I remember buying my first pair of sunglasses specifically for fishing. They were a $12 pair of Bill Dance glasses that I bought at Wal-Mart, and if my memory serves me correctly, Strike King branded them. They were aviator shaped and were amber in color. I think they're still sold.
They weren't anything special – minimal UV protection, and they made you look like Drew Carey – but at the same time, I thought they were real special. They actually cut the glare and I could see in the water better than ever before. I wasn't enamored with the yellow lenses, but found that in lowlight conditions, they worked pretty well.
That was a long time ago, and the technology has definitely gotten a whole lot better since then. Companies like Solar Bat, Costa Del Mar, Hobie and Kaenon have elevated fishing eyewear to the point that glasses are now an integral part of every angler's equipment list, and a very important element in eye protection.
Polarization has gotten better, and lens materials are now tougher and cleaner. Polycarbonate and shatterproof glass lenses have also been developed to protect your precious eyesight better. Tie all that together with a stylish frame, and you have a real cool product that's not only cool to wear, but also gives the angler an edge.
But with new technology comes costlier products, so the savvy angler who's penny wise and dollar short has to do his homework. Yes, you can still by a $12 pair of Bill Dance specials, but you can spend a couple of hundred bucks on a premium pair as well.
I recently had the opportunity to test the AES Oxbow sunglasses, which is a mid-price set of eyewear, and I was definitely impressed. The frames looked great, the lenses were superb, and they retail for a about $49.
They fit my face well, had no blow-around while racing down the lake at high speeds, and they worked well both for super-bright, bluebird days, and lowlight or cloudy conditions.
AES also makes several models that retail for around $20, and for the hunter, they carry camo models in both Mossy Oak and Realtree patterns.
Lance Walker at AES puts it best. In a conversation, he told me: "Our goal is to provide the best polarized sunglasses that are optically as good or better than any sunglasses on the market at 25-50% less than the others cost," he said. "We believe that anglers deserve better – whether that's the diehard tournament angler or pleasure fisherman – and he or she should be able to get the best in quality at an affordable price.
"We're fishermen and hunters and know that quality doesn't necessarily have to cost more," he added. "We've worked with the best pros and have developed frames and lenses to meet their rigorous demands. We feel that AES eyewear is the best pair of glasses on the market and they provide the best bargain to the angler as well."
After testing these glasses over several weekends and tournaments I'd suggest getting a pair and test-driving them too.
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> For more about AES and its products, visit AESOutdoors.com.
> AES glasses are available at a number of fine retailers nationwide. You can also order them through AESOutdoors.com.
> The company sponsors Edwin Evers and Joe Thomas.
