Lets try this.
Being honest, if money, time or health wasn't an issue, how would you fish? Boat or Surf?
No need to post comments, poll is hidden so lets be honest.
Not intended to start a flame war, just curious.

If I could afford a boat I'd do both.But the surf will always be more appealing to me.

Boat by day, surf by night.

I agree with George

Surf by night, Yak by day (ok and night sometimes too) ;)
There is another catagory:vamp:

Tried the boat thing, it's now up for sale. I'm a surf rat at heart.

you said surf, I think beach...none left worth drivin on....gone to the dark side...boat.

if money, time or health wasn't an issue.....


wish you had posted more choices ;)..

if money, time or health wasn't an issue.. my answer would be..

Fish More, and BOTH.

Why limit it to one, or the other?.. Certain times of the year, you want to be on the sand, and certain times, you want to be in a boat...
just my 2 cents.. I'm sure somebody can piss in my shoe for me :hihi:

Can't answer - needs to be both....

I'd say boat

I know what you guys mean by wanting to do both and I respect that.
I just really miss having a boat, when I did have one, I hardly ever surf fished, maybe did it once or twice every few years only because I was asked to go by a surf fishing friend. If and when I do get another boat, I can honestly say, I would not miss the surf at all. I have had many great times in the surf fishing with Canalman, I will miss his company for sure, until I make him a boat guy at least. But for me to go out and surf fish alone, I can do without it. JMO

If I lived close to the coast I would do both, but with it a min. 3 hr trip all a boat does is cut into fishing time.

what numskull said :claps:

I love the surf. I don't think about anything else. Maybe that will change as I get older.

:claps: :claps: :claps: :claps: :claps: :claps: :claps: Home Run V-tek:claps: :claps: :claps: :claps: :claps:

well I'v done little to no boat fishing in my life,so I can't say which I prefer given a choice.I only know the surf and that I love.and If I did fish from a boat it would still be a casting game.

If money was not a problem, I would love to have a boat. I usually fish from shore. Looking to get a yak this spring.

Both - each has its place ... love em both. Sometimes I use a boat to get to good surf fishing stuff ... so there are times when I use both in one trip ... :btu: The key is just to go fishing.

No way I could choose between the two. Sometimes I like to splash the boat and chase fish. Gives me a chance to fish the Elizabeth Islands, Middle Ground, the Back Side, Cape Cod Bay, the Race, etc.

But sometimes I like to hit the beaches, especially at night and fish eels or plugs on some quiet beach. There's nothing like hooking up on a nice 30 lber with your feet in the sand and rolling surf.

Both have their time and place.

Boat when it's blowing 20kts or less.
Surf if more

I like surf better than boat. Altough I have owned a boat for most of my adult life I feel more connected to the ocean when I surf fish.

I have something deep inside of me that draws me to the shoreline to fish at the waters edge, I don't know how to describe it but if I couldn't fish from shore I would have an empty feeling and i am not sure I could deal without surf fishing. Whether it's the canal or a backbay or the sandy beaches or some cobbled shoreline, I just love the challenge of fishing from shore, it just seems more peaceful and relaxing sometimes.
Now that I've said that, I love fishing from my little skiff at times also, it is just another way to put me on fish at times when the beaches are over run with mung,plovers or seals. I can enjoy both but I was born a surfcaster.

I have something deep inside of me that draws me to the shoreline to fish at the waters edge, I don't know how to describe it

surfhog pleasure stick?? :bl: :laughs:

surf..much more realxing in my opinion

Surf! Less to worry about....only thing to concentrate on is fishing!:cool:

food for thought..as you get older....sand becomes like mudd....little rocks..turn to mountains..long hikes become short ones..most of everyone here I bet still has lots of juice to cope with the great outside....minds will change as time goes on taking on those what were easy once when time puts 20 more plus years on you.

the lure of the surf will always draw me. it's not for the fish, so much as for the piece of mind. as you grow older there is nothing like the water at sunrise or sunset. sometimes i don't really care if there on the bite or not. when the plug hits the waters, my troubles seem to go away. watch the waves and the past does come back to you. i can remember catching so and so in this spot, 30 yrs ago, and how much i made selling out. don't get me wrong, i still love to get the big momma's on, it just doesn't mean as much as it use too.

I would enjoy a boat if I could afford one....and would still fish from the surf......
someday, a boat it will be....

I have something deep inside of me that draws me to the shoreline to fish at the waters edge, I don't know how to describe it but if I couldn't fish from shore I would have an empty feeling and i am not sure I could deal without surf fishing. Whether it's the canal or a backbay or the sandy beaches or some cobbled shoreline, I just love the challenge of fishing from shore, it just seems more peaceful and relaxing sometimes.
Now that I've said that, I love fishing from my little skiff at times also, it is just another way to put me on fish at times when the beaches are over run with mung,plovers or seals. I can enjoy both but I was born a surfcaster.

Nicely said Bruce, I can appreciate that. Just proves that everyone is different. Do what you enjoy.:humpty:

Pretty cool that this actually turned out to be a good topic on what can be such a touchy subject.

I love the surf and its intimacies that lie where the surf meets the sand. The boat is deadly effective when a knowledgeable fisherman is at the helm. Money being no object I wouldn't change a thing about the way I fish. Sometimes surf alot of times the boat.

Think about this then decide....If you drive you see the scenery....If you walk you see the scenery........ When do you see the scenery the most.....
Deeps thoughts by DJ LOL

to add a boat is cheating... fight for the fight

Have done the boat thing. More fish and more selection from a boat. My problem is 90% of the time it was work, dodging rocks or getting back on the line. With surf fishing, I set the pace not the wind or currents.

Its all fishing, All I can say is I like the boat very much now and I am sorry I did not do it sooner....I was the same way about boats when I was younger....said I would never do it..its amazing what age and time will do..Humping Surf and rocks for many, many years its a great change... and a new challenge.You mello with age!

I will say the Surf was where my fishing skills were honed and that is a great tool to have when crossing over to a boat I also paid my dues so to speak, made it much easier for me..I met with almost instant success in my boat...the hardest part was learning to dock, avoid boulders and just the overall boat handeling thing. But I knew how to fish and what to look for.

I find it a complete luxery and an overall fun experiance...The boat not only gave me great fishing but also something to "tinker" with...I love working on it, adding new things, sitting in at the marina..I love running down the bay late at night with that wind in my face and not another boat around, its like flying! and its gorgeous out there. I have taken a couple of "diehard" Surf guys out with me and they had more fun than they expected and, did not want to get off the boat!

Is the Surf special? To me it is, I owe alot to Surf fishing....however its always good to see another side.....At this point in my life I can at least be honest and say, I will never be without a boat again...For many reasons , not just fishing.

for me the surf is zen...

Both, hands down.
I love the surf at night. it is addicting to me, it is my crack. If I had to choose by species, I would sacrifice stripers in the boat for surf-only

but you cant catch tuna from shore

I cant blackfish or fluke the way I want from shore

And there is something about a good day on the water.

Hands down, my vote is both.

Love the surf at night,,,, especially when you are the only one there and the fish are everywhere,,,,, or when the wind is 20kts ++

Boat during the day,,,,,, but a boat is also nice for the occasional night trip with someone who is not surf oriented,,,,,

[QUOTE=RIROCKHOUND;485776]Both, hands down.
I love the surf at night. it is addicting to me, it is my crack.
:rolleyes: Hey Bryan, nuff said about your crack, eh.......:laugha:

Surf because it is what I miss the most when I can't get to the water

A boater without all the bells and whistles of today has my admiraton. A sand (or rock) pounder who could have the GPS, radar, sonar etc,ect. would slay...stripers but maybe not some other species that a boater would load up on. Those things don't work that way so the point is moot.
It depends on the species that is hunted. Fluke and tuna are a bitch to catch from shore.
The MA state record is a three way tie for stripers by three VERY talented fishermen. 1 boat, 1 sand, and one I dunno for sure. (And what did Church catch his with?)
I call it a draw, the conditions of each create hazards and difficulties that are equal but different.

i like both for different reasons.. but my vote goes to boat.

for me the surf is zen...

Yeah, me too. Nothing like being on the beach going from pitch dark to sunrise...especially when you're catching
That said, I am very anxious to get the boat in the water for my first season with it! I expect I'll be doing the beach before work five mornings a week, and the boat during daytime and evenings. The beach just gives me enough time to fish before work that the boat doesn't.

Ive always had a boat since i was a kid ,and bagged some big fish . a couple of years ago I went surf fishing and landed a 22 lb striper . its alot more fun landing a fish on the beach than the boat for sure .. happy hunting !!!

I don't know how to describe it but if I couldn't fish from shore I would have an empty feeling and i am not sure I could deal without surf fishing.

Done both, but like Slip says.


[QUOTE]= Karl F > " i'm sure somebody here can piss in my shoe for me" :)

Karl, can you say that on this site. :huh: :grins:

There are really not too many guys who can go out at night, in a boat, close to shore on an open-ocean beach - and fish for trophy fish...Those who can are killer anglers, but there are very few of them.

For most boat guys, striper fishing is a day-time pursuit with good numbers of fish and a lot of keepers - but not too many fish over twenty pounds. Surfcasters often migrate toward boats later in life, but few become really skilled boatmen and fewer still top their personal bests from shore...People uderestimate the skills needed to be a confident inshore fisherman from a boat and they simply don't get there unless they start fairly young.

Bass and blues preferably from shore or yak. Boat for fluke, bones, FAs and others.

I love both but for years now it has been boat all the way. I guess I spent too much time fishing the surf on Cuttyhunk and Nashawena as a yungster . The boat takes me back to the same places but from a much better advantage point and to many more in one nights time. For those of you that said boat during the day time you don't know what you are missing in a boat at night with eels calm waters fish on every few casts and Clammers pants falling down to his ankles every time he gets one half way back to the boat:laughs: It is magic out there at night and all you day guys I thank you for leaving it to Goose and I at night:wiggle: That said I do miss the fires on the beach at the westend around midnight throwing swimmers into the surf as far as you can in hopes that a large lady from the pigs comes in close. And Bill I get that same feeling the wind in your face running across B Bay last light or first light coming back home its something that fills the mind and soul for sure.

There are really not too many guys who can go out at night, in a boat, close to shore on an open-ocean beach - and fish for trophy fish...Those who can are killer anglers, but there are very few of them.

For most boat guys, striper fishing is a day-time pursuit with good numbers of fish and a lot of keepers - but not too many fish over twenty pounds. Surfcasters often migrate toward boats later in life, but few become really skilled boatmen and fewer still top their personal bests from shore...People uderestimate the skills needed to be a confident inshore fisherman from a boat and they simply don't get there unless they start fairly young.
good post joe.

This season is my 1st with a skiff so I'll be going out in that and I am excited about it, in fact I'm heading out this afternoon in it. But I did a little wading Fri afternoon and it was great to get out in water all alone and hear nothing but the birds and the waves gently lapping with a beatiful sunset. I never want to give up the surf and shore casting experience and thankfully I'm in an area that overs great opportunity for both.