Surfing Waves

What can you do with them? Can you get barrelled nicely? Can you carve better than a shorty? Are they really that lose? How does a fish differ from a shortboard? Note that im talking about the twin fin fish, not a swallowtail

If I were to get a fish, what size should I get?

But if I get a shortboard, what size should I get?

Im about 170lbs, 6'2" tall, and turning 18 in july...Im also not a pro, Iv been surfing for 2years and can do some decent turns when I put effort into it, I cannot bust airs though...I had a 6'2 X 18 and a quarter X 2 and a quarter shortboard, but felt that it was too small for me...

Any comments would be appreciated

what sort of waves are u surfing most of the time fish are for small surf

p.s twin fin has a swallowtail. swallowtail is not a type of board it is a tail shape that is mainly on fish

fish usually have a deep swallow tail. some shortboards have little swallowtails. but to answer a few of your questions, yes they are loose, but not extremely. it's hard to get shacked in em. it's possible, but the rocker makes it a little hard to fit in the pocket. it's just a different ride. in no way would i buy a fish instead of a shortboard. it's a fun alternate board for those mushier and/or smaller days when you don't feel like taking a log out. or for fast crumbly point breaks. i ride a 6'2" about the same size as your board. i'm about 140, 5'9", so yeah, a little bit bigger board, like a 6'4" or 6'6" might work better for you

the fish is good for smaller waves but when it gets big feels too loose and slides all over, which is fun but not practical.

the fish makes catching waves easyer but absolutely flies when needed in smaller waves. not ideal for getting barreled on due to little rocker making it harder to make late take offs and ride steeper waves although i reckon it can be done if youre good enough and i have surfed steepish waves on mine and found it fun but easyer on a shortboard

in smaller waves i think you can do better turns etc than on a shortboard but thats all down to the waves. the fish turns slightly different too where you don't need to put as much power into turns to get powerful looking with plenty of spray but tbh i like just carving on the fish as its so fast

not sure what size

and all this is only from surfing on one for two weeks (thanks KS great board ) but not very experienced on fishes

yes it is worth getting a fish. they are huge fun.

But they are much harder to surf in steep waves and barrelling waves. it is possible to pull in on a fish but its tricky. they are loose and they are fairly easy to catch waves on but the flat rocker and short length means you have to get the pop up right and be in a situation to get into the wave early. they are also very fast because the twin fins cause less drag. this is something that caught me out a few times when i first started riding mine.

i think the best idea for you would be to get a shortboard around 6'4 with plenty of volume. once youve got used to riding that board then this is the time to buy a fish for smallish or mushy days. it does help to be able to surf a thruster due to the loose and fast nature of the fish.

i'm aobut 5'10 and i ride a 5'11 x 18ish" x 2" shortboard and a 5'8 x 20" x 2 5/8" fish. (the fish dimentions may be wrong. kitesurfer feel free to correct)

No, you wont get barrelled on a fish - they're too loose for that (obviously it can be done, but its much more difficult than on a thruster).

No, they dont carve better than a thruster - they kinda swoop.

Yes, they are very loose - but thats why they're fun.

And, IMHO, I dont think they suit tall/heavy riders. A fish needs to be real short for it to work. Once the board is over 6ft, they're all corky and feel nasty.

Oh, and fish are hopeless for busting airs

good for getting fins busted through them though...

I'm reading these posts and everyone is saying you can't get barrelled on a fish, but I am proof that it can happen. I caught a head high beachbreak on mine and was very deep in the barrel, it was a great ride! Fishes are fun, like everybody already said when it's mushy, but i guess it really depends on what boards you have in your quiver. I started out with a 8' WRV funshape and i still love taking it out and i have a 6'4" Channel Island Tuf-Lite. I'd say if you don't have a longer board (funshape) and a shortboard yet, to shoot for one of them first, just my opinion though, but if you already have them, then i say go for it! Keep the Stoke! Have Fun!

that would be because your board is not a true fish that u got barrelled as said lol can be done just its real hard

I'm surprised I havent had the chance to say this yet...

Koki Barrels wrote:Ii have a 6'4" Channel Island Tuf-Lite.

THAT AIN'T A FISH!!



Those dont ride anything like a real fish - Ive got a similar 6'6 hybrid fishy shortboard thing, and they ride nothing like an old school twinny fish.

surferdude_scarborough wrote:good for getting fins busted through them though...

Ah, that was the old days... since then Ive punched holes through my (non-)fish in much more style

...like on a 1ft wave over the easiest reef in the world
Its one part surfboard, 9 parts Solarez these days

1ft wave + reef never works though ...

Koki Barrels wrote:I'd say if you don't have a longer board (funshape) and a shortboard yet, to shoot for one of them first, just my opinion though, but if you already have them, then i say go for it! Keep the Stoke! Have Fun!

while i disagree with you on your 'fish' and barreling, this is quoted for truth.

think of it in terms of a zombie war. you need your long range weapon, m1 garand or an m14. accurate, powerful, won't waste ammo in full auto. this is your longboard for the small days. and your close range/sidearm. some sort of pistol, ideally with a suppressor. it'd be like a shortboard. now, if you already have those, feel free to supplement with something like a shotgun. as a primary weapon, a shotgun will not have the range/accuracy to take out long targets, or have the ease of handling in close quarters combat (unless sawed off, even then, i'd rather have a pistol). this is your fish. if you want something to add to your quiver, go for it. but as your only board, you'll kind of regret it

twerked wrote:

Koki Barrels wrote:I'd say if you don't have a longer board (funshape) and a shortboard yet, to shoot for one of them first, just my opinion though, but if you already have them, then i say go for it! Keep the Stoke! Have Fun!

while i disagree with you on your 'fish' and barreling, this is quoted for truth.

think of it in terms of a zombie war. you need your long range weapon, m1 garand or an m14. accurate, powerful, won't waste ammo in full auto. this is your longboard for the small days. and your close range/sidearm. some sort of pistol, ideally with a suppressor. it'd be like a shortboard. now, if you already have those, feel free to supplement with something like a shotgun. as a primary weapon, a shotgun will not have the range/accuracy to take out long targets, or have the ease of handling in close quarters combat (unless sawed off, even then, i'd rather have a pistol). this is your fish. if you want something to add to your quiver, go for it. but as your only board, you'll kind of regret it

I'd lol at this if I haven't thought of things in these terms, myself.

Wow thanx for the quick replies guys. So maybe I should just get a thruster. I was thinking of a 6'3"x19"x2.5" Squash tail thruster....one day when i have more cash, then maybe I can get a fish

The waves here vary greatly. It can be 1ft the one day and 10ft the next day. they can be steep, or gentle...One of the reasons why i love this place, you never get bored with the same wave

Based on what you wrote maybe 6'2 x 18 3/4 or 19 x 2 3/8 with medium rocker and squashtail or swallowtail.

I took the middle fin outa my mini-mal....geez it felt like i was skating on the water! is that what a fish feels like? if so then there isnt a reason for me to get either a fish or a shortboard...

surfaMIKE wrote:I took the middle fin outa my mini-mal....geez it felt like i was skating on the water! is that what a fish feels like? if so then there isnt a reason for me to get either a fish or a shortboard...

A minimal without its centre fin will not ride like a twin fin fish! Also whilst it is not easy 2 get shacked it is possible, watch a few vids u'll see. The main reason 4 this is the fin set up. Twin fins provide very little thrust making it very difficult 2 do tight bottom turns & then 2 get the drive out of the board 2 make the section. Also fish go fine in larger surf providing its not 2 fast or steep. If u r looking 2 get shacked on a retro fish then get a quad about 6ft but as dbbb said NO bigger than 6ft 2! Also ask 4 a little bit more rocker than usual and have the tail pulled in a bit! KS

Well, thanks for all the hate....actually i DO have a fish it's a 7'0" Kane Garden...if you think that i was stupid enough to think that my Al Merrick Tuf-Lite was a fish, well then i guess you misunderstood the whole point of my post. Too Bad. So please tell me again bitbybit....

THIS AIN"T A FISH! REALLY....

Woah ok cool, shweet board ^^^

Haha I realised that you dont get alotta drive on bottom turns with two fins when I decided to do a bottom turn on a 3ft hollowish wave today...haha, I just slid like a disorentated ice skater!

Thanx for all the replies