This summer I transitioned to surfing a fish (5'10") after about 14 years of riding a longboard (9'-9'6") and about 2-3 years of riding a traditional shortboard (6'2"). I really didn't realize how much I missed it. The maneuverability and freedom of the fish is much more satisfying than catching almost every wave on the longboard. My learning curve was about three sessions, but after that I was able to do cutbacks and floaters again and it was an awesome feeling. With that said, I'll always keep my longboard around and I'm not trying to disrespect longboarders. Some things that LB'ing gave me were the strength to whip this fish around on a dime and the confidence to drop-in on bigger sets. For me though, the freedom of the fish is just on another level of enjoyment.
I'm a huge fish fan... traditional and modern versions alike. Been riding them since my high school days! There's nothing like the feeling a true retro fish can give you. It's a design that's still relevant today, and one you simply can't improve upon without turning it into something else. This is just the beginning, too. Wait 'till you start to get into other "outside the box" designs, each with it's own distinct feeling and set of assets... bonzers, single fins, quads of all shapes and sizes (don't bother with hulls in beachbreaks... ha!) Have fun... surf more!
There is a time and place for the fish, but iv found it a little loose in bigger, sketchier surf. That being said, nothing tops a retro fish for those drunken summer "eh, why not" sessions.
I can't wait to try other designs like the bonzer and retro single fin. Regarding the size, I have been out on the fish and the longboard in head-high conditions. Bigger than that and I'm probably not going out anyway. I'm weird like that though. Its the same with snowboarding, where I can ride black diamonds but I have more fun on the blues and greens.
I owned a Fish and have ridden numerous friends' but just have never felt the love. Maybe b/c I'm goofy footed and mostly surf rights. Not to be a hater or anything either but I also think that many of not most of the people who ride Fishes around here don't exactly have - how shall I put it - the most stylistic look to their riding.
I don't think style has enough to do with the board to assume that. The majority of the people I see surfing around here don't have style period. The important part is that everybody ride what gives them the most enjoyment, even if they look like sh!t doing it.
yeah I don't see it as indicative as surfing style. I try to do the same manuvers on a shortboard all the way to a longboarding (minus noseride) with fish in between. I think many NJ waves are more suitable for fish or longboards than your usual hp thruster. Of course there are situations where you can use any board in your quiver, or situations where a shortboard is absolutely necessary. i know guys who won't move away from hp thrusters and will sacrifice waves for ego/stubbornness or whatever the case may be. I believe that boards are tools of enjoyment, and sometimes you need the right one for the right job. life is short, Damook is gonna get all the waves he can
heavy swell at beach breaks that tend to section and closeout is the hp thrusters time to shine. If its anything over waste high I dont even hesitate to grab a hp shortboard. Waste high and below is the time to experiment with retro fish and logs, IMHO.---Not that there aren;t folks out there who can blow the top off of a head high wave on a longboard, but they are truly rare. Most guys out on logs when its good- suck.
I have ridden my log and my fish in head-high swells and, while the fish was more fun, I had no problems on either of them. I can't really say anything about my style though, since I'm never really thinking about it.
I like the fish and single fins but prefer a longboard. Longboarding on days like we had with "Earl" are unbeatable. what kind of fish do you guys ride? I ride my friends Canyon sometimes and tend to blow the fins out or crack the cheapo glass job. I need to suck it up and buy my own any suggestions.
Head high glass last sunday in CM i rode my 9'8 all day. It was realy fun walking the deck , stalling then shooting up to the nose and getting really sick tip time. For the longest time thats all I ever ridden was a longboard from knee high to OH . But I can ride one of my logs then go right to my 6'2 quad or my 6'8 single fine with very little akward transition period .
2lb Marko EPS with solid basswood stringer, 2x6 oz deck, single 6 bottom, Resin Research epoxy, glassed on bamboo keels, flat deck, a touch of vee in the entry, shallow single to long doubles out the back (ala Rich Pavel), deep traditional swallow tail, angular down rails, beaked nose, and fiberglass leash loop. I'm bigger (and older!) than average, so it's something like 6'1 x 21 x 2.5. Best fish I've ever ridden in my life in knee to head high surf. I may have posted a pic of it before, but here it is again... http://www2.swaylocks.com/swaylopedia/image/kk-resin-swirl-retro-fish
5'10 CI fishcuit "inspired" home shape. (borrowed a friends CI and pulled a template). You could fart in the bathtub and catch a wave on it. Its fun on the small stuff, but I think its a little slow on a real top to bottom wave. It hurts like hell to wrapped up in the foam ball with too, fish have a few extra pointy edges....
