Fishing sunglasses are a crucial part of every angler’s gear since they help reduce glare, minimize eye strain, and help improve visibility below the waterline. But not all lens colors are created equal. Finding the right lens color for fishing will depend on your weather conditions and the type of fishing you’re doing.
Keep reading as our experts review the best lens colors for fishing, including shallow water, deep water, low light, and fly fishing!
Table of Contents
Best Lens Colors for Fishing
Having the right fishing lens can be the difference between having the catch of the day and squinting your afternoon away. But it doesn’t need to be difficult.
By far, the three best lens colors for fishing are green, blue, and amber. But which lens is best will vary based on the type of fishing you’re doing and weather conditions.
Now let’s review when to use each lens:
- Green Lenses – Green lenses are great as an all-around lens and help to reduce glare on sunny and clear days. And, they help increase contrast in lower light conditions, such as passing clouds.
- Blue Lenses – Blue lenses are ideal for very bright light conditions like fishing in open, reflective water. These lenses also help prevent eye strain and enhance vision when deep water fishing or boating.
- Amber Lenses – Amber lenses work best for low-light conditions like early in the morning, at dusk, and in overcast weather. But they still offer high contrast and glare reduction qualities, perfect for sight fishing.
Keep reading as we review the best fishing lenses by type of fishing and environment! And be sure to scroll down for our handy lens diagram!
Best Lenses by Environment
Shallow Water Fishing
The best lens colors for shallow water fishing are green or amber lenses depending on the weather.
Thanks to their high contrast, green lenses are perfect for in-shore and shallow water fishing. In addition, green lenses help to contrast blue and brown tones when shallow-fishing in clear or muddy water. This lens color also highlights green colors underwater. This means they’re perfect for spotting bass. And you’ll be able to spot weeds and plants that indicate the ideal ambush points for angling.
Amber, rose, and copper lenses are great for shallow water fishing if you prefer a darker tint. Just like green lenses, amber helps to highlight green-colored objects. Again, this is perfect for spotting submerged weed beds and any bass hanging around. Finally, amber and rose help mute brown colors, a best-case scenario when fishing in muddy waters.
Finally, green, amber, and rose color lenses are all versatile in changing light conditions. These lenses are great at reducing glare intensity on a sunny day but still allow you to see clearly if the conditions suddenly turn cloudy. Amber lenses also work well in low-light conditions like fishing at dusk or dawn, making them a versatile choice for shallow water fishing.
Deep Water Fishing
The best lens colors for deep-sea fishing are blue, green, amber, or gray.
The main challenge with deep water fishing is the intense glare. So you want lens colors that help reduce the harsh glare without affecting your vision and color perception. Blue is the perfect tint in this situation. Blue mirror lenses can dramatically reduce harsh glare in these bright conditions. Plus, the blue tint is great at minimizing light transmission and offering the best protection against bright sunshine conditions.
Green is also a safe bet for deep water fishing since this color helps reduce glare and doesn’t distort colors. Plus, green lenses will help reduce eye fatigue in sunny conditions.
Gray lenses are great for deep-sea fishing, thanks to their high contrast against the blue ocean. In addition, these lenses are perfect if you prefer to buy only one pair of sunglasses for deep-sea fishing since this tint provides excellent contrast and works well in most daytime light conditions. Finally, grey lenses maintain natural color relationships, so colored objects appear just like they should.
Finally, amber tint provides high contrast and cuts glare when deep-sea fishing. This option is equally versatile and works just as well in cloudy or overcast conditions if the weather changes suddenly. It’s also a good choice for anglers who like to go out at dusk or dawn.
Fly Fishing and Sight Fishing
The best lens colors for fly fishing and sight fishing are blue, green, and yellow.
Thanks to their dark tint, blue and green lenses are great for sight fishing and fly fishing on bright days. You’ll typically struggle with intense glare and a lot of brown and blue tones while flying fishing during summer. But blue and green lenses help to overcome these challenges.
In comparison, yellow lenses are ideal for fly fishing at dusk or dawn. This tint also works well on cloudy or overcast days. Unlike blue and green tint, yellow is a lighter tint, allowing more light and brightening your environment. This is great for low-light environments like a cloudy day while still protecting against glare and harmful UV rays. And yellow lenses help boost depth perception so you can safely navigate the waters.
Read more in our Best Sight Fishing Sunglasses guide.
Low Light / Cloudy Conditions
The best lens colors for low-light or cloudy conditions are yellow or rose, thanks to their lighter tint.
When fishing in low light and cloudy conditions, you want a lens color that allows maximum light transmission. And yellow lenses are perfect for this while still contrasting the blue water and preventing glare!
Our runner-up in this category is rose or amber lenses that help to sharpen the contrast in cloudy conditions. Lastly, amber mutes brown colors, allowing you to see better when fishing in muddy waters.
Check out the useful diagram below that highlights the best fishing lens colors!
Frequently Asked Questions
What are the Best Fishing Sunglasses?
The Oakley Split Shot is our pick for the best fishing sunglasses. These sunglasses feature a lightweight frame, deep or shallow water-specific lenses, easy-to-change lenses, and a built-in leash!
Read more in our complete guide to Polarized Fishing Sunglasses! (Plus more top sunglasses picks)
Are Mirrored Lenses Better for Fishing?
Yes, mirrored lenses are better for fishing since they help to reflect additional light and prevent glare.
While polarized lenses are very effective for reducing glare, mirrored lenses can add even more protection from harsh sunlight when combined. This is because these lenses apply an extra mirror coating on the front side of the lens. This additional mirror coat helps to reflect light, providing even better protection from glare and excessive sunlight.
And you’ll find this coating available from most major brands in various colors like blue mirror, green mirror, and silver mirror to suit different fishing conditions.
Have a Question?
Want to know more about the best lens colors for fishing? Or have a question? Let us know in the comments below!
