I have the pleasure of knowing a couple... the secret is.. wish I knew.
Yes, they put their time in, know more about the forage for bass, than most others will ever know about bass. They know tides, moon phases, weather patterns, etc. Barometric pressure changes, affect them first,... they just know in their bones. they know that some beaches will produce at a certain tide, certain bar, for maybe 20 minutes, to half an hour, then they will move, before the fish do, so they can be at the next feeding station.
They pay a high price, professionaly, personally, for their passion for the surf, some will even tell you, in a reflective moment, that they regret ever taking up surf fishing for stripers, as they have suffered family relationships, and jobs for it. They are truly "Hard Core". I think the "secret" is that fishing for them, comes first and foremost. First over wives, kids, jobs, bills, everything.
That is the price they pay for their "secret". There might be some that can balance, "normal life" (whatever that is), and "Hard Core, Pure Fishing", but I have yet to meet one.