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Ask Evan: Tackle aside, what's the one piece of gear you never leave home without?
Our partner at Angler Adventures doles out expert advice
Q: Tackle aside, what's the one piece of gear you never leave home without?
Evan: We spend a lot of time researching and discussing specific fishing tackle for our anglers. There are plenty of options when it comes to rods, reels, fly lines, and especially flies. Tackle needs change from one fishery to the next and from one species to the next. As technology and design evolve, so too do our conversations on what tackle we should pack.
That being said, there is one piece of non-tackle equipment that no angler should ever skimp on. And I would strongly advise having at least one back up. I think many will have already guessed that we are talking about polarized sunglasses. It doesn't matter if it's freshwater or saltwater, flats or spring creeks or blue water, Alaska or the Seychelles - the most critical piece of equipment other than tackle is a good pair of polarized sunglasses designed for the water you're fishing.
You may need a different pair for fishing trout than for sailfish, and likely you will need a third pair for stalking bonefish on the flats. You may want different pairs for different light conditions. I would recommend starting with the highest quality pair of polarized sunglasses you can get your hands on with a brown, amber, or copper colored lens, with or without a green mirror finish. This specific combination covers a wide range of fishing conditions. I would also recommend that the backup pair be polarized and of similar quality. I personally travel with 3 to 4 pairs of polarized sunglasses to be sure I am prepared for all conditions and in case a pair is lost or damaged.
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