Small waves: Longboard or fish?

I moved to south Florida a couple years ago from San Diego. I bought a firewire sweet potato for the smaller surf. The board was a great go to for the smaller conditions...super rippable and floats over all the flat sections. I moved back to San Diego six months ago and still use the sweet potato more than any other board in my quiver...up to head high. I have been surfing mostly reef breaks and the potato absolutely kills it! I'm 6'3 and ride a 5'4 sweet potato. The new timbertek baked potato looks insane...I want one so bad but can't justify spending $700 on a board so similar to the one I got!

 

I think it depends on the wave shape. For small mushy stuff, I prefer the longboard. If the wave is breaking a little steeper and faster, I go with my mini-simmons or fish.

 

I'm 5'10 140 and have a 5'3 about 22" wide and 2 3/4" thick mini simmons and it floats me out of the water with my winter gear on, could have even gone shorter.

 

I have numerous boards 6'2 thurster, 6'6 Al Merrick Flyer, 6'4 fish, 6'0 AL merrick fiscuit, and 9'6 nose rider. I live on the boarder of NC and SC and surf northeastern SC (Garden City to North Myrtle) and south eastern NC (Wrightsville, CB, Topsail) I would go with the longboard, though we get some good days, I ride my longboard way more, especially in the weak, guttless, summer surf. You can have a blast on shin high days were the fish would be a frustrating struggle. Don't get me wrong...I love my Fishcuit and it was a great choice for my quiver...but those longboard days are more frequent than the fish days.

 

I love that baked potato

 

Ding Ding Ding, look 1000 posts! Wait not so sure I should be proud of that.

 

Ding Ding Ding, look 1001 posts! lol.

 

how do you think a mini simmons or fish do in mellow or mushy waves?

 

Walden is going to get a lot of hate because they sold their souls and decided to market the Wavejet, but their Magic Models are really fun on small waves. The outline of that board has been perfected to ride in our gutless windswell bumps during the summer. I rode a mini version of the Magic and was catching waves with ease

 

I always bring both boards whenever I go. I always seem to find myself either on my groveler or longboard. I like the longboard for when the waves are knee-thigh, then take out my groveler when Its thigh-waist.

 

I ride a 5'6" around 21 1/2 or so wide and 2 3/4 thick. I'm 5'8" and 160 and it floats well. I can ride it in knee high waves if they line up and are a little punchy but it is most fun in thigh to shoulder high waves. They are super fast and loose and do quite well in little waves.

 

thanks sounds good