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Fish Surfboards. What Size Should I Buy?

February 22, 2020 88 Comments

Fish Surfboards. What Size Should I Buy?

Compared to when the fish surfboards were first designed in the 1970's, there are now many sizes to choose from. There are now fish surfboards out there that are up to 8 foot long.What's style suits you best? Before purchasing your fish surfboard there are a few things to keep in mind...

The fish surfboard has exceptional flotation, due to its thicker rails and width, giving it extra volume. The fish surfboard has been designed for maximum maneuverability and control on smaller waves. You'll typically only see one of two people on fish surfboards: surfers who have moved on to longer surfboards but miss the maneuverability of their old shortboard; or a newer surfer that has started on a longer surfboard and feels ready to tackle a shortboard.

If you already ride a shortboard, generally the fish surfboard you end up with can be a few inches shorter than what you would normally ride. When purchasing a fish surfboard you need take into consideration the thickness of the rails and the thickness of the center of the board. The width of the board is also another important factor. The wider the fish surfboard, the more buoyant it will be, and the easier it will be to paddle.

 

Other important factors to take into consideration are the size of the waves you are planning on riding. If you will be riding smaller 2 - 6ft waves a retro fish surfboard will probably be the ticket. If you will be riding 3ft - overhead surf than the quad fish surfboard or hybrid fish surfboard may be a better choice.

Before selecting a fish surfboard you also need to check yourself out. Your body weight, age, fitness, and surfing ability will all play a vital role in determining the perfect size fish surfboard. A keen little grommet who weighs next to nothing will be buying a much shorter fish surfboard than the person who has thickened up a bit.Generally, the bigger the rider, the longer and wider the fish surfboard tends to be.

Retro fish surfboards use the original 1970's shape combined with modern surf technology. The retro fish surfboard tend to be shorter in length and are best suited for small to medium surf. Hybrid fish surfboards are available in longer sizes than the retro fish surfboard.

Hybrid fish surfboards can go up to 8ft or so but typically the best hybrid sizes are in the long 6's or around 7ft. Hybrid fish surfboards can be ideal for the older or heavier surfer who wants the extra flotation, but still wants the looser moves of a shortboard. Fish surfboards are ideal for those surfers wanting to combine the buoyancy of a bigger surfboard with the looseness of a shorter surfboard.

Fish surfboards are great for when the surf is messy and small. The extra flotation allows the surfboard to float through the slop. Turning ordinary surf conditions into ripping fun with a fish surfboard. So if you're looking to get a fish surfboard the best rule of thumb is 2-6 inches shorter than your shortboard. Now if you're getting a fish as your first "shorter" board than go a little meatier. This is accomplished in either a thicker surfboard or longer board. The right length and thickness will be based on your height and weight. I will give you what I ride as a point of reference. I am intermediate/advanced surfer, 5'11" 210lbs, and I ride a 5'8 retro fish (Codfather), and I ride a 6'0 hybrid fish (Jack). Hope that helps.




88 Responses

Mowinckel Erik
Mowinckel Erik

January 21, 2019

I’m 6’4” 165 lbs. looking to get a fish. Is 5’8” too short? I’m also a beginner surfer, but advanced in skating cement bowls and snowboarding all terrain.

Caleb
Caleb

September 10, 2015

Hey man, i’m 17 and i’ve been surfing for about 3 or 4 months. I’ve been using my dads old 6’6" fun shape here in Jax, Florida and i see everyone using a fish because of the small messy waves. The fun shape is “fun” and all but i’m ready to step up my game with something more maneuverable. I’ve learned to surf pretty fast i guess from all of the board sports i do. Anyways, im 5’11" and i weigh around 150, kinda lengthy. What size retro fish would you recommend to me?

Andrew
Andrew

February 24, 2015

Hi Luc!

Iv only been surfing since October, but have gotten very good at my 7’8" mini mal. I find I am trying to maneuver it, so looking to progress to a shorter board.nthe fish sounds ideal?

My height is 6’4" and i am 187lbs. I am very tall and skinny. Would a fish suit me, and if so what size?

Cheers,
Andrew

Luc
Luc

September 02, 2014

@Dave- I think the best thing for you would be to start making the move to custom boards. When you buy something off the rack you have to hope that it was designed with your specific needs in mind, and what it sounds like to me is that you are struggling to find that sweet spot. Give us a call at the warehouse and we’ll get you in touch with Bill so that we can get you dialed in. Cheers.

Dave
Dave

August 24, 2014

Haha sorry about that 220 pounds

Dave

Dave
Dave

August 24, 2014

Hey Luc, seems like your the man witht he answers so lets see what you suggest!
I am 5’10 22 pounds, 51 yrs old but still relatively fit. Used to surf a lot but then stopped for close to 30 years but my son is learning so im back into it! CUrrently have a Firewire Baked potatoe 6’0, Firewire Dominator 6’4. Have just returned from a trip to the Maldives and after borrowing a 6’8 Dominator really think I need a longer board! Witht he 6’4 Dom I wasnt making it through a lot of the sections on my back hand but on the 6’8 I breezed through, took a little while to figure out how to turn the 6’8 but got there in the end. I really liked been able to make the sections and feel the Dom 6’4 is a little short, no problems catching the waves just the sections so what would you suggest Fish wise? Im still stuck with the feeling 6’8 is a bit long and the Dom lacked a little in width it the tail in my opinion. Id say intermediate in ability these days looking to surf 3-5 ft cheers for any suggestions

jason
jason

July 16, 2014

hello! :) my name is jason I’ve been surfing for a few years now, im 5 7 and 145 pounds. I want to buy a board ( have hand me down sticks and an eeg) and I want to get into a fish. so now im here, I found a board neilson 5 8 flying floaty fish 5 fin setup. and I was wondering if that is a good board considering my hight and all

ivan
ivan

May 07, 2014

Luc-
I have been wanting to down size from 8’6" semi-egg to something different for awhile. The past few trips to Kauai has shown me that the fish would be the way to go. I actually sold the 8’6" over there. so now the next trip out of AK will land us in baja for the switch from south to north swell and I am thinking… with what you have described (I am 6’!" and slim two hundo) with my ability a quad hybrid fish would be my next purchase. I am leery of dropping more that a foot, but it sounds like the bouyancy is there , it will be the looseness that I will appreciate. Are there boards in the 7’4 -7’7" range in quad fin?

Luc Stokes
Luc Stokes

May 07, 2014

Hey James,

Pick a Pivot Fish 2-4in shorter than your shortboard.

-Luc

James
James

May 07, 2014

nice post.. im thinkin of getting a retro fish board, just wondering wat size board i should be getting? im been learnin on my dads old single fin board from back in the day, im 6’3’ and 70-75 kg, im 18 and fit.. any advice?
cheers

Luc Stokes
Luc Stokes

May 07, 2014

Yeah I just went and added another paragraph to the end of the post to shed a little light on it. It’s sort of a personal preference but I put up what I ride as a point of reference.

Ryan
Ryan

May 07, 2014

Wow, I appreciate your post, but you really didn’t give any advice – you just told what the different types of fish boards are….

Mac
Mac

May 07, 2014

Nice post….very useful information…..

Luc Stokes
Luc Stokes

May 07, 2014

@Santiago- What kind of waves do you want it to perform best in? What are you hoping a smaller surfboard does for you?

Santiago
Santiago

May 07, 2014

Im trying to change from my 7 ft funboard to sth a little bit smaller.
I’d like to know wich size of board would suit me (im 6ft tall and weight 64 kilos)

Luc Stokes
Luc Stokes

May 07, 2014

@Scott – What size of shortboard have you been riding and what are you wanting this fish to do for you? What fish shape are you looking at?

Scott
Scott

May 07, 2014

Im 5’6" 130lbs. What do you recommend for a fish size.

Luc Stokes
Luc Stokes

May 07, 2014

Hey Ivan,

We can certainly make you one that big but the biggest we carry is a 6’6". If you want a longer one give us a ring here and we’ll talk about your options.

Cheers,

-Luc

Josto Marco
Josto Marco

May 07, 2014

Hi Luc, I’m looking for a retro fish to surf small waves. I’m 177 cm for 66-70 kg..I use a 6.2 shortboard,, I was thinking this size:
5.8 × 21 × 2 5/8..what do you think about it?
thank you !!
josto

Luc Stokes
Luc Stokes

May 07, 2014

@peter,

I’d go with a retro in 6’0". That’s assuming your skill level is at a point where riding a longboard is cake. Cheers.

peter
peter

May 07, 2014

hey, i’m wondering what size hybrid fish or retro fish i should get..i live in ny so the waves don’t get too big i’m 5’10 160lbs…i tried some longboards before and looking for something smaller..hybrid? Retro? any advice? Thanks!

Luc Stokes
Luc Stokes

May 07, 2014

Scott-

6’6"… yeah depending on the type of fish. I will give you the sizes I surf. I am 6’ 180lbs. I surf a 6’4" Flyin’ Fish and a 6’2" Pivot Fish. I could surf shorter but I don’t like to paddle that hard. :) I certainly wouldn’t go longer than 6’6" for your size. Just know that if you go with a 6’6" you may at some point want to get something smaller because of maneuverability. Hope that helps.

Scott
Scott

May 07, 2014

Hey Luc, great advice above, very helpful. I’m looking around for a fish too. Started off on a 6’9" for a few years, wasn’t surfing regular enough to improve much, switched to a beginner BIC 7"3", surfed more and improved a good bit, ready for the switch to a fish I think, don’t ride anything bigger than overhead, and really I’ve just got my drop in and my bottom turn sorted and only just starting to get across waves. I’m 6’, 75Kg, and looking for stability and progress over fun for now. I was thinking 6’6" with max width and depth…am I on the right lines?

Your advice is gold dust, hard to find these kind of specifics on the web,

thanks

Scott

Luc Stokes
Luc Stokes

May 07, 2014

@Martin- If you’re surfing a 6’ shortboard then I wouldn’t go shorter than 2-4" shorter than it. So that would make a 5’6" on the extreme small end and you prob would have just as much fun, and a little more float, on a 5’8". To each their own though. I know a lot of guys are going shorter and shorter these days… it’s just not my philosophy. For me I like the ease of paddling and wave catching that a little bit longer board provides. Let me know if you have any other questions. Cheers.

Martin
Martin

May 07, 2014

Hey Luc,

Thanks for the response, so I am looking to get a small fish, similar to the Channel Island Fishcuit which seems to be a retro/pivot fish. I am going to be taking it to Peru, where I will be surfing mostly point breaks so I want a board for the 6ft and below range.
I was thinking 5’5"x 20 1/4"x 2 3/4" or 5’6"x 20"x 2 1/2" do you think I should go a bit bigger on any of these dimensions?

Luc Stokes
Luc Stokes

May 07, 2014

@Martin- What kind of fish are you looking for? What kind of waves are you planning on surfing with it or what hole in your quiver are you trying to fill?

Luc Stokes
Luc Stokes

May 07, 2014

@Josto- Yeah I think the 5’8" is going to suit you best also. Let me know if you have any other questions.

Martin
Martin

May 07, 2014

Hey, I am 5’7" 150 lbs (65Kg)and wondering what dimensions to get for my fish. My normal board is 6’0" x 18 1/4″ × 2 1/8" and I am an intermediate with some time out of the water now. So I want to get a fish to help me get back into shape while still having the shortboard maneuverability. Any advice? Really Appreciated.

Luc Stokes
Luc Stokes

May 07, 2014

@Jess- Sorry I am not up CI’s boards. I have no idea what would be an appropriate size in that board.

Jess
Jess

May 07, 2014

Hi, nice info here, so figured I would ask something too, have a chance to get a used 6’2" fishcuit, which I would give to a friend, he is a beginner and rides longer, but I figure with the float this would suit him fine, though he is 5’9" and like 175lbs, he does not carve just paddles and catches the wave and sometimes down the line, and that he would get skilled faster, plus the size is better for portability than a longboard, what do you think? thanks!

Luc Stokes
Luc Stokes

May 07, 2014

@Nick- Depends on the fish. For our Pivot Fish I would go 6’2" with your size and if you go Flyin’ Fish I would go 6’4".

Nick
Nick

May 07, 2014

Hey Luc,

I’m 6’3" 170 and grew up longboarding in malibu. Im in NY now but take trips about twice a year to surf in panama and morocco etc, usually no more than 6-8’ waves. Next trip is to Portugal in August. I’ve been surfiing on a 7’6" semi-gun I picked up in panama, but want to go shorter and think a fish would be great. I’m thinking 6’0" but I definitely want to keep some float under me. Think a 6’2" is too long? Thanks for your advice.

Luc Stokes
Luc Stokes

May 07, 2014

@Dan- For your weight the 5’8" is ideal. How tall are you though?

Dan
Dan

May 07, 2014

Sup Luc Im interested in getting a pivot fish for small to head high waves, I weigh about 140 and I ride a 6’2" shorty. Would I fit the 5’8" fish?

Luc Stokes
Luc Stokes

May 07, 2014

I think that is going to be on the small size. I think that the size of it is fine for your height/weight but because you’re making such a huge jump from a 9’6" that you’ll need to go bigger. Look for like a 6’ – 6’2". Our Pivot Fish would be just the ticket. http://www.degree33surfboards.com/surf-gear/surfboards-by-shape/fish-surfboards/pivot-fish.html

Hung Trinh
Hung Trinh

May 07, 2014

@Luc: Hi Luc, I’ve been riding a fun board 7’6" and I would like to change to a fish board since I’ve been researching and fish board is a suitable board for beginners to become intermediate. I’m 5’6 and 142 pounds and can you please tell me what size of a fishboard suit for me?…Where I surf, waves are around 2-5 feets average..

Tyler
Tyler

May 07, 2014

Im 5’ 6" 135 pounds, 19 yr old good athletic shape. I ride a 9’6" right now and and looking into getting a retro fish. I found a 5’6" retro fish for sale where I live. It is 21 inches wide, I learned to ride on a 6’3" shortboard, but didn’t catch many waves with it because the surf is so small in VA and NC. Do you think I can catch VA and NC waves on a 5’6" retro fish?

zOro
zOro

May 07, 2014

thanks very useful information!

Donald
Donald

May 07, 2014

Great site. I have been surfing for almost 15 years and ride a 6’5” (20" wide, 2-1/2" thick) hybrid fish as my main board and a 7’2” hybrid for bigger days. I am 6’2” at 200 lbs, 33 years old and in moderately decent shape. I have been thinking of going to a retro fish board for smaller mushier days because the 7’2” hybrid is not fast enough to get around sections when conditions are mushy. What dimensions should I be looking at for a retro fish on days that are 2-6 ft and mushy?

Thanks

Luc Stokes
Luc Stokes

May 07, 2014

Depending on your skill level, I would get the 6’2". If you have less experience you may want to go bigger to compensate for stability and paddling.
http://www.degree33surfboards.com/surf-gear/surfboards-by-shape/fish-surfboards/flyin-fish.html

raul
raul

May 07, 2014

Hey I’m looking into buying a flying fish but i don’t know what size to get I’m 5,10 185lb.

Luc Stokes
Luc Stokes

May 07, 2014

Prob a 5’8" or 6’. Its a tough cal because those boards are designed to be short but since your skill level isn’t there yet you’ll need to go a bit bigger for the stability. Hope that helps.

Justin Bosch
Justin Bosch

May 07, 2014

Great info but just to be sure on what sized fish I should get. I’m 5-10 and 195 was thinking a 6-2 retro(pivot) but let me know your expert thought!! thanks a bunch

Justin
mesplede arthur
mesplede arthur

May 07, 2014

to make sure i m not wrong again, to answer properly your question. in european metric system i’m 70 kg and 1,86 m

mesplede
mesplede

May 07, 2014

your right actually it’s 6’1 and 155 lbs i misconverted the weight sorry.
i never used the US metric system before
I’m still a bit skinny anyway

Luc Stokes
Luc Stokes

May 07, 2014

Hey Arthur,
Before I respond, I can tell you’re doing a metric/US conversion on your height and weight. Could you give me your metric size and weight to make sure we are on the same page? 6’2" and 140lbs doesn’t quite sound right unless you are really tall and super skinny. :) If you are please forgive me.

MESPLEDE Arthur
MESPLEDE Arthur

May 07, 2014

HI, thanks for all the informations you give, i’m looking for your advice as the other many people before me.

I’m 70 KG (~140 LBS) and 6’2 I have surfed 7’6 bic epoxy for 2 years and i want to buy a quad fish.
what size would you give me ?

Luc Stokes
Luc Stokes

May 07, 2014

Probably a 6’4". You could go 6’2" but I think it might be on the small side for someone 200lbs.

Luc Stokes
Luc Stokes

May 07, 2014

Really what it all boils down to is what you want the board to do. What kind of conditions do you want it to perform best in? What type of wave? What is your skill level?

Will
Will

May 07, 2014

Hi Luc

Ive been riding a 7’6 mini mal fairly well, which i started on and looking to go shorter to get a bit more maneuverability on the waves. Im 6’4 and 200lb and will be surfing waves normally in the 2ft-6ft range, what size and type of fish would you recommend?

Many Thanks

Will

Leo
Leo

May 07, 2014

hey dude!! im surfing a 6’10 want to drop size just wondering wich size… Im a 31 years old 73 kilos and 1.76 mtrs high … so confusing about wich one to choose!!
tanxs dude!

Luc Stokes
Luc Stokes

May 07, 2014

What size of shortboard do you ride?

Luc Stokes
Luc Stokes

May 07, 2014

Sorry I haven’t responded right away. If you’re going to do our Pivot Fish I would get a 6’2" and if you are going to go with the Flyin’ Fish go with the 6’4". If this is your first shorter board then prepare yourself for a little bit of a learning curve. Let me know if we can do anything else.

Andrew
Andrew

May 07, 2014

Hey Luc,

I have been surfing for about 4 years now. I am 5’9, 165lbs. I ride a 7’0 funboard and would like something a bit more manuverable. I surf between 2-7ft waves, but am not that good. I would like somthing that can still catch small, guttless waves, as well as ride bigger ones and offer more than the funboard does in terms of carving.

Thnx. Andrew

Kendrick
Kendrick

May 07, 2014

Hey luc!
I love all the comments. It’s great to see what other people are riding or thinking about riding. So currently I’m riding a 6’4 20.5 2.4. It’s good but I wanting something a little more Stable and maybe a little Easter to paddle into waves. There’s a fish that a friends selling and it 6. 19 3/4 and 2 3/4 it’s a epoxy board and the last epoxy I rode was awesome so much float although it was a bit too big for my liking. Do you thing this would be a good board to hone in on my pop ups and carving? Usually it’s like 3 feet and mushy at the top so not much power. But I wouldn’t mind being able to take it out when it gets bigger too. And you think it’ could be duck divable? Thanks a bunch!

Luc Stokes
Luc Stokes

May 07, 2014

Best advice I can give you is to go surf one and see how you like it. Sizing after the beginner stage is so personal that it would be tough for me to tell you whether or not it’s right for you. Best of luck.

Dix
Dix

May 07, 2014

Hi, I am intersting to change my board to get other one much radical,
I am 21yearOld, 61kg weight and my height is 5.9 (1.71m) , And I am intermediate to advanced surfer (I dont like those typicals shortBoards beacause paddaling is harder and dont catch a lot waves I use to surf on 6fts waves )actualy i have been ridden a retro fish 5.9 20.5 2.35 Epoxy, and I would like to get one as MTF altered like Dane’s rides like 5.8 19.5 with two large Fins and trailer fin. I am not sure about the ThickNess y would like 2.3 Epoxy. I love speed getting big carves, big slides with couples airs(I am working on it)
Is it right for me? …

Luc Stokes
Luc Stokes

May 07, 2014

Either the 6’4" Pivot Fish or the 6’6" Flyin’ Fish. If your waves are usually mushy, even when they get bigger, go with the Pivot Fish. If you want a little more versatility when it comes to wave shape go with the Flyin’ Fish.
http://www.degree33surfboards.com/surf-gear/surfboards-by-shape/fish-surfboards/index.html

Luc Stokes
Luc Stokes

May 07, 2014

Gonna need some more info from ya. What are you trying to accomplish and in what surf conditions are you wanting this board to perform the best in?

Luc Stokes
Luc Stokes

May 07, 2014

I would get the 5’8". It’s going to be a transition for you but a fun one. Here’s a link to the retro fish surfboards.

grant
grant

May 07, 2014

alright so ive been surfing a longboard for a couple of weeks ( im a quick learner) and want to move to a shorter board. im 6’ and 165lbs so what size/kind should i get bruh?

Dao
Dao

May 07, 2014

Dear Luc,

I’m actually surfing with surfboard size 6’6 for 4 to 5 years, if I want to change surfboard, what size I should go with. My weight is 48 kg. and height is 153 cm., please kindly advise me. I need a bit more turn with wave.

Your advice gonna change my life surfing ;-)

Cheers,

DAO

Luc Stokes
Luc Stokes

May 07, 2014

Either of those seem really short for a first board. What does a “fair bit” mean to you?

Gin
Gin

May 07, 2014

Hey Luc – brilliant advice thanks so much!
I’m looking to buy my first board and wanting a fish – even though I’ve not owned a board before I’ve surfed a fair bit on 6-6’2 boards.
I’m 5’6 and 110 pounds – and cant decide between a 5’6 fish and a 6’ fish. The smaller one would be easier for me to transport to and from the beach etc. but I don’t want to be stuck unable to catch any waves! Generally surf quite small waves; around 2-3 foot, and am no pro surfer but mainly just want to have fun!
Would really appreciate your advice! Thanks!

Robert Hay
Robert Hay

May 07, 2014

Thanks so much Luc, been a big help! The Epoxy looks great.

Luc Stokes
Luc Stokes

May 07, 2014

Robert,

I would go with something in the longer 6’s. When you’re on the road you never know what the conditions will be so a board that will surf in a variety of conditions is what you are after. I would look at our Turning Point http://www.degree33surfboards.com/surf-gear/surfboards-by-shape/funboard-surfboards/turning-point.html

Robert Hay
Robert Hay

May 07, 2014

Hey, need a little help. I’m taking a road trip next year along east coast of australia, from melbourne through to gold coast. So I need to buy a surfboard. I haven’t surfed much although I have had years of scurfing(getting towed behind the boat). I’m about 88kgs(194lbs) and 6feet. Can someone please tell me the dimentions of surfboard I need? Thank you so much.

Luc Stokes
Luc Stokes

May 07, 2014

The next step for you should prob be a 7’6" Turning Point. Here’s a link to our funboard surfboards.

Brian
Brian

May 07, 2014

I am 6’0" 220lbs. I used to surf everyday many years ago; but I’ve been off the board for more years than I care to say. I used to surf a 6’2" squash thruster, then a 6’8" with thicker rails. Lately, I’ve been riding a 9’0" Stewart that’s 22" wide with pretty thin rails…a performance longboard.

But I miss turning fast and running down the line at speed. I was looking at your Fish designs and was thinking about the 6’4" Pivot. But would the Flyin’ Fish work better for me?

What are the main differences in the way the two designs ride?

Luc
Luc

May 07, 2014

Hey Matt,

We don’t usually recommend a fish for a new surfer. If you’re going to get a fish that is the right size for you then you would need to go with a 5’6" or 5’8". This makes is kinda tough for you to learn on. That being said, if you insist on going that way go with a retro shape like our Pivot Fish, and it will provide you a little more float and stability. Since you are looking at fish, go with a quad fin.

Hope that helps. Cheers.

Matt
Matt

May 07, 2014

Hey I’m about 5’10 155lbs. I’ve been surfing about every week on the east coast of Florida. I’ve been back and forth between a thick 6’4 board and a 5’11 bat. I do fine on the shorter board but I would like a fish. Generally im riding 2-5ft waves. I can catch waves alright and surf down the line. Not many turns on the waves uet though. What type of fish, how many fins and what dimensions should I get?

Luc Stokes
Luc Stokes

May 07, 2014

The 6’4" fish is really big for your height and weight. If I were you I would try and get to a point where you can turn with your 6’8" before you go down in size. Turning is not always a function of board as much as it is a function of skill. But if you feel like you need a smaller board to do the turns you want then I would go with the 6’ Flying Fish. Just know that you will be entering a new learning curve and that it will be a lot harder to catch waves with. You could always try swapping out the fins. Changing the fins is a not very often used option that almost always has a huge impact. What kind of funboard are you on and I can make a recommendation for fins?

ben
ben

May 07, 2014

i am 5’0 100 pounds and have done a week long surf camp in florida four years in a row now i am riding a 6’8 fun board and can easily catch waves i want something i can go down the line with and try turns what size would you advise i was thinking 6’4 flying fish.

Luc
Luc

May 07, 2014

I would go with our 9’6" Ultimate.

sean
sean

May 07, 2014

I’m 185lbs 6’3 and am a beginner surfing florida waves 2-5ft. I don’t really care about extreme maneuverability i just want to catch waves and be stable and still be able to duck dive. What size board should i get in your opinion?

Luc
Luc

May 07, 2014

Not familiar with the surf in NS. What are your waves like?

sean
sean

May 07, 2014

I NEED SOME HELP. I JUST MOVED FROM COSTA RICA TO NOVA SCOTIA AND EVERYONE HERE RIDES A FISH. I SURFED A SHORTBOARD 6’3" IN CR BUT NOW WE HAVE TO WEAR THESE WET SUITS WHICH ARE JUST KILLER. I AM 5’8" AND WEIGH 185LBS, WE GET SURF THAT IS USUALLY AROUND HEAD HIGH. WHAT WOULD YOU RECOMMEND.

THANKS

Luc
Luc

May 07, 2014

Hey Brian,

We wrote another post on this exact issue. If this doesn’t answer your questions please let me know. Pivot Fish vs Flyin’ Fish

Chuck
Chuck

May 07, 2014

Hi,

I’m getting bored with my 7’8 funboard and am considering a retro fish or a shortboard. I ride anything from 2-8ft waves, most of the time waves don’t go over 6ft and conditions vary. Will a retro fish be a good “all-arounder?” I am 5’8 and 165lbs, is a 6’4 the right size of fish? Also, what is your advice in fin setup- twin keel with the small center trailer or just go twin keel?

Thanks!

Luc
Luc

May 07, 2014

Honestly I would go with a 6’10 Poacher if I was you. It will be easier to learn on and will last you a long time. The board is a blast. http://www.degree33surfboards.com/surf-gear/surfboards-by-shape/funboard-surfboards/poacher.html

Luc
Luc

May 07, 2014

Hey Kiko,

I would go with our Pivot Fish in 5’8". Here’s a link. http://www.degree33surfboards.com/surf-gear/surfboards-by-shape/fish-surfboards/pivot-fish.html Thanks

Maria
Maria

May 07, 2014

Hi, I’m 4’11 and 100 pounds 17 years old meaning im not gonna grow anymore :P and a beginner surfer. I was looking for a board to begin with and that would last me a while. Although I know most people would say to start on a long board it is not easy to lug around an 8 or even 7ft board. So I thought it would be best to try a fish board that has the height I want and the floatation/thickness I need. What height would you suggest?

Kiko
Kiko

May 07, 2014

What’s up Luc,

I usually ride a 5’10 shorty. The waves haven’t been doing me justice lately. They’ve been 2-4 ft waves, and mushy. I’m looking into getting a fish. I found one that’s 5’8 x 19 5/8 × 2 7/16 what do you think? What do you suggest? I’m 5’5 and weigh about 130.

Cheers,

-Kiko

Luc
Luc

May 07, 2014

The best size of fish would be the 5’8" for your height and weight, but honestly I’m not sure the retro fish is the best choice for transitioning down. Instead I would look at our Jack hybrid. More versatility without the downside of going so short. Look at the 6’4" or 6’8" for a transitional size. LEt us know how else we can help. Here is a link to them. http://www.degree33surfboards.com/surf-gear/surfboards-by-shape/funboards-and-hybrids/jack.html

Madeline
Madeline

May 07, 2014

Hey!

Ive surfed on an off for about 8 years. I dont live at the beach so I usually get to the beach about 5 times a summer. I’m pretty athletic ( I skateboard and snowboard) and would say my skills are intermediate level. Ive ridden longboards (a lot) and short boards and I am looking for a transition board to buy. Im going to the University of California Santa Barbara in the fall and hopefully will be surfing everyday! I was looking into the retro fish board. I am 5’6 and 115lbs. What size do you recommend?

Thanks!

Luc
Luc

May 07, 2014

Hey Paola: Our recommendation for new surfers is to start on a longboard. For your size, an equivalent sized board would be an 8’0" Ultimate. http://www.degree33surfboards.com/surf-gear/surfboards-by-shape/longboard-surfboards/ultimate-mini.html

Paola
Paola

May 07, 2014

Hey, I’m new to surfing!

I’ve never tried the sport but I’ve been wanting to and I think I’ve gotten my chance. A guy is selling me a 5’9 fish board for $13o. The problem is like I said I’m a beginner, 5’1, and weight about 105 and I don’t know if I should buy it. I’ve got a pretty good balance I would think. I ride skateboards and paddleboards. What do you think I should do? Also the waves I’m planning on riding are pretty small.

Luc
Luc

May 07, 2014

Yeah our Pivot Fish is a great head high and under board. You can ride it as a twin but I would ride it as a quad for more drive. For your height and weight I would go 5’8" or 6’. http://www.degree33surfboards.com/surf-gear/surfboards-by-shape/fish-and-specialty/pivot-fish.html

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