Is it a logical step for me to succumb to the trend and get a fish? I ride heavy logs almost all the time, and my shortboard is a 9’0, would a fish be a fish out of water? While on the subject, how does one surf a fish. Do you have to work the board, or can you trim it and get speed? I have no idea how to chop hop cuz I’ve never needed too. All the guys at my glass-shop keep telling me I need a 5’6 cuz I’m a scrawny kid tipping the scale at 125. Any thoughts?
Even though you’re light going from a 9’ to a 5’6" will be difficult because the technique for standing up is(or atleast can be) different.
I’ve never been on a shortboard that trim as well as a fish, still it’s not made for trimming. It goes faster when you keep it going from rail to rail. You could try this on a longboard as well, I find that it works even on a longboard. If you can borrow and try a fish, do. Don’t worry, open your mind and ride everything you can get your hands on. It’s all good.
regards,
Håvard
One of my fishes (the heavy one double volan top+bottom) glides lovely, you can mix up the short snappy style of surfing or the deep carving cutbacks and section drives which are nice and smooth or cheeky fives if you fancy. The only thing is building the speed on slack days.(which is a bit leg aching)
Noticed that the fish works better after I’ve been listening to a bit of Moroccan music and sporting a beard in the water.
Give a fish a go you won’t be disapointed.
cheers joe
Point-rat
I purchased my first retro fish this year and was very skeptical. Being 200+lbs I’ve had bad experiences with shortboards. Well this thing has changed my attitude completely. I absolutely love my fish now…its become my fav. board over all my longboards. The +'s are that it paddles and catches waves easily but most importantly its manuverability is shocking. I’ve done things on this board that I never thought I’d do and did them without even thinking. Oh and it is nice to be able to duck dive properly again:) The -'s are that it IS a short board and you can’t sit way outside like your used to, although you’ll still sit way outside the SB pack. It can still bog down like a shortboard although not as much. What I mean is that I’ll find myself missing an inside reform every once in awhile or get to far out on the shoulder with not enough juice to get back into the wave (most likely my shortcomings as a surfer). This is mostly on mushy days when even a longboard takes a bit more work. The fish loves clean, crisp waves and thats when it is the most fun to ride. To put it in perspective for you…my friend (150lbs)will paddle out my 9’6 and I’ll paddle out the 6’2 fish, we’ll surf for an hour and switch. Neither of us have problems adjusting and we only need to sit about 5-10ft inside on the fish. YOU WILL LOVE IT!!! I promise!!
Later
Brent
Point rat,
No, it is not ok for you to join the trend and get a fish.Why do you want to join a trend? Your a surfer. Surfer’s are supposed to be individuals. Get someithing totally different. Like a Rusty (fill in the blank). If you get a fish the trend continues and I hate being part of a trend. Kids used to paddle up to me and ask, “When was that thing made?” OF course, I made it and it looked like shit and only appeared to be thirty years old.
I’m only kidding and having fun. Fishes are tons of fun. They work great in waves knee high up to a couple of feet overhead(depending) and just plain look bitchen with the wide tail, butt crack. and the big ol fins. Of course, I think you should make a fish. Mike
pr,
Succumb to the trend? Why are you surfing in the first place? Sorry , couldn’t resist…your first statement sounded kooky. Get one because you want to surf something different and feel speed and carves that can’t be found on other boards. I can sit out with the LBs and pick off the waves I want, something I could never do on other shortboards. Mine is 6’2" and 3" thick,tons of float but I am 6’2" and 210-220-lbs,I would get one a little bigger than was suggested.They trim or accelerate great. I made mine because I could not afford a “big name fish” from a great shaper, got me into shaping, forever stoked now making my own stuff. Mine goes like a rocket too, which I can hardly believe…get a real fish,you will love it and the transition will not take that long…have fun…peace and waves…
My main boards of choice have always been single fin longboards from the 60’s and also “retro” moderns such as the Joel Tudors.
I also ride singles and eggs, pretty much anything, actually.
The spring I had Manuel shape me a Mandala 5’8 twin keel volan fish. After a short adjustment period, this is now one of my favorite boards. From 2 foot to OH, the board captures my imagination like no other board I’ve ever ridden or even seen. Has tons of glide and trim speed, on larger waves hitting a parallel stance high line after coming off the bottom bloews my mind. No need to pump or rail to rail, unless you want to. Parallel keels with no toe or cant. On smaller waves, I can practically pull cheater fives. Speed and acceleration are unreal, late drops are usually pulled and the relatively small size of the board gives these drops a completely different “vertical” sensation than on one of my longer single fins, for example.
I’m 150 and 5’11. my board is a 5’8. I would get the 5’6, you won’t regret it!
This is a timely topic for me. I received my 5’6" fish shaped by Steve Brom (www.surfenginez.com) last week. In short, it’s completely sick! I had previously been spending most of my time on a 6’2" roundnose fish* (*term used loosely), though I surf a bunch of boards, including 9’ to 10’ longboards. Just to give you a sense, I’m 27, and about 5’8" and 140 lbs. I mainly surf NJ and NY. The board is glassed with volan and is way heavy for its size. I’ve only had it out once (waist to chest), but I found that getting it out, getting up on it, and getting GOING, were all no problem from the very first drop. And believe me, I was worried that I’d have trouble with a 5’6". I don’t consider myself a very good surfer, either. Anyhow, turns were super easy, tons of late drops without hangups, great off the top of the wave, and lots of speed. The board has the most “glide” I’ve ever felt in a shortboard…it’s like you’re swooping down from high to low (maybe I was looking at the eagle lam too much?). I can’t wait to get to know it better. I think I’ll be spending ALL of my time on it. So, I guess what I’m saying is get one done the right way (or make it yourself) and you’ll be totally happy. I wouldn’t worry about the transition from another board (regardless of the size)…from my first experience, there weren’t any noticeable difficulties.
Nilus
oceans, i surf because its fun. i said succumb to the trend because it seems like everyone is getting a fish, but thats not why I’m getting one. I work at a glass-shop next door to kane garden surfboards, maybe you’ve heard of larry mabile’s fishes, maybe not. Anyways everyone over there had been telling me how great fishes are so I think I might try one. So quick to judge…
I have a 6’0 x 21 x3 Brom Fish. I weigh 210lbs. It is made of epoxy/styro and is light for being so thick and wide. Best board ever for me. One way to explain how to ride them is with a low stance when bottom turning or cutting back. If the wave lines up, I pump it like a skateboard ( not like a thruster which is up and down) but side to side, getting incredible speed.
SteveA
this was posted before I came here , but I found it interesting …especially the how to surf a fish properly bit …
ben
There’s only one way to surf a fish. The way you can tell is when you’re leaving the water and you have a big sh…t eaten grin on your face you have surfed the fish correctly. Mike
“and you have a big sh…t eaten grin on your face …”
and then… you run up the beach, and kiss your wife and …er… yuk !!!
you drive off the front foot
fishes are front footers
wider stance too
they work better/easier on the fore hand than the backhand
On the backhand change you timing and angle of attack
coming off a log it’s shouldn’t be too bad other than paddling and reaction time
Nothing better than powering a big heavy log to build your legs up for flying on a fish.
The key with fishes is rhythm
just keep your lines smooth and plan ahead they won’t react like a narrow tailed HP thruster
snapping you tail out on a fish is probably not the best move but it can be done
fishes are carvers, flyers and high trimmers
The key is to get them very short and stubby
ideally shorter than you are tall
right now I prefer the quad vintage twinnies are fin too with the right fins…
I believe that the “Fish” trend is waning. You are a little late, just kidding ya, well sort of…
It seems that surfers that go from single fin longboards to classic twin keel fish they have a easier time ajusting to the way a fish is ridden. Fish tend to ride a higher line than the average board. Fish love down the line speed. I am mostly a back foot rider so I had to adjust my riding style … No need to chop hop on a fish, you can pump it like a skateboard. Like any new board it may take some time ajusting to the size and finding out what the board will or will not do. Good luck and most of all have fun whatever you are riding
That’s no BS about backhand on a Fish - I had mine out on a small left for the first time the other day. I’ve always been super comfortabe b/h, but that day I was all elbow and knees - without that backfin drive off the bottom, I felt I was so out of sync. Felt almost like day one, 1980.
I found widening my stance , crouching more , and turning both my feet at nearly 45 degrees helps me surf my fish backhand much better than before .
…something which I learnt skateboarding , but have been a bit slow to click onto , surfing.
Hmmmmm… I always drive my (traditional) fish from the back foot on the bottom and top turns, and shift some of my weight onto the front foot for trimming, pumping and skating the face… probably a throw back to long board and skate boarding days as a kid.
Theres no sweeter feeining in surfing that coming off the top of a wave into a cutback, Totally comitted on a rail with a big wooden keel and a fish pin tail holding you in. Heaven…
Its and easy transition for loggers.
Theres no sweeter feeining in surfing that coming off the top of a wave into a cutback, Totally comitted on a rail with a big wooden keel and a fish pin tail holding you in. Heaven...Its and easy transition for loggers.
I’ve never liked coming into the top of a wave hard on a fish. Have to turn lower and at a less steep place on the wave, otherwise when I go rail to rail I’ll blow both fins out and slide on the butt crack.
Things I like are how high a line you can hold, and how much speed you can develop by trimming on such a high line. Low resistance in trim compared to a thruster. Nice sweeping cutbacks as long as I stay away from vert.
Could be my technique…I rely heavily on the rear fin coming into a lip vert. On a fish I ultimately slide out. Need to force the board onto the other rail faster.