing needs.
Best Fly Fishing Sunglasses
Smith Optics Outback
Crystal clear, durable, anti-reflective, repel water and oil, offer excellent UV protection.
Smith Optics Outback
The best polarized fishing sunglasses for fly fishing are the Smith Outback.
These sunglasses come in every lens color option you could ever want in fly fishing from: a green mirror, blue mirror or a silver mirror to match water, flats, freshwater, and low light cloudy days.
Best Sunglasses For Fishing And Boating
Maui Jim Pokowai
Durable, light, and comfy to wear. Provides color enhancement to increase contrast so you can spot fish faster.
Maui Jim Pokowai
The best polarized fishing sunglasses when fishing and boating are the Maui Jim Pokowai Arch.
They are specifically designed for use in open water and come with some of the best lens technology around like color enhancement.
They are extremely clear, durable, let you see through the water with ease and even repel oil and water so you don’t have to clean them so often.
Best Clip On Sunglasses For Fishing
SILHOUETTE Clip-On Sunglasses
Clip-on polarized sunglasses with excellent polarization so you can see what’s happening under the water.
SILHOUETTE Clip-On Sunglasses
The best polarized fishing sunglasses if you’re looking for a pair of clip-on’s are the Silhouette TMA’s.
The glass lenses are: durable, provide great polarization, and come in multiple sizes to fit most glasses out there.
Best Sunglasses For Flats Fishing
Costa Del Mar Slack Tide
Features a polycarbonate lens that cuts through surface reflection incredibly well, repels oil and water to stay clean, and is resistant to accidents caused by fishermen.
Costa Del Mar Slack Tide
The best polarized fishing sunglasses for flats fishing are the Costa Slack Tide sunglasses.
These Costa sunglasses come readily equipped with tan and green mirror polarized lenses (the best for the flats) that reduce the glare of shallow waters and provide excellent contrast so you differentiate between fishes and the bottom with ease.
Our Best Sunglasses For Fishing
Maui Jim Dragons Teeth Sunglasses
Features super thin lenses made of glass that give you excellent clarity, protect you from harmful UV rays and these polarized lenses are of the highest quality.
Maui Jim Dragons Teeth Sunglasses
The Maui Jim Dragons Teeth Sunglasses are some of the best polarized fishing sunglasses around.
They feature super thin lenses made of glass that give you excellent clarity, protect you from harmful UV rays and these polarized lenses are of the highest quality.
Features
They cut through water reflection amazingly well thanks to the PolarizedPlus2 lens technology that goes into them and they are designed for color enhancement.
This means you can see any color changes in the water while you’re fishing and can change your tactics based on what you’re seeing.
Anti-Glare
They also feature an anti-glare coating on the inside to stop that internal reflection of your eyeglasses that does nothing but distract you from your fishing game.
The lenses of these polarized glasses are also designed to last with every durable feature you could ask for.
They repel water and oil to stay clean, plus they are scratch, impact, and shatter-resistant to handle anything fishing can throw at them.
Weight
The nylon frame is light, comfy, and fits nicely around your face to block out any light from entering the sides to give you a better image of what’s happening on the water.
The only downside to these polarized glasses is that the lens colors available don’t cover every situation.
Color
The blue mirror lenses are great for offshore fishing, and the grey and bronze for low light or bright days, but there are no green mirror lens or tan lens options for sight fishing on the flats or on rivers.
Specs
- Frame (F) Material: Nylon
- F Colors: Dark Navy Stripe, Brown Stripe, Grey Stripe
- Lens (L) Material: SuperThin Glass
- L Colors: Blue Hawaii Polarized, Hcl Bronze Polarized, Neutral Grey Polarized
- L Width: 58 mm
- Hydrophobic: Yes
- Oleophobic: Yes
- Polarization: Plus2 Polarized lenses
Pros
- Crystal clear glass lenses
- Scratch-resistant for durability
- Lenses repel water and oil
- Shatter-resistant for protection
- Awesome polarization and color enhancement
- Anti-reflective to stop any internal reflection
- Lightweight on your face
- Full UV protection for your eyes
Cons
- Not every lens color option for fishing is covered
Maui Jim Barrier Reef
Excellent pair of fishing sunglasses for looking into the deep blue sea with thanks to their blue mirror lenses.
Maui Jim Barrier Reef
If you do a lot of offshore fishing then you’ll want to take a good look at these Maui Jim Barrier Reef Wrap Sunglasses.
They are an excellent pair of fishing sunglasses for looking into the deep blue sea with thanks to their blue mirror lenses that cut through blue light with ease.
Features
The lenses have the same technology inside them that I mentioned in the Maui Jim’s above. They protect your eyes from harmful UV rays, are made from glass for the best clarity, repel oils and water to stay clean, and are super durable thanks to their scratch, impact, and shatter resistance.
Color Enhancement
This pair of polarized sunglasses also comes with Maui Jim’s trademark color enhancement and anti-reflective coating.
The coating stops you from seeing any reflection on the inside of the scratch resistant lenses while the color enhancement provides better contrast while you’re fishing so you can quickly see the difference between a patch of weed or a marlin finning on the surface.
Weight
The nylon frame is durable and lightweight.
They sit on your face without any unnecessary pressure and are comfortable even on those dawn to dusk fishing days.
The only downside to this pair of sunglasses is the lack of lens options, you have no choice but to go for blue mirror and if you’re a freshwater or flats fisherman, they won’t be great, but they are one of the best fishing sunglasses for offshore.
Specs
- Frame (F) Material: Injected Nylon
- F Colors: Blue W/Turquoise
- Lens (L) Material: SuperThin Glass
- L Colors: Blue Hawaii Polarized
- L Width: 62 mm
- Hydrophobic: Yes
- Oleophobic: Yes
- Polarization: Plus2 Polarized lenses
Pros
- Crystal clear glass lenses
- Scratch-resistant for durability
- Lenses repel water and oil
- Shatter-resistant for protection
- Awesome polarization and color enhancement
- Anti-reflective to stop any internal reflection
- Lightweight on your face
- Full UV protection
Cons
- Limited lens and frame color options
Smith Optics Basecamp ChromaPop
Features a durable frame and high-quality polycarbonate lenses that offer full UV protection.
Smith Optics Basecamp ChromaPop
The Smith Optics Basecamp ChromaPop polarized fishing sunglasses are some of the best fishing sunglasses for the money thanks to the quality lenses and the fact they come in every color option you could want for every kind of fishing out there.
Features
This pair of sunglasses feature high-quality polycarbonate lenses that offer full UV protection, have an anti-glare coating, repel oil and water, and are resistant to impact and scratches for durability.
The polarization on these is also excellent and cuts through the water’s reflection excellently so you can see everything while you’re fishing.
Materials
The frames on these polarized fishing glasses are made from part Nylon and 53% eco materials, so if you’re looking for an Eco tick, you’ve found it.
They are light, comfy, durable, and come with anti-slip nose and temple pads to ensure a secure fit.
Locking Feature
Another great thing about these polarized sunglasses is that the hinges auto-lock close or open so if you hang them on your shirt the chance of them falling off is almost zero.
If you were to get these in tan and green lenses you would have great sunglasses for sight fishing on the flats and in freshwater too.
The only downside to these polarized fishing glasses is that they don’t have an option to come with glass for extra clarity.
Specs
- Frame (F) Material: EVOLVE Eco-Material Construction
- F Colors: All of them
- Lens (L) Material: Polycarbonate
- L Colors: All of them
- L Width: 59 mm
- Hydrophobic: Yes
- Oleophobic: Yes
- Polarization: ChromaPop Polarized lenses
Pros
- 53% Eco material in the frames
- Anti-slip nose pads and temples
- Anti-Reflective coatings on the backside of the lens
- Lenses repel oil and water
- Auto-lock hinges so they stay open/closed
- A solid range of lens and frame color options
- Durable and resistant to impact and scratches
- Repel oil and water to stay clean
- Excellent polarization for seeing through water
Cons
- Not as clear as a glass lens
Best Fly Fishing Sunglasses
Smith Optics Outback
Crystal clear, durable, anti-reflective, repel water and oil, offer excellent UV protection.
Smith Optics Outback
The Smith Optics Outback fishing sunglasses are similar to the Smiths Outback above.
Features
This pair of fishing sunglasses come with the exact same polarized lenses meaning they are crystal clear, durable, anti-reflective, repel water and oil, offer excellent UV protection, and of course, the polarization is awesome at cutting through the surface reflection.
Color
The lenses come in every color option except for silver mirror and therefore cover every fishing situation bar when there is low light on cloudy days.
You also have a huge range of frame color options to choose from and mix and match them with the lenses to get your favorite style.
Materials
The frames are light, durable, comfy, and made from injected nylon with 53% eco materials, making them more sustainable than other sunglasses.
The frames also come with anti-slip nose and temple pads to ensure they don’t slide off with ease.
Locking System
These polarized sunglasses also come with auto-locking hinges so they stay open or closed. This ensures they stay on your ears and don’t slip around and when stored hanging they won’t fold open and fall to the ground.
The only downside to this pair of sunglasses is that you can only pick polycarbonate lenses and there is no option for glass that has superior optics.
Specs
- Frame (F) Material: EVOLVE Eco-Material Construction
- F Colors: All of them
- Lens (L) Material: Polycarbonate
- L Colors: Almost of them
- L Width: 59 mm
- Hydrophobic: Yes
- Oleophobic: Yes
- Polarization: ChromaPop Polarized lenses
Pros
- Frames use 53% bio-based material
- Anti-slip temple and nose pads
- Anti-reflective coating
- Lenses repel oil and water
- Auto-lock hinges so they stay open/closed
- A solid range of lens and frame colors
- Durable and resistant to impact and scratches
- Reply oil and water to stay clean
- High-quality polarization for seeing through water
Cons
- Not as clear as a glass lens
Best Sunglasses For Flats Fishing
Costa Del Mar Slack Tide
Features a polycarbonate lens that cuts through surface reflection incredibly well, repels oil and water to stay clean, is resistant to accidents caused by fishermen.
Costa Del Mar Slack Tide
This is the first pair of Costa Del Mar polarized fishing sunglasses in the review and if you haven’t heard of them before, you should be aware that the sunglasses Costa makes are some of the best fishing sunglasses you can find.
Quality
The reason the Costa sunglasses are so good and so popular (they are worn by pros the world over) is thanks to their devotion to fishing.
They take every step to make their polarized lenses the best in the world.
They make sure that all the polarized lenses they make are available in every color and mirror to suit every fishing situation imaginable, most of the time.
Build
These Costa sunglasses are quite new to the market, released just a few years ago, and come with Costa Del Mar 580 lenses.
The polarized lens on 580s is a polycarbonate lens that cuts through surface reflection incredibly well, repels oil and water to stay clean, is resistant to accidents caused by fishermen, and provides full UV protection for your eyes.
Materials
The frames on this pair of sunglasses are made from Acteate which comes from tree pulp. It’s not only durable, light, and comfy, but also way more eco-friendly than using nylon.
The only downside to these Costa sunglasses is that they come in just one lens and frame color, which is unlike most sunglasses Costa makes.
But, at least they come in the most useful color of matte black with green mirror and tan for use on the flats or in freshwater.
Specs
- Frame (F) Material: Acetate
- F Colors: Matte Black /Shiny Tortoise
- Lens (L) Material: 580 Polycarbonate
- L Colors: Copper Green Mirrored
- L Width: 60 mm
- Hydrophobic: Yes
- Oleophobic: Yes
- Polarization: 100%
Pros
- Durable with resistance to impact and scratches
- Light and comfy to wear
- Repels water and oil to keep them clean
- Excellent polarization for seeing into the water
Cons
- Limited lens and frame colors
- Not as clear as a glass lens
Best Sunglasses For Fishing And Boating
Maui Jim Pokowai Arch
Durable, light, and comfy to wear. Provides color enhancement to increase contrast so you can spot fish faster.
Maui Jim Pokowai Arch
The Maui Jim Pokowai Arch is another excellent pair of polarized sunglasses that retain the
Maui Jim quality for open water fishing that offshore fishermen can’t get enough of.
Design
Historically, Maui Jim polarized sunglasses were made to see and catch blue marlin in Hawaii.
They, therefore, needed to be the best at differentiating a blue looking species in blue water, and this can’t be done without amazing polarized lenses.
Lens
The polarized lenses that come in every pair of Maui Jim polarized sunglasses provide color enhancement to increase contrast so you can spot a blue marlin in a blue ocean or a silver bonefish on a white sand flat quicker than ever.
Quality
Thanks to this Maui Jim sunglasses are some of the best polarized sunglasses for fishing in the world and the Pokowai Arch is no different.
The frames are durable, light, and comfy to wear.
Color
They also come in a range of colors from tortoise to black so that you can match up to the lenses you need for your fishing situation.
There aren’t that many options but most lens colors are covered.
Specs
- Frame (F) Material: Nylon
- F Colors: Black Matte/Olive Tortoise/Translucent Matte Grey
- Lens (L) Material: SuperThin MauiPure Glass
- L Colors: Blue Hawaii/Hcl Bronze/Neutral Grey/ Hawaii Lava
- L Width: 58 mm
- Hydrophobic: Yes
- Oleophobic: Yes
- Polarization: PolarizedPlus2 lens technology
Pros
- Lightweight and designed for extreme comfort and extended wear time
- Shatter and scratch-resistant
- Super clear glass lenses
- 100% UV protection for your eyes
- Lenses repel dirt and oil
- Color enhancement
- Anti-reflective to stop any internal reflection
- Lifetime warranty
Cons
- A little more expensive
- Not many lens or frame combo options
Best Prescription Sunglasses For Fishing
Costa Del Mar Cut
Offers great coverage and is light, durable, and comfy to wear. Features lenses that cut out surface reflection and give clear optics.
Costa Del Mar Cut
Another great design of polarized sunglasses Costa made is their Cut model.
The frame offers great coverage and is light, durable, and comfy to wear.
They come in a huge range of colors too so you can pick the style that suits you best.
Lens
The polarized lenses are Costa’s high-quality 580 polycarbonates, some of the best lenses around for cutting out surface reflection and giving you clear optics.
You can differentiate between the bottom and fishes easily and they are built to survive.
These lenses have great scratch resistance, repel oil and water, and protect your eyes from UV light waves.
Colors
These fishing glasses come with a huge range of lens colors to suit everything from low light conditions with a silver mirror, to fly fishing on the flats with a green mirror, or going offshore with a blue mirror.
The only downside to these mirrored sunglasses is there is no option to choose lenses made from glass that would offer better clarity.
Specs
- Frame (F) Material: TR 90 Nylon
- F Colors: All of them
- Lens (L) Material: 580 Polycarbonate
- L Colors: All of them
- L Width: 60/60.6 mm
- Hydrophobic: Yes
- Oleophobic: Yes
- Polarization: 100% Full Specs
Pros
- Durable with resistance to impact and scratches
- Light and comfy to wear
- Repels water and oil to keep them clean
- Excellent polarization for seeing into the water
- Loads of lens and frame color options
- 100% UV protection for your eyes
- Lifetime warranty
Cons
- No glass lens options
Oakley Fuel Cell
Features lenses that provides superior protection from UV rays for your eyes and better optics that almost match the clarity of glass.
Oakley Fuel Cell
Oakley isn’t really in the fishing world as such but focuses more on the extreme sports market, nevertheless, Oakley makes some of the most high-quality polarized sunglasses around.
The Oakley Fuel Cell sunglasses are some of the best polarized sunglasses Oakley makes thanks to the polarized lens material used.
Lens
The lenses are made from Plutonite which is Oakley’s own polycarbonate blend. It provides superior protection from UV rays for your eyes and better optics that almost match the clarity of glass.
The lenses cut through reflection on the water with ease so that you can see any fish that comes your way.
They’re also light for comfort and are exceptionally durable against impact or scratches.
Colors
There are quite a few lens colors to choose from but they don’t cover every fishing situation in the world.
For example, there is no silver mirror with a yellow backing option for low light conditions.
Build
The frames are made from injection-molded thermoplastic O-Matter from Oakley.
They are particularly light and comfy and are incredibly stress-resistant.
They don’t warp, bend, or lose shape even in extreme temperatures.
There are a few downsides to these Oakley sunglasses.
Maintenance
The lenses don’t repel water or oils so may find yourself cleaning them often which is paid when there is a lot of fish around as you may miss some.
The hinges on the frame of these Oakley sunglasses are made of plastic, and while this is good for corrosion resistance if you’re fishing in saltwater, they aren’t as durable as stainless or brass hinges.
Specs
- Frame (F) Material: Plastic
- F Colors: 8 to choose from
- Lens (L) Material: Polycarbonate Plutonite
- L Colors: 4 to choose from
- L Width: 60 mm
- Hydrophobic: No
- Oleophobic: No
- Polarization: 100%
Pros
- A lightweight and durable stress-resistant frame
- Great for all-day comfort & protection
- Injection-molded thermoplastic O-Matter frames are long-lasting and don’t deform over time
- Lenses have a full UV protective coating for your eyes
- Crystal clear lenses for great images
- Lightweight lens material offers superior comfort
- Good polarization for cutting through glare and seeing fish
- Very affordable compared to the others
- Good choice of polarized lens colors
Cons
- Doesn’t repel water and oils like other frames
- Plastic hinges wear out fast
- Don’t cover every lens color for all fishing situations
Coyote Eyewear Floating Polarized Fishing Sunglasses
Very affordable while still giving good polarization. These glasses also float on water.
Coyote Eyewear Floating Polarized Fishing Sunglasses
If you’re looking for some cheap polarized sunglasses then Coyote is a good brand to look at.
Their polarized sunglasses are very affordable while still giving good polarization, but you might have to replace them every season, even if you don’t fish that often.
Buoyant
This model from Coyote floats, and it’s about time these came on the market.
I’ve seen a lot of people look down at a fish and watch as their sunglasses sink to the bottom when they fall off but with a floating pair, this issue doesn’t exist anymore.
Build
The frames in the polarized glasses are made from nylon making them durable, light, and therefore comfortable to wear on long fishing days.
The lenses on these polarized sunglasses are polycarbonate and do a good job of protecting your eyes from UV rays and cutting through the glare on the water so you can see fish with ease.
Colors
There are lots of lens colors to choose from for every situation too, and when paired with a matte black frame, they all look pretty cool in my eyes.
Being so affordable, the lenses on these cheap sunglasses don’t have any extra coatings to repel oil and water or stop internal glare.
Coating
The polarized coating, while being good for seeing fish, is not the best in terms of longevity and will begin to peel off within a few months of consistent use.
Specs
- Frame (F) Material: Nylon
- F Colors: 8 to choose from
- Lens (L) Material: Polycarbonate
- L Colors: 9 to choose from
- L Width: Na
- Hydrophobic: No
- Oleophobic: No
- Polarization: 100%
Pros
- 100% UVA B and C protection for your eyes
- Lightweight flexible frames for a secure comfortable fit
- Durable frames thanks to the nylon build
- They float so can get them if they fall overboard
- Come with every mixture of the polarized lens for different fishing situations
- Exceptionally affordable
- Good polarization for cutting through the glare
Cons
- Lenses don’t repel water and oil
- UV and polarized coating wears off
Locs Hardcore Polarized Fishing Sunglasses
Exceptionally light to wear and actually quite comfortable to wear too but their overall quality will leave you wanting a lot more.
Locs Hardcore Polarized Fishing Sunglasses
Locs is another budget polarized sunglasses brand to look out for.
They cost almost the same as a happy meal at McDonald’s and I’d only recommend them if you fish once or twice a year or as a spare set of fishing glasses that you lend out or have as a backup.
Build
Everything on these fishing sunglasses is plastic, the frame, the lenses, the hinges, everything.
They are exceptionally light to wear and actually quite comfortable to wear too but their overall quality will leave you wanting a lot more.
Lens
The lenses are polarized but they aren’t done very well.
These lenses have glare protection that reduces the glare a bit but not enough to see many fish coming.
They are also exceptionally dark, even in bright direct sunlight and while this does protect your eyes, it doesn’t help to know if that dark patch over there is fish or seaweed.
Color
The lenses also only come in one color which is dark grey, which doesn’t suit any fishing situation.
They also lack hady features like being able to repel oil and water so you don’t have to clean them all the time.
Durability
The durability of these sunglasses is also questionable as the screws come loose often and the arms tend to fall off.
Specs
- Frame (F) Material: Plastic
- F Colors: Matte Black
- Lens (L) Material: Plastic
- L Colors: Grey
- L Width: 54 mm
- Hydrophobic: No
- Oleophobic: No
- Polarization: 100%
Pros
- Super affordable for anyone
- Good looking
- Fully polarized
Cons
- Arms tend to fall off
- Zero lens color choices
- No lens colors for fishing
- Screws come loose
- Too dark even in bright sunlight
- Poor quality lenses for sub-optimal viewing
TAHARI Women’s Butterfly
Protects your eyes from UV, impact-resistant for durability, made from polycarbonate for clear optics, and is fully polarized.
TAHARI Women’s Butterfly
This pair of Tahari women’s polarized sunglasses can be used for fishing but that’s not what their true purpose is in life.
Style
The frame style of this pair of sunglasses is more likely to feature in Vogue than any fishing magazine, but I guess if a lady wants to have some style on the water, they are a great option.
While these might not be fishing sunglasses, any female fishing enthusiasts out there shouldn’t be put off as the lenses on these polarized sunglasses are pretty good, especially considering the low price range they sit in.
Lens
The lenses on these protect your eyes from UV, impact-resistant for durability, are made from polycarbonate for clear optics, and are fully polarized.
They cut through glare pretty well and will certainly help you see more fish.
The lenses only come in one color on these fishing sunglasses, tan.
Color
Tan is great if you fish in freshwater and on the flats, plus it’s not bad if you fish offshore either. But it’s certainly not as good as a green mirror or blue mirror lens in those situations.
Due to the low price, the lenses are not hydrophobic, which means they don’t repel oil or water, and they certainly don’t come in a glass option for extra clarity.
Affordable
Overall, for the price, these polarized sunglasses do a great job and are probably some of the best in their price range.
Pros
- Fashionable looking for female style on the water
- Fully polarized for cutting through glare
- Full UV protection for your eyes
- Impact-resistant polycarbonate lenses for durability
- Very affordable
Cons
- Limited lens color options for fishing
- Lenses don’t repel oil and water
- No glass lens options for extra clarity
Piranha Viper II Polarized Fishing Sunglasses
Offer full protection for your eyes from UV and are 100% polarized with a blue mirror to eliminate glare on the water and help you see what’s happening under it.
Piranha Viper II Polarized Fishing Sunglasses
Piranha makes budget polarized sunglasses for the fishing market and they are good at it too.
Hydrofloat
The Viper II fishing sunglasses come are part of their Hydrofloat range and use floating technology to ensure these polarized sunglasses float in every kind of water.
This means if you drop them overboard, you can just turn around and scoop them up without having to worry about them sinking to the bottom.
Lens
The lenses on these budget fishing sunglasses are quite amazing when you consider they sit in the same price range as a pair of socks.
They offer full protection for your eyes from UV and are 100% polarized with a blue mirror lens to eliminate glare on the water and help you see what’s happening under it.
Price
I would happily buy 5 pairs of these to keep on an offshore boat to lend to guests who haven’t got any or as backups for the crew in case they forget or lose theirs.
Being so affordable, the lenses don’t come in every color or have extra coatings to repel water or oil, but overall they are some of the best fishing sunglasses under $50 you can find.
Specs
- Frame (F) Material: TPX Nylon
- F Colors: Matte Black
- Lens (L) Material: Polycarbonate
- L Colors: Blue
- L Width: 60 mm
- Hydrophobic: No
- Oleophobic: No
- Polarization: 100%
Pros
- Innovative Floating Technology; Floats in all water
- Lightweight and Comfortable
- Polarized blue lenses for cutting through glare
- Blue lenses are ideal for offshore fishing
- 100% UVA/UVB protection for your eyes
- Extremely affordable, great as a spare set
- Good for offshore fishing
Cons
- Not many lens color options for different fishing environments
- Lenses are not that clear
- Lenses don’t repel water or oil
Best Clip On Sunglasses For Fishing
SILHOUETTE The Must Collection Clip-Ons
Clip-on polarized sunglasses with excellent polarization so you can see what’s happening under the water.
SILHOUETTE The Must Collection Clip-Ons
Lens
The lenses on these clip-on polarized sunglasses come in a huge amount of sizes to suit any size glasses out there.
The polarization is excellent and cuts through the glare well so you can see what’s happening under the water with ease.
Color
They come in just one color option, tan, which is a great all-rounder for the flats, freshwater, and offshore fishing.
They’re made from durable polycarbonate and are scratch-resistant for some extra durability. But they don’t have extra features like an anti-glare coating or the ability to repel oils and water.
Specs
- Lens (L) Material: Polycarbonate
- L Colors: Tan
- L Width: Large range
- Hydrophobic: No
- Oleophobic: No
- Polarization: 100%
Pros
- Great polarization for cutting through glare
- Lightweight and easy to add to your glasses
- Good UV protection for your eyes
- Good all-around color for multiple fishing situations
- Come in loads of sizes to match your glasses
Cons
- Not many lens color options for different fishing environments
- Lenses don’t repel water or oil
Fishing Sunglasses FAQs
What Are Fishing Sunglasses?
Quite simply they are sunglasses that have some added technology to make them better for fishing with.
Function
They do things like: remove the glare on the surface by having a polarized lens so you can see what’s happening underwater and have extra protection from UV to save your eyes from any damage they might suffer from long days under the sun.
Clarity
The first time I went from using normal sunglasses to fishing sunglasses, it was like seeing the sea for the first time, again…
Suddenly all the glare was removed and I could see every color change from sand to weeds, and the depth changes from light blue to dark blue.
Then I peered over the boat and saw a red snapper just chilling on the bottom – I was blown away.
How Do Fishing Sunglasses Work?
When light hits the water’s surface it bounces off to create glare, and this is what stops you from seeing through the water with normal sunglasses on.
When you look at it scientifically, glare is formed of blue light waves that move horizontally.
NOTE
The polarized lenses you find on fishing sunglasses block almost all the horizontal blue light waves removing most of the surface reflection, you can see through it.
Why Use Fishing Sunglasses?
You don’t have to use a pair of fishing sunglasses, in some fishing situations they don’t even make a difference.
See Better
If you’re dropping a bait down to 100ft to pull up some snapper, no fishing sunglasses in the world are ever going to help you see your bait.
But, if you’re trolling for marlin and want to see one come up behind a lure before it eats so you can be ready to hook it, fishing sunglasses are the only sunglasses that are going to help you.
Catch More Fish
The same goes if you’re on a crystal clear spring creek stalking trout, or walking the flats for bonefish.
Without fishing sunglasses, you’re going to miss out on seeing 80% of what’s in front of you and end up scaring the trout or bonefish off before you have even noticed they are there.
TIP
If you love to catch any species and want to see them before you cast towards them, and increase the number of opportunities you have to catch them, you have to own a pair of fishing sunglasses.
The Advantages Of Fishing Sunglasses
- Water reflects up to 85% of UV rays that hit it, even on cloudy days, and they are going straight for your eyes to cause some damage. Fishing sunglasses filter out these rays better than any other sunglasses out there.
- Fishing sunglasses, as we mentioned, are polarized and help you see through the water better than any others. This makes you one step ahead of our finned friends as you’ll see them coming or notice depth changes and structure where they hang out more easily.
- Polarized lenses not only cut out the surface reflection, but they also enhance the clarity and contrast of what you’re seeing. This means your eyes won’t have to work as hard on the water, and you can avoid getting things like headaches that quickly ruin your fishing experience.
- One of the main advantages of wearing fishing sunglasses is, of course, to protect yourself from any hooks that might fly towards your eyes.
What To Consider When Buying The Best Fishing Sunglasses
Frames
The frames of your fishing sunglasses aren’t there to make you look good, although there are enough styles out there to find ones that do.
The frames are there to do two things: be comfortable and block out as much light as possible.
Protection
The best frames will block out as much light as possible in order to stop light from coming in through the sides.
Clarity
This not only blocks harmful UV but also helps you see a better image so you can differentiate between a permit on a ray at 100ft or a patch of seaweed on the sand.
Most frames these days are made from nylon and are lightweight and comfy to wear, so no matter which fishing sunglasses you pick, you should be covered.
Lens Type
There are two types of lenses to choose from when it comes to fishing glasses: polycarbonate (plastic) and glass.
Each of them has its advantages and disadvantages and it comes down to personal choice as to which one you prefer.
Glass
Glass lenses have much better image optics and provide you with the most clarity sunglasses can offer.
They’re also better at withstanding higher temperatures and are more scratch-resistant than polycarbonates.
Quality
The only downside to glass is that it’s more expensive than polycarbonate and fewer manufacturers use it so it’s hard to find.
It’s the best lens material in my eyes and I’d pick it every time.
Polycarbonate
Polycarbonate is light, durable, affordable, and still offers good image clarity.
It’s the most common lens you’re going to find out there and if you’re going to treat your fishing sunglasses, it might be better than glass.
Durability
Polycarbonate is more impact-resistant and shatter-resistant than glass and it also stops more UV from penetrating your eyes as it’s not as clear and absorbs some of it.
Lens Colors
There are a lot of different lens colors to choose from and it makes a huge difference when you pick the right ones for your environment and the light conditions.
Before we proceed with different colors, check out fishing sunglasses in action on the video below.
Here is a simple guide to picking the right color lenses for your environment, spoiler alert, you might need more than one set of fishing glasses to cover everywhere you fish.
Deep Water
If you spend your time offshore fishing, you’re going to want a pair of fishing sunglasses for deep water.
The best color lenses for deep water are grey, rose, or amber with a blue mirror.
The grey, rose and amber provide excellent contrast so you can easily tell the difference between a patch of flotsam or a finning sailfish while the blue mirror removes a lot of the damaging UV and blue light that is reflected off the surface.
Shallow Water
When I say shallow water I mean rivers, lakes, and of course, my favorite place, the flats. The best color lenses for fishing in shallow waters are copper, amber, or tan with a green mirror.
Again the amber, tan, and copper provide excellent contrast so you can see trout held up in a pool or a single bonefish 60ft away.
The green mirror reflects a lot of the UVA and UVB rays to ensure your eyes aren’t being damaged by it.
Poor Light Conditions
One of the worst experiences as a flats guide is trying to see fish on days when the light is poor.
If you wake up to an overcast day, you know you’re in for a tough one as when it’s cloudy, less light cuts through the water making it much harder to get a good contrast.
Luckily, there are some fishing sunglasses to make it all better.
The best color lenses for poor light conditions are yellow with a silver mirror.
How it works
The yellow lights up the bottom and gives amazing contrast between light and dark colors. The silver mirror still blocks harmful UVA and UVB rays but it lets more light in than the blue or green mirror to help light up the water you’re looking at.
I know guides who wear low light fishing sunglasses all the time just for the extra contrast or guides who switch to them as soon as they come on to a dark bottomed flat so it lights up and shows them fish more easily.
Price
Like most things in fishing, the more expensive something is the better quality it’ll be, and the same goes for fishing sunglasses.
You should expect to pay between 150-300 dollars for a good pair depending on how good the lenses are.
Quality
It’s not really worth trying to find a budget pair, as you’ll end up saving a little and missing out on a lot when you’re fishing.
Budget fishing sunglasses won’t have as good polarization and won’t be as durable either, plus you’ll end up buying 2 or 3 pairs over 3 years while a more expensive pair will last you 5 or 10 years.
Summing Up
Best Prescription Fishing Sunglasses
Best Sunglasses For Fishing And Boating
Best Fly Fishing Sunglasses
Finding the best polarized fishing sunglasses can be a little daunting.
As you can see from the above, there are a lot of options out there and when you throw in having to understand the sunglass lens color guide to fishing, it gets even more confusing, but I hope we have cleared it up for you in this article.
If you’re still undecided, here are my best suggestions to help you pick the best fishing sunglasses for you.
Best Prescription Sunglasses For Fishing
If you’re looking for affordable quality with every lens option from silver mirror to blue and green, then go for a pair of Costa Cut sunglasses.
Their type of lenses has been proven in the fishing world. I’ve worn them for the flats, offshore, and freshwater for the last 5 years, and believe me, they help you see through the glare as well as any others.
Best Sunglasses For Fishing And Boating
If you want the best and are willing to spend a bit more, choose the Maui Jim Pokowai Arch.
These are the next sunglasses I’m buying simply due to the lens quality.
The type of lens they use is made of glass which provides the best image quality, and Maui Jim is the only company that has them in every pair of sunglasses they make, and their polarization is excellent and they’re packed full of useful features like anti internal reflection technology. If you spend a lot of time on the water, you might want to consider getting a fishing hat as well.
Best Fly Fishing Sunglasses
Where budget is a concern but you’re still after excellent sunglasses for seeing every species out there, the Smiths Outback Sunglasses are the ones to go for.
They’re every bit as good as Costa’s, have the same lens color options, and will suit every fishing situation you might find yourself in.
Happy Fishing!
Thanks very much for reading my article.
I strive to make finding the best fishing products a little easier for everyone out there and I hope it helps you find the right sunglasses for you.
Please feel free to share it around and also check out some of my other articles. I cover all the info topics from fly and spin fishing to offshore and surf, plus all the gear that goes with it.
But if you’re looking for other accessories, we have articles for fishing watch, fishing shoes, fishing gloves, and more.
