The Best Eyewear for Fishing?

What’s the best Eye Wear for fishing?

And we are not talking about what looks the best-that’s one for the fashonistas and yourself to decide...I’m talking about which are that best sunglasses for helping anglers with sight fishing?

Short answer is usually-‘the best pair you can afford’...but that doesn’t mean a designer brand pair worth a mint are going to be ideal, far from it, us anglers that are serious about our sight fishing need purpose built eye wear that are made with experience and passion, not driven by profit.

I’m lucky enough to have worked with many of the major brands, and have access to any brand I want, and there are some good ones out there, but Tonics built by Doug Phillips, in my professional opinion are the best on the market. 

For a start the decentred lens means you can look up, down, left or right with no optical distortion. 

Furthermore the lenses have 4 layers which gives superior vision and eye protection, and the inner anti-glare layer is a MASSIVE help when scanning the water for fish and their habitat.

This and more all happens because Doug drives the Tonic Company ie the company is not driven by a C.E.O who is there to make money rather than better products!  Doug is insanely passionate about fishing eye wear, and while he was in charge of a major brand for a long time, these days he has the freedom do things his way...and stops at nothing to develop designer lenses that lead the world in their ability to help anglers see into the water.

As just one example of the lengths he goes to I have been looking for specialist sunnies to cope with harsh brightness in the tropics in summer, yet still allow me to see into the water.  Doug could’ve done what most brands do and that is get an existing mass produced blue mirror lens that are easy to source and have them on the shelves in double quick time.   But instead it took Tonic over 2 years and dozens of attempts to get their latest Blue Mirrors up to his specs, and for high glare tropical fishing they are something else. Not to mention they have an icy cool look! 

Similarly Tonics low light ‘Neon’ lenses (used for darker area sight fishing-eg valleys, shadows, fog, cloud and the all-important dawn and dusk bite) are a result of some true pioneering work in this field. These glasses actually light up what you look at like you have flicked on a little light yet, reduce glare and increase color separation-I can’t work out how he did this, but he did and you NEED to see this for yourself.  It is the work of a master in his field, and something that low light anglers will truly appreciate.  While they don’t suit cloud free mid-day sunshine (they are too bright for this) it is not uncommon for more hard core sight fishos (myself included) to swap to a pair of Neons these when light levels drop. 

If you’re after one lens for all conditions Tonics time proven and popular copper coloured photocromatic lenses are the go, these are my own personal choice if I am only taking one pair fishing. Like the blue mirror and the Neons, the clarity and detail you get is beyond compare.

I mainly use the Tonic glass lenses, but for the kids, visitors, or other instances where you need a cheaper product Tonic also has the best Polycarbonate Lenses I’ve used to date.

I have to say I’m pretty proud an Aussie bloke is driving all this and achieving new heights in fishing eye wear.  When I was a child I had a patch my left eye to correct a strong left eye.  From this age I was determined to ‘get my eyes’ better than any ones and with the help of optometrists and my families encouragement I now enjoy a career that depends on my ability to spot fish, and I’m glad there’s folks like Tonic helping me enjoy my work. 

Check out www.toniceyewear.com.au for more info on Doug’s products, and if you’re in the market for purpose built fishing eyewear do yourself a favour and go into a shop and compare them directly with any other brand on the market.

Rob Paxevanos,
Host Fishing Australia