Shades for float fishing

[lutra]

I'm sure some of you float trotters on here will know it can be hard work to see a float as it trots down the river and the sun is shinning. Personally I wear a big brimmed hat and a pair of Polarized sunglasses, but i was wondering if there is a better way.

 

Given that most of my floats seem to have a red or orange top, would something like glasses with a green lens help? Or should i go for none polarized glasses? Are them green Shakespeare Sun Visors better?

[Ken L]

I would avoid polarised glasses myself. They're great for seeing through the surface film but in clear water conditions that very quality means that you can't tell whether the float tip is on the surface or under it - not good.

 

I'd also avoid green reflective lenses because they reflect away the blue/yellow light and allow through a higher proportion of light towards the red end of the spectrum. Great for spotting a float tip 'cause it stands out like a beacon but with a lot of coarse fishing done under trees which will themselves have filtered out most of the red light (that's why you see them as green) it means that your glasses allow so little of the ambient light through that you can't see your feet - been there, done that threw them away.

 

So in summary, for fish spotting, a good pair of polarised glasses are a must but for actual float fishing, I'd go with a comfortable pair of bog standard glasses that are suitable for the lighting conditions.

 

I don't really do a lot of float fishing being a lure nut but i will add that my current pair are polarised and have blue reflective lenses, Very easy on the eyes when it's bright out because they really reflect away a lot of the harsh blue light.

I also have a pair of Bole safety glasses for low light conditions - I've had one lot of eye surgery and would rather avoid any more.

[Tigger]

I've used ordinary sun glasses but I prefer to use polaroids Brian, I can always tell when the float tip is under the water easy enough

[jerry weijers]

I use a had with a wide brim and sunglass , but a black tip on the float is also very usefull

 

 

gr jerry

[Alan Roe]

For me I tend to use Brown tinted lenses for most occasions with some yellow tinted lenses for poor light conditions all polarised.

My current favourites have a small +2.50 lense built in to the bottom which allos me to do small fiddly jobs without having to change glasses a real bonus nowadays

[John S]

If you buy some crystal insert wagglers with the interchangeable tips (such as the Drennan), you can colour some of the tips white or black etc and simply change them to suit the conditions.

[lutra]

I would avoid polarised glasses myself. They're great for seeing through the surface film but in clear water conditions that very quality means that you can't tell whether the float tip is on the surface or under it - not good.

Yes I've suffered with that myself at times, but It's not something that seems to happen when I'm trotting. Maybe it's because when I'm trotting I'm often stood in the river and very low down to the water Polarised glasses are also great when wading for seeing where you are walking.

 

Also most of the pegs i tend to fish are in open water and not under over hanging trees.

 

Often when I'm trotting I can see the float fine at close range and at longer range, but its the bit in the middle where the light/ reflection seems to change from dark to light that i struggle and sods law puts it where i seem to get most of my bites, about 15yrds down stream.

 

Think I'll get the black paint out and see if that helps at all.