Surfers and Surf Anglers: We Really Aren’t So Different

“Waves of consequence give me the ultimate adrenaline high. Chasing that high is what keeps me chasing waves. Feeling the raw energy of a powerful day in the ocean is unlike any other sensory experience for me.” says one local surfer about his passion for surfing.

Surfing and surf fishing are the best two hobbies to have as a San Diego local. When conditions aren’t good for surfing, they’re likely great for catching fish. And when the conditions aren’t good for surf fishing, they’re probably terrific for catching massive waves. – That’s what I’ve always said to buddies I fish with who share the two passions.

Unless the surf is abnormally choppy, being a surfer who loves to fish is a best case scenario. There’s always something to do and it’s always a good day to do what you love.

Do Surfers and Surf Fishermen Get Along?

Believe it or not, few surfers fish the surf, and few surf fishermen, surf it. In fact, the two groups might have a little bit of beef with each other.

If you’re a surf fishermen, you’ve likely experienced the frustration of a surfer entering the water right next to you, like they don’t care or see that you have a line in the water. After all, they have “the entire beach to choose from!” This is just one of the many examples of why surfers and surf fishermen might not get along all the time.

If you’re a surfer, you’ve likely had similar thoughts in similar moments from the other side of the equation. But, all it takes is a little bit of perspective from the other side and you might just understand why people do what they do.

Why Surfers Enter the Water Next to You When You’re Fishing

This is the one area of tension that I want to be sure to address before I ramble on. I’m guilty of getting frustrated by surfers entering the water right next to me when they have literally the entire beach to choose from. Do I think they’re still in the wrong for doing so? Yes. But, after meeting so many surfers in my 10 years of fishing the surf, and learning from them, I now understand why they do it… sometimes.

As a surf fisherman, you learn to read the surf and you tend to fish spots where you think the water is deeper. For example a trough, a hole, or a rip current paired with a trough or a hole. Well, surfers like to enter the water in those areas because the lack of waves makes for an easy paddle out, and rip currents actually help to pull them out to where they want to be.

It doesn’t mean it’s right for them to paddle out where you’re fishing… most anglers have enough etiquette to not take your fishing spot if you’re already in it, so surfers shouldn’t either. But, it gives a little more context and perspective as to why it happens as often as it does.

Anyways, when I learned that, my eyes were opened. I realized they knew a lot of what I knew and had learned what they learned in the same classroom that I learned it in.

Most Surfers and Surf Fishermen Get Along

All beef aside, surfers and surf fishermen get along well. When we walk by one another in passing, we tend to feel a connection of some sorts as if the other has more context and perspective into what we do, than does the typical beach goer. Often, we have a short conversation and wish each other luck.

We’ve each spent so much time learning and working on our crafts, so near to each other. Anglers have gained so much familiarity with the fish, the terrain, and the water movements inside the surf line and in the shallower portion of the beach. Meanwhile, surfers have gained a lot of perspective that we would find so useful about the deeper waters.

How often, as a surf angler, do you find yourself pondering the mysteriousness of what lies just beyond the breakers. Do you ever think to yourself, “what fish might be cruising those waters, just beyond my casting range?”

Surfers see what’s out there as they sit outside the breakers, awaiting bigger waves. They see where we’re fishing as they ride a wave in. They even see the very fish we’re targeting while we can only guess… for the most part.

Why Do Surfers Love Surfing?

It’s no secret there’s a “surfer lifestyle”. Whether it’s about shreddin’ the gnar, getting absolutely pitted, or whatever else, there’s a passion somewhere in there. In speaking with many of them, it seems there are two common appeals: 1) the feeling and peace you find just being “in the ocean”, and 2) the thrill of catching a big wave and feeling the power of the ocean.

“Waves of consequence give me the ultimate adrenaline high. Chasing that high is what keeps me chasing waves. Feeling the raw energy of a powerful day in ocean is unlike any other sensory experience for me.”, says one local surfer about his passion for surfing.

Why Do Anglers Love Surf Fishing?

For me, it’s best summed up in an article I wrote a while back called, “A Fish’s Worth: Inside the Mind of A Fisherman“. It’s about the feel… the mysteriousness, the unknowns, the thrill, the serenity, the journey, the peace. It’s all good no matter what.

For the same local who was quoted earlier as to why he loves surfing, this is what he had to say about his passion for surf fishing.

“I like the simplicity of it – just a basic spinning setup, a backpack, and your legs. You never know what you’re going to hook in the surf, and that keeps me coming back. Every single day on the sand is different…  Riding waves and fishing the surf both involve time at the beach, and you can’t really beat that. I find that I get more “alone” time while fishing the surf, which is peaceful, as I try to fish areas away from people. Unfortunately when the waves are good for surfing here in San Diego, it’s a zoo, which can lead to some pretty annoying situations in the water – sucking the “soul” out of the experience.”

What Similarities Do Surfers and Surf Fishermen Share?

We share technical skills like reading the surf, learning how to understand surf conditions, and forecasts. I’d bet the majority of us use either surfline.com or magicseaweed.com. While they look for high surf and clean waves, we look for low surf and low wind. But, we also share a passion in a location that has it’s own identity.

Most surfers and surf fishermen are passionate about their respective sport. Where does the passion come from and what is it all about? It’s different for everyone, but it’s more than just a “love for the sport”. There’s something deeper. Something special happens where the sand meets the water.

There’s a certain degree of mysteriousness, unknown, and pureness to it. It’s literally the edge of land, for miles and miles on end. Looking out over the water, no bad memories are had. We literally turn our backs on the worries, stresses, and hard times and come to something new, something fresh, with nothing but good vibes.

Nowhere else, do we feel as relaxed and as peaceful as we do in that scene. There’s a thrill to both activities, and there’s a serenity within both. At times, it feels like you step out of one world and into another. It’s in those moments on the sand (or in the water), that a new life unfolds.