FRAMEBUYER | Angling for Business

DEEP SEE Fishing

Experts weigh in on sunwear optics performance factors in sportfishing for amateurs and professionals alike

BY AMY SPIEZIO

? ASK THE EXPERTS: FISHING OPTICS

A successful day of fishing requires a lot more than fresh worms and a good picnic lunch. Today’s anglers utilize technology to the maximum, from carbon fiber poles to GPS-powered fishfinders. And that love of technology continues into the sunglasses that fishing fantatics opt for, too.

These days the options for fishing-focused eyewear are nearly as rich and diverse as the aquatic life fishing enthusiasts are seeking.

Eyecare Business spoke with several experts on the topic of fishing eyewear, including Renato Cappuccitti, director of Rx sun lens division at Costa Sunglasses; Bill Yerby, director of sales and marketing, North America, for Bollé; Michael Bumerts, Rx director for Wiley X, and Mike Battistoni, fishing and marine specialist for Maui Jim Sunglasses.

Q WHAT ARE THE MAIN DIFFERENCES BETWEEN SALT WATER AND FRESH WATER WHEN IT COMES TO THE BEST SPORTS VISION?

CAPPUCCITTI: When you’re on the ocean using the blind-trolling fishing method, you’re surrounded by miles and miles of bright, blue water and blue horizon. You want to block as much of that reflective glare coming off of the water as possible from coming into your eyes. A dark lens—like a gray or a blue mirror—will maintain color saturation and natural contrast, while offering maximum light protection in these conditions.

But in any other type of sight fishing conditions—whether it’s in salt water or fresh water, you need more light to see the fish more clearly. A green mirror, silver mirror, or copper-based lens is ideal for these fishing situations.

A specialty sunrise (yellow) lens is going to let the maximum amount of light in—this is ideal for early morning or late afternoon fishing.

1. Andy Mill (l) and son Nick bring in a sailfair while wearing Maui Jims; 2. Chris Fischer in Costa style Corbina during OCEARCH Expedition Chile (photo credit: Robert Snow); 3. Smith Optics eyewear at work on the water

YERBY: In two words: lens tint. Salt water fishing is usually done in open conditions with direct sunlight. A dark (usually gray) lens is best.

BATTISTONI: Most companies say a gray lens is for off-shore and a bronze lens is best for in-shore fishing, and usually in-shore means fresh water, too.

It depends on the light conditions more than the water color. I think the reason why they [make those designations] is that the water off shore is very clear and in shore is dirtier and lakes are dirtier. But there are lakes in California that are very clear. It depends on the light conditions more than the water color.

Q WHAT WOULD YOU RECOMMEND FOR THE OPTIMUM LENSES IN FRESH WATER FISHING?

CAPPUCCITTI: Because fresh water fishing often involves peering into murky, dark water, perhaps in and out of shade cover from the trees, you need as much light as possible to see the fish more clearly.

YERBY: Amber lenses provide great contrast and good versatility in a range of conditions.

BATTISTONI: Fly fisherman don’t like glass lenses because if the fly comes back and hits them in the face, it could shatter the glass. Plastic lenses are more popular for them than they are with salt water fishermen.

Q IS THERE A DIFFERENCE IN STILL WATER VS. MOVING WATER, VISUALLY?

CAPPUCCITTI: It’s not so much the water as it is the light.

Are the conditions sunny or overcast?

Is the water crystal clear blue or brackish brown?

You might spot fish easier in clear, moving water, but have a more difficult time in cloudy, still water. It really depends on the conditions, and the performance quality of your lens.

YERBY: Moving water tends to stir up debris, which can make it difficult to focus. Polarized lenses—highly recommended for all aquatic settings—can help.

BUMERTS: When it comes to fishing on the water, there are many things to consider—time of day, depth of water, weather conditions, etc.

For early morning or late afternoon, we recommend amber or bronze lenses to harness and enhance limited light.

As the day progresses, an amber lens with an appropriate mirror would be my personal choice.

PRO PERFORMANCE
ONE O.D.’S WORK LANDS FISHING SUNGLASS LINE

Doug Jordan, O.D., from Ozarks Family Vision Center in Branson, MO, is an avid fisher and outdoors man who has taken his hobby and made it pay on many levels. Along with his work at the practice, he is featured on the TV fishing show, “Outdoors in the Delta,” and is the owner and founder of Vicious Vision powered by Xperio UV from Essilor. He has been working closely with some of the top professional anglers in the world over the past few months developing eyewear for fishing afficionados. “The opportunity for me to launch the Vicious Vision premium sunwear brand happened unexpectedly after fitting a couple of professional anglers with Xperio UV lenses.”

Getting started has involved plenty of boat time, Dr. Jordan says. “We have been field testing many different lens colors over the past few months on fresh water lakes around the country in different conditions. Every one of our pros raves about the copper lens and how much more fish and structure they are able to see now. We also have a new color called Yellow Moss that has dramatically increased visual performance for our team during cloudy, overcast conditions.”

In addition to working with professional anglers, Dr. Jordan has gotten feedback from fellow optometrist and fishing fan, Ryne C. Wood, O.D., with Leet EyeCare in Cape Girardeau, MO.

“Living in Missouri, freshwater fishing has primarily been my style of choice,” Dr. Wood says. “However, I have been fortunate enough to experience some bottom fishing down in the Gulf. My favorite lenses to use while fishing are without a doubt polarized. With the new lenses, I feel I can see not only more fish, but I can also see more structure, which increases my odds of success.”

In his own practice, Dr. Wood notes, “The biggest lens choice we stress for our fishing patients is polarized lenses. Depending on their fishing needs and sun exposure, we then try and choose a lens color—darker shades for extreme sun exposure and amber, to lighter shades for dusk or dawn. I see the fishing and sunwear industry as one with a huge upside. I always tell my patients, ‘if you ever experience a polarized lens, you will never want to purchase a non-polarized lens again.’”

Q WITH SALT WATER, WHAT ARE THE MAIN LENS CONSIDERATIONS, PERFORMANCE-WISE?

CAPPUCCITTI: Salt is one of the most corrosive materials out there, and can be really abrasive on your sunglass lenses. From a performance standpoint, you want a hard-coated, scratch-resistant, 100% polarized lens able to withstand the elements, while allowing you to see more clearly.

And because salt water often puts you out on the ocean, surrounded by miles and miles of light reflecting off of the blue water and blue horizon, you want a gray or blue mirror lens that’s going to block light at an optimal transmission rate while still providing protection for your eyes.

YERBY: As with fresh water, the main consideration is polarization. Lens quality and tint are certainly factors, but polarization is very nearly mandatory for salt water.

BUMERTS: If you are trolling or ocean fishing, the “facial cavity seal” is a must have. The system not only blocks out dust, debris, and sea spray but also eliminates ambient light that can bounce back and forth from lens to eye, exposing you to potentially dangerous levels of UV light.

The other consideration when ocean fishing is, of course, the potential lens damage caused by oxidation. Our Rx lenses come with a patented hard coat that is weather and scratch resistant. All mirrors come with a proprietary double-sided, thermally dipped hard coat. This offers superior protection and, of course, includes backside AR coating with L.U.V technology. The frames’ screws are stainless steel and resist oxidization.

BATTISTONI: A glass lens is by far the most popular lens for salt water fishermen and the reason why is that glass holds up the best, glass is optically the best, and it holds up to salt water the best.

Most companies have polycarbonate, which is on the lower end of the spectrum. It fits the needs in the sunglass market. But we’ve been working on better plastic lenses and we came up with Maui Evolution, it’s optically clear, it holds up in salt water, and if you drop it doesn’t shatter. Maui Pure is clearer and will fit in styles designed for the salt water angler, who is embracing a lighter-weight product and a good plastic lens because now there are companies out there who offer that. Glass still is the best, but not everybody wants glass.

4. Maui Jim-sponsored Rebekka Redd with “The New Fly Fisher” TV show; 5. Wiley X-sponsored Bassmaster, Edwin Evers in AirRage; 6. Live Cocoons’ professional angler Ish Monroe competes in Bassmaster tournaments and on the FLW Tournament Trail

Q WHAT’S THE MOST DRAMATIC TECHNOLOGICAL DEVELOPMENT TO HELP FISHING ENTHUSIASTS SEE BETTER?

CAPPUCCITTI: Costa’s color-enhancing 580 lens is one of the most revolutionary lens technologies developed to help anglers spot fish in the water more clearly. By cutting the yellow light, the other colors—reds, blues, greens—become sharper and more vivid.

Anglers can spot fish in the water faster and more clearly as a result. Costa also offers its 580 lens technology in customized Rx format.

Waypoint digitally enhanced lenses drastically reduce peripheral distortion and enhance clarity.

YERBY: Again, there are other factors (lens tint, optical clarity, etc.), but polarized lenses are a significant boon to almost all anglers.

BUMERTS: Products that offer myriad features for both fishermen and the outdoor enthusiast.

BATTISTONI: Lighter-weight lens materials, something that offers an alternative to plastic. And the lens color improvements are good.

Q IS THERE A GOOD ALL-AROUND FISHING LENS FOR SOMEONE WHO MIGHT NOT BE A PRO, BUT LOVES TO BE ON THE WATER, WHETHER IT BE A LAKE, STREAM, BAY, OR OCEAN?

CAPPUCCITTI: A polarized lens with color enhancing technology will provide the clearest vision for driving and other everyday activities. If someone isn’t specific about their fishing condition, lens color choices sometimes do come down to personal preference.

YERBY Cerainly, either of Bollé’s Marine lenses—gray with blue flash mirror and amber with gold flash mirror—works well for enthusiast and pro alike.

Forced to choose just one, our advice would be to choose the tint that most closely matches one’s personal preference for other uses.

BUMERTS: Blue mirror on a green base would absorb all light evenly and eliminate reflections. This would be ideal for open water in bright conditions. If conditions are extremely bright you may want to opt for the polar gray with a silver mirror. This will block out the most overall light; in the polar option you are at 10% light transmission.

BATTISTONI: For eye doctors, I would say polarized readers. Not everybody needs a pair of prescription glasses, which can be expensive. There are so many people who don’t wear polarized prescription sunglasses because they can’t get them or they don’t think they make them.

Or, they get aftermarket lenses put in—they get our frames and with aftermarket lenses from other sources—while our lenses are what we’re known for more than our frames.

When it comes to readers, fishermen want full-frame, heavy-duty sunwear, so we are doing our top styles and we’ll put in lenses from +1.50 to +2.50 power and optical accounts can order them without prescriptions and be ready to go.

Speaking of power, at EB, we agree that offering specialty product like frames for fishing enthusiasts will give you a great hook for growing business. Happy casting...for new business in this growing category.

Want to know more? Visit EyecareBusiness.com and explore our web exclusives for more insight from these professionals, as well as more tips to selecting and selling fishing-focused eyewear and sunwear.

A GOOD DAY FISHING…
AN OPTOMETRIST FINDS FISHING HAS SHIFTED FROM A PERSONAL PASSION TO A PROFESSIONAL BOOST

Claiming one of the largest dispensaries east of the Mississippi, Walter Ramsey, O.D., owner of Ramsey EyeCare in Charleston, W.V., has mixed pleasure with business to great success. “I’m an optometrist and a professional fishing guide. I don’t do [the latter] for the money, I like to take people fishing as much as I like to fish.”

In his practice, Dr. Ramsey doesn’t have a formal fishing eyewear area or set-up, but he has brand-specific display cases and—more importantly—he shares his expert knowledge freely. “The opticians who work for me, there are about eight to 10, they know I like to fish. When a fisher comes in, they say let’s go get Dr. Ramsey,” he says. “Other doctors will refer patients to me because they know I’m an enthusiast.”

Once you explain the value of proper fishing eyewear and show its features and benefits, this consuming niche is ready to buy, Ramsey says. “Fishers are fanatics, you tell them about a good lens, they will buy. They spent $800 for a fly rod, so for a pair of sunglasses—if it’s going to help them perform better—cost is not a consideration.”

One of the reasons Dr. Ramsey is so confident in his fishing eyewear sales is his lifelong personal passion for the sport. Fishing since childhood, he has explored the world, angling everywhere from lakes in Georgia to the waters of Central and South America. Now the captain of his own boat, he is also a fishing guide. “I have been a successful optometrist, now I want to be a successful fly fishing guide. That’s a lot harder. You won’t get killed by a broken pair of glasses, but you never know what’s in the water stepping out of the boat,” Dr. Ramsey jokes, adding, “Optometrists seldom can be eaten alive in the office.”

His go-to lens for personal use helps him find the elusive redfish against the red and orange bottom in the backcountry of South Florida’s Gulf Coast, where he keeps his fishing boat and guides friends and fellow optometrists. “My favorite lens is the copper 580 made by Costa. I discovered that was the best for me to see the redfish.”

WEB EXCLUSIVE…to read more, visit eyecarebusiness.com