Evan Russell is on the podcast to share the Costa story and help us understand how to find the right pair of glasses. We find out which type of Costa sunglasses is best for salt and fresh water fishing, the technology behind these polarized sunglasses, and how choosing the right sunglasses enhances your outdoor experience.
We dig into the history of Costa, how it was founded and became known for its unique polarized technology – plus the new Untangled Series which are made out of recycled fishing nets.
Click below and listen to the Costa Podcast with Evan Russell:
Find the show: Apple | Spotify | Overcast
(Read the Full Transcript at the bottom of this Blog Post)
Sponsors and Podcast Updates
Show Notes: Polarized Sunglasses for Fly Fishing with Evan Russell
04:30 – Evan talks about when he worked for Bonnier Corporation and Yeti
05:37 – Back in the day, Evan fishes for Redfish in the Mosquito Lagoon
05:53 – Steve Davis was on the podcast at WFS 270
07:00 – Costa was founded in 1983 by Ray Ferguson who was an avid fisherman – 2023 will be Costa’s 40th anniversary

07:27 – In the early 2000s, Costa became known for its 580 glass lense
08:34 – 580 technology cuts out light that doesn’t enhance your optical clarity
09:12 – The chart that explains the color spectrum and how the light is cut out
10:34 – In 2019, Costa merged with Luxottica, the parent company of Ray-Ban, Oakley, and Persol
12:47 – A lot of Costa’s products are made in the USA – mainly California
13:56 – Evan recommends starting with frames when choosing your glasses/sunglasses and explains why
15:00 – Costa’s number 1 selling frame right now is the Reefton

16:09 – Evan picks glass than plastic lense when fishing
17:02 – The Polly (the 580p – plastic) is more impact resistant, lighter, and cheaper
17:41 – Costa’s most popular lenses are amber-based like the green mirror, amber no mirror, copper silver mirror – the green mirror works great for fishing in general

18:13 – Dave used a pair of amber sunglasses for years – Suncloud brand

22:03 – What makes the glasses more expensive
23:09 – Bureo offers a program where fishermen can turn in their old fishing nets for recycling
24:10 – Evan recommends the 8-based frame
28:22 – Article on how to choose sunglasses
31:30 – Evan talks about the difference between Yeti and Costa in terms of community marketing and their goals

34:59 – Community Marketing explained
39:42 – Evan’s tip for startup companies trying to introduce their brand to the industry
41:03 – Evan commends Chewy.com for its excellent customer service and marketing

48:25 – We’ve done an episode about Canyon Coolers at WFS 211
50:56 – Evan talks about Captains for Clean Waters and the good stuff they have going – Costa sponsors them
55:18 – Evan and the Costa team plans to go to the Bahamas to shoot for their spring products
55:42 – Visit CostaDelMar.com to get a pair of Costa polarized sunglasses
You can find Evan on Instagram at @evanruss
Related Podcast Episodes
WFS 270 – The Everglades in Florida with Steve Davis from the Everglades Foundation
WFS 211 – Canyon Coolers with Jason Costello – Ice Chest Tips, Arizona, Boating
Read the Full Podcast Transcripts Below

Polarized Sunglasses for Fly Fishing Conclusion with Evan Russell
Evan and I talked about Costa’s best Polarized Sunglasses for Fishing, the technology behind its features, and how the right sunglasses enhance your outdoor experience.
What type of sunglasses do you use for fishing or outdoor activities? Let me know in the comments.