Surfing Waves

If I'm paddling to catch a wave on my 6'9'' shortboard, is it a good idea to dig as deep as possible with each stroke and move the arms along the rails of the board?
I'm not sure if I'm just not paddling fast enough or using the wrong technique because the only waves that I manage to catch are those about to break in which case sometimes I catch it without even paddling at all.

I just paddle with what feels best to me, but I pretty much follow the rails and keep my hands cupped. You wont be able to catch a wave early like you can on a longboard. Shortboards you want to catch it later once it gets a little more power. Also weight distribution is alot more important then on a bigger board. You may be to far back on the board. Try hanging over the nose a bit and arching your back so more of your weight is in the front of the board.