Surfcasting.....extreme sport or not?

[Back Beach]

Consider some of the factors involved with "doing it right."(Ungodly hours and commitment, specialized gear, adverse environment, brushes with peril, etc.) I’m not looking to amend the X Games curriculum here, just wondering how the sport is perceived by those who participate in it.Do you consider surf casting an extreme sport and why?

[eastendlu]

Like any sport its only as extreme as you care to take it.Take skishing for example unlucky for me that i resemble a seal when wearing a wetsuit or else i'd try it.

[slow eddie]

therer are mornings when your fishing a flat calm and the sun comes up. not extreme. there are days when your fishing the rocks and the waves are crashing at your feet. very extreme. i do believe that we surfcasters are lucky to have the best of both worlds. i will be the first to admit that sometimes i do believe that i have a screw or two loose.

[fishbones]

If you're fishing with my uncle, it's definitely extreme. Plugs and jigs wizzing by your head and bluefish being thrown at you is pretty extreme in my opinion. I'd feel safer wearing a meat suit into the shark tank at the aquarium than fishing next to my uncle.

[RIROCKHOUND]

Eddie, dont think that sometimes, we know it's true all the time.

Surfcasting is as extreme as you want to make it. Half the guys in our fishing club never get their feet wet. Conversely, I love big surf when I'm fishing a sandy outflow, I hate it on the rocks, does that make me a p*ssy? (doesnt mean I dont fish those conditions, just don't relish it). I think 'hard core' surfcasting is very specialized as far as technique, equipment etc.. , but done right (safely) it should not be extreme.

[EarnedStripes44]

Its all about the relative accessibility (hazard) factor. If you've got to scale rock faces or step-stone your way to the end of a partially collapsed pier to get to 'ye olde' fishing hole, then I'd say that is pretty extreme.

[HESH2]

its extreme.i have been on a sand bar and just made it back on incoming tide,dumb mistake on my part.2 sons off sand bars in heavy fog lucky to get back to shore alive.had a treble in hand last year.hoping arround rocks not exactly what sane people do.then i thing age related i don't fish nites anymore,but can think back to almost going off road on an all nighter falling asleep.

[Saltheart]

I think its difficult but not extreme. i think there are people who push the envelope beyond what most would consider simple surf fishing and maybe what they do could be called extreme.

[Goose]

Originally Posted by Saltheart

I think its difficult but not extreme. i think there are people who push the envelope beyond what most would consider simple surf fishing and maybe what they do could be called extreme.

I agree> unless you are truely skishing there is nothing realy that extreme about it. So you scale down some rocks or stand in some surf whats extreme about that? Like Mike said,,,to go where not all others go or do is the difference.

Take what Ben did last saturday...now thats extreme.

[FishermanTim]

It's not that it's extreme, but more "challenging".
Remember: If everyone did it, it wouldn't be fun anymore. It would become mundane, like fishing for sunfish with a hook and bobber.

My family and friends think I'm nuts for fishing the canal at all hours of the night. Mind you, the only dangerous encounters I've come across were animals on the road home.

[chris L]

I dont consider it a sport per say . Its relaxation to the left of normal !I take vacation to stay awake for a week or 2 for as long as my body will take it . I call that relaxing ( no mind stress ) compared to my job .

so how about those dolphins

[JPowers]

It's not "extreme" by any means but we've got a technique for fishing the canal I call "guerrilla jigging". Long distance - long drifting big jigs in a fast current in deep water.
Whack a 30+#er with 150+ yrds of braid out while standing in one precarious spot and you've got a rumble on your hands.

[RIJIMMY]

Back Beach,
If I look at what currently qualifies as an extreme sport, I'd say that it is. I dont mean the majority of fisherman, but the hardcore surfcaters. It takes specialized equipment, knowledge of that equipment, dedication, and most importantly - putting yourself in dangerous situations,,,,at night!

When I tell most people what I do, they think I am having an affair, who in their right mind would go out at 1am to stand in the water. When they see the $$$ and time I spend, they realize I am just crazy. Ands I know many of you are worse than me. So I do believe it compares to the extreme sports like on the X Games.

I am really suprised by those that say its not extreme....most people are sleeping at midnight, how many of you are fishing, standing in the water, perched on rocks, lugging equipment, plug bags and a cooler full of eels? That is extreme compared to walking to teh water at 9am with a box of sand worms

[RIROCKHOUND]

Originally Posted by RIJIMMY

I am really suprised by those that say its not extreme....most people are sleeping at midnight, how many of you are fishing, standing in the water, perched on rocks, lugging equipment, plug bags and a cooler full of eels? That is extreme compared to walking to teh water at 9am with a box of sand worms

True, but as a whole, the sport can be as extreme as you want to make it. I dont consider my self going to extremes when I fish... I guess I'd consider guys who skiish extreme, but then again my perception of normal is a bit whacked...

[BigFish]

Extremely expensive! Extremely time consuming! Extremely rewarding! Extremely enjoyable!

Yeah....I would say its extreme!

[RIJIMMY]

I dont mean to speak for BB, but I think some are missing the initial question. The question is not whether it is "extreme", but if it qualifies as an extreme sport. Here is an overview from the web on what is considered an extreme sport.

Extreme sports are often associated with various youth subcultures. Extreme sports are argueably no more "extreme" than traditional activities played at a high level. The few generalizations that can be made about extreme sports is that they are almost always individual instead of team activities and that they often focus on performing tricks or stunts.

Some contend that the distinction between an extreme sport and a conventional one is as much to do with marketing as it is to do with perceptions about levels of danger involved or the amount of adrenaline generated. Furthermore a sport like rugby union, though dangerous and adrenaline-inducing, would not fall into the category of extreme sports due to its traditional image, and it does not have certain things that other extreme sports do, such as very high level of speed and an intention to perform stunts. Scuba diving is not seen as an extreme sport these days, despite the level of danger and physical exertion, because of its primarily adult demographic. Also the fact that it is not classed as a sport, as there is no objective to the activity. Another example: compare the perception of demolition derby, not usually thought of as an extreme sport, to that of BMX racing, which is. Demolition derby has an adult demographic, BMX is a youth sport.

So - taken that overview do you think surfacting is an extreme sport? Look at the marketing reference - isnt Aquaskinz, Van Staal - all marketed towards surfcasting as an extreme sport? Look at the adds in any magazine. I beleive surcasting is up there with the other extreme sports.

[RIJIMMY]

one more - I think this says it all

"Some who enjoy extreme sports repudiate the stereotypical "adrenaline junkie" tag. The practitioners would claim they enjoy developing their physical and/or mental skills, seek mastery of inhospitable environments, look to escape from the mundane rigors of day-to-day existence, or simply love the wilderness environment in which many of these sports take place"

[BigFish]

It is simply fishing. It is what YOU make it.....you want to wet-suit up and swim out to some boulders to fish....then I would consider that extreme fishing. Thats tough and more dangerous than the run of the mill surfcasting.....however there are varying degrees of danger everytime you hit the surf.....anything can happen at anytime as with anything else.

[BasicPatrick]

I will add to the definition described. Extreme sports tend to take some aspect of a more conventional sport and blow it way out of proportion. Hiking and mountain climbing is not extreme, but scaling a verticle wall of a mountain is extreme. With this in mind.....

Surf Fishing is much to general a term to fit into one class or description.....

Bridge fishing....not extreme
Skishing....EXTREME (and a lot of fun)
Beach fishing....not extreme
Wade Fishing...not extreme
Extreme Wading....fishing horshoe Bar in Barnstable etc....EXTREME
Jetty Fishing...not extreme
Rock Hopping...coulld...Ok EXTREME

[Gunpowder]

Originally Posted by BigFish

Extremely expensive! Extremely time consuming! Extremely rewarding! Extremely enjoyable!

Yeah....I would say its extreme!

im with larry 100%

[Gunpowder]

Originally Posted by BasicPatrick

Skishing....EXTREME (and a lot of fun)

for those that do not kno what this is...
http://www.surfcasting.com/movie.html

[RIJIMMY]

Originally Posted by BasicPatrick

I will add to the definition described. Extreme sports tend to take some aspect of a more conventional sport and blow it way out of proportion. Hiking and mountain climbing is not extreme, but scaling a verticle wall of a mountain is extreme. With this in mind.....

Surf Fishing is much to general a term to fit into one class or description.....

Bridge fishing....not extreme
Skishing....EXTREME (and a lot of fun)
Beach fishing....not extreme
Wade Fishing...not extreme
Extreme Wading....fishing horshoe Bar in Barnstable etc....EXTREME
Jetty Fishing...not extreme
Rock Hopping...coulld...Ok EXTREME

BP - to take that a little farther. Beach Fishing - not extreme
Take an average person and show them Wasque Point at 2 am.4X4s with 10 rods on top, huge coolers welded to the front of the trucks, guys suited up in all kinds of rubber gear......to 99.9% of the population that is wacked. I mean having a vehicle outfitted just for the sole purpose of....catching a fish? sounds like an extreme sport to me

[Rappin Mikey]

The wetsuiters and skiishers are extreme. The rockhoppers and all nighters are midstreme, and the daytime baitdunkers are weakstreme. SO, it varies I guess.

[bloocrab]

Fishing is not an "Extreme" sport in my mind -

Not using your better judgement makes a lot of things "extreme" to one degree or another -
If you're in heavy surf with waves pounding you over the head and you don't back up, that doesn't make it "extreme"......it makes YOU stupid.
If you're skishing in a raging swell in-between a good rip and the mainland, you're not making it extreme.......you're making yourself an idiot.
Most "extreme" situations (surf-wise) can NOT be fished correctly...for the most part, you're putting yourself in danger...and you don't catch squat!! From Hero to Zero in point 2 seconds -

I often laugh at the guy who wades out so far he can't use his rod effectively while casting. He can't lower the tip enough to get where he wants to cast....so why wade out so far??? ...."Looky Me, way out here but can't cast farther than the guy 20 feet behind me...but I can spook the fish that were in close"....

Now if you were talking about targeting Bloocrabs - - - - NOW YOU'RE TALKING EXTREME!!!!

[Rappin Mikey]

Sometimes I stay out all night rockhopping, I do drag bait out with my kayak alot during the day in the Summer, but I don't skiish or wetsuit, so I would say I'm mid to weak stremed.

[BigFish]

If one is a careless, hapless, fool......one might consider that individual an extreme fisherman!

[RIJIMMY]

van staal - no limitations
Aquaskins - for teh extreme outdoorsman

So, they questions is, if we use these products, are we posers? : )

[eastendlu]

Originally Posted by BigFish

If one is a careless, hapless, fool......one might consider that individual an extreme fisherman!

Is he fishing with the reel upside down?

[BigFish]

Yes Lou....extreme....ly stupid!

[plankton]

Like anything its all relative. "Extreme sports" is just a buzzword created by the media to sensationalize things, and the X-games are an extension of that. One man's extremes are another's comfort zone. I spent many years in Vermont and Colorado skiing everyday possible and doing it in a way that some might consider extreme, but no one who participates in what ESPN would call an extreme sport ever refers to it as that, unless they're a wanker or full of crap. I certainly wouldn't consider skateboarding extreme, especially compared to something like climbing K2. And when I hear about guys donning wetsuits and swimming to rocks to surfcast, that is definitely something that is out of my comfort zone and that I consider a little crazy, but to the guys that do that sort of thing regularly, its just fishing. It's all relative to your personal experience, so why worry about giving it a label. Just my $.02.