All you need is a boat, the clothes on your back, and your trusty tackle box, full of all the good stuff that makes fishing pleasant and comfortable. And don’t forget to add sunscreen, a hat for shade and a pair of polarized sun sunglasses to protect your eyes.

If there is one thing we have way too much of in our society, it is stress. Too much stress and too many worries. Stress reduces our lifespan. Stress makes us grouchy. Stress eats away at our insides.

Is there an escape? Can we get away?

Yes…we can head off fishing. Fishing is one of the most peaceful things you can do, right up there with napping (napping while you fish is even better, but that is another story for another post). Fishing is famous for its calming effect. Go into any war zone and trade their guns for fishing lines and the world would be at peace.

What do you take with you in your tackle box? Most likely your list will include fish hooks and a hook sharpener, a fishing scale, swivels, split rings, line clippers, spinners and various lures (depending on the type of fishing you are doing), fishing line, sinkers, floats, a fishing knife, a small torch, needle-nose pliers, a tape measure and of course sunscreen and polarized sun sunglasses.

Why sunglasses? Why polarized? . Choosing the right polarized sunglasses is important for both your health and enjoyment.

Sunglasses because the sun’s harmful UV rays are multiplied when out on a fishing excursion as the glare from the sun bounces off the water. There are no trees. There are no buildings. There is no shelter. The sun beats down on you for hours. And bounces up at you from the water for hours. Over the years, too much exposure to UV rays can cause permanent damage to your eyes. Maximum protection from UVA, UVB and UVC light is your goal.

A few of the dangers include…

- Cataracts – a cloudiness in the crystalline lens of the eye, which reduces the light we see and can ultimately lead to blindness

- Macular degeneration – a loss of vision in the center of the visual field that makes it hard to read, recognize faces, drive, etc.

- Pterygiums – small growths on your cornea

- Solar keratitis – sunburn right on the cornea, acute and painful, and perhaps a precursor to some of the other eye diseases the sun can create.

- Skin cancer around the eyes, where it is hard to apply sunscreen

Why specifically polarized sunglasses? The glare off the water can be blinding, and after a few hours your eyes can get pretty fed up of the strain. Polarized sunglasses will block almost 100% of the glare that comes off of water. They, are designed with “vertical polarization”. Since the light bouncing off of the water is in the form of horizontally polarized light, they also allow fishermen to see down into the water helping them to spot fish. So, while they are great for any activity that is surrounded by reflection, from snow-shoeing to canoeing, polarized sunglasses are doubly useful for fishermen.

If you are fishing in shallow water, amber colored lenses will help you better see the fish. For instance, the bigmouth bass, which survives by blending into its background, can be easier seen through the yellow filter.

Polarized lenses will also help you see dead heads lurking just beneath the surface, so even boaters who are not fishing have a double reason to wear them – they reduce blinding glare that hurts your eyes, and they reduce blinding glare that keeps you from seeing below the surface.

So whether you are a weekend angler who just enjoys relaxing or a professional fisherman who lives for the sport, the most crucial piece of equipment in your tackle box should be a good pair of polarized sunglasses.

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This article was written by David Leonhardt, a writer who enjoys writing about designer sunglasses for fishing.