Why Fish and Grovelers Get Confused
Spend some time in a surf shop and you’ll hear surfers use “fish” and “groveler” interchangeably. Both are short, wide boards designed to help in smaller waves—but they’re not the same thing. Understanding the difference can help you pick the right tool for the conditions you surf most often.
Fish Surfboards
The fish design dates back to 1967, when Steve Lis created a short, wide board with a swallow tail. Originally shaped for kneeboarding, it quickly became popular with stand-up surfers, especially in softer waves where it generated surprising speed. Classic traits include:
- Short and wide outline
- Swallow tail
- Often twin-finned
- Fast and drivey, with smooth flow
Although best known as a small-wave board, fish shapes also hold their own in bigger, punchier conditions when surfed well.
Groveler Surfboards
“Groveler” is a more general term for performance-oriented small-wave boards. They’re usually shorter and wider than a standard shortboard, often with fuller noses and round or squash tails. Unlike a fish, they don’t always carry the same design DNA (like the deep swallow tail). Instead, grovelers are about maximizing performance when waves lack power.
Key Difference
Think of fish as a distinct design lineage, while groveler is a category. Some grovelers are fish-inspired, but many are just compact shortboards scaled for smaller waves.
How TRAX Helps You Decide
Both fish and grovelers promise to make weak surf more fun. But which actually improves your surfing? TRAX tracks your paddling speed, wave count, and flow through turns across different boards, showing whether the fish or the groveler works better for you. Instead of guessing, you’ll know which one deserves a permanent place in your quiver.
Related Reading
- Are You Riding the Wrong Surfboard?
- How to Break Down Surfing and Actually Progress
- 5 Turning Mistakes That Keep You Stuck
