It is accepted that the sun's rays can cause eye damage. Running full out in my Ranger exposes my eyes to other hazards, including wind, bugs, and sometimes rain and hail. Quality sunglasses to protect my eyes are a necessity, not a luxury.
There are a lot of good sunglasses on the market, designed for a multitude of different activities. However, fishing is paramount to have glasses that have polarized lenses of the highest optical quality. Over the years, I have tried countless different brands and styles, but the brand I prefer is Maui Jim.
While most polarized glasses block only direct glare, Maui Jim's PolarizedPlus technology blocks glare from all directions - direct, reflected, and bounce-back glare (if you can see your eyelashes reflected in your lenses, that's bounceback glare!). All I know is that when I wear them, everything looks sharply focused - with no distortion at all!
They also feature nine layers of lens protection, which is excellent when a bug hits your glasses at 60+ mph or when your non-boater lobs a spinnerbait at your head! The quality of the lenses is essential too. Have you ever noticed your eyes getting tired, or you get a headache when you've been out in the sun with your sunglasses on? Lenses with poor optical quality can cause that. Several years ago, an optician friend demonstrated the difference between well-made sunglasses and poor-quality ones—no more sun-caused headaches.
I like my Maui Jim Sports Collection Rocky Point glasses. They are VERY lightweight - I almost forget I have them on, which is great when I spend 9 to 12 hours on the water. I would have ridges on my nose with some glasses from the heavier frames and lenses, but not with these. I chose an amber/rose color lens, which works well at first light and in the fog—not having to think about my heavy glasses or fight glare all day gives me more time to concentrate on the task at hand -- catching bass!
So, do yourself a favor and invest in a high-quality pair of polarized sunglasses. Your eyes will thank you. Check out Maui Jim at www.mauijim.com. You should see what you could be missing, like that four-pounder under that log!
Jeff Morton is a tournament angler who fishes the Wal-Mart Bass Fishing League Great Lakes Division and the Northland Bass Northern Wisconsin Team Circuit. He is a 2 Time B.A.S.S. Illinois State Championship Qualifier won the Northern Illinois Make A Wish Charity Bass Tournament.
Jeff proudly represents Ranger Boats, Bedford Sales, CastAway Graphite Rods, Bill Stasek Chevrolet, Maui Jim Sunglasses, and Just Hank's Custom Embroidery and Digitizing.