Even the one who made the "sister in the whorehouse" quote, has and still does fish from and owns boat(s). You are right about the Worcester gang, and surcasting, and you were lucky to grow up in that backyard, but, the NY crew was just as important in the cape surcasting scene, Bentsen, Samms, Chuck Liegh, little Paulie (the NYFD guy) and countless others from NY were key in the glory days of the outercape backside. And they all fished boat, and beach. Look at Krispys(I think) new avatar, a nice beach shot of Arnold Laine, and #^&#^&#^&#^&ie Samms, in front of a skiff, with a huge bass
). The locals were less notable out there on the sand, some were never known, or heard of, as they preferred it that way.. but I know this, a lot of native cape codders who went for big bass in them days, headed straight to a boat, they figgered if you want big bass, you go to where they are, you don't wait for them to come to you.
Boat fish, Beach fish, lot of talk as to what "counts". Back then, for commercials, they all counted. I know one guy who caught multiple 50's and sixties (mostly from the beach, with witnessess)... never took a pic.. He's like, why??? I just wanted to sell them, and bottom line, thats what it was all about, in the 40's, 50's and 60's,70's, early 80's.
Yes, it is another tool, and a most effective one, in catching, like John Hollenberg (Hi John!), my shoes are still stuck in sand, the fish are fewer, (and smaller), but, I still get a cleansing of the soul at night, alone on the beach, that I just can't find out in a boat.