Polarised fishing/sunglasses

Can Costa plenty! But you really do get what you pay for.

With the start of the new season approaching us it's that time when we take stock of what needs topping up and what needs replacing. Each season sees the introduction of new and improved tackle that's going to make our lives easier and more pleasurable.

I would like to talk about an item of tackle we all use from time to time, in fact as a fly fisherman you will use sunglasses far more that any other angler.

I am going to tell you about the journey I travelled to find the best polarised fishing/sunglasses available. I consider myself a specialist angler, as many of you do, practicing more than one discipline, I need glasses that offer optimum clarity in a multitude of conditions. I started off using plastic lens sunglasses which had a spray on polarisation film, the film would scratch off if not looked after carefully, the clarity deteriorating quickly as the film wore off during regular cleaning making fish spotting harder and harder, which meant someone else got to the fish before me!

After using several brands of polarised glasses, that looked good and claimed superior performance but in fact were no better than my originals, I started investigating the world of high end glasses, and the ones that kept flashing before me on most angling forums were the brand Costa del Mar Costa's were rated for their durability, lens construction, performance and exceptional worldwide warranty. For those of you not familiar with the brand Costa are an American company that test all their products in an around Florida and the Florida Keys. They sponsor many angling guides and use their feedback to further improve their lenses, styles and designs.

What makes Costa's glasses so special?

It's the way they are polarised, starting with a base layer of glass, a polarised mid layer and another glass layer, so no more wearing of the lenses. Add to this the superior image quality of glass and you start to get the idea.

Costa produce two qualities of lens, the 400 series their entry level, offering optically clear and sharp definition, cutting through the glare better than most other brands so called best quality. The 580 series have pushed the bar further still, it’s technology eliminates the yellow light, which not only cuts the glare but also produces a much sharper clearer image giving the best visibility in the business. From a personal perspective I own Costa del Mar 580's and have done for 5 years or so. I can not only spot fish but so clear is the image I can tell the species and decide whether it's big enough to want to catch it! No more squinting!

I can spot fish rising earlier, the lens filtering contributes hugely to better vision making glare off the water a thing of the past, the higher your vantage point the further-deeper into the water you can see. When stalking clear streams and stillwater, Costa's will give you a clear advantage over other anglers, you will locate fish more easily so all you've got to worry about is choosing the right fly! Other anglers not wearing Costa's will be left squinting by the waters edge straining for a glimpse of any fish you might have left them.