Too Fish Quick Facts
Firewire Too Fish quick facts
| Brand / shaper | Firewire Surfboards, Carlsbad, California; designed by Rob Machado |
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| Board type | Twin-fin fish – an evolution of Rob’s 2017 Go Fish updated with lessons from the Seaside |
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| Best waves | Rob calls it his favorite board for all conditions: small, weak, disorganized beach-break junk through perfect reef days and overhead North Shore waves |
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| Skill level | Intermediate to advanced surfers comfortable on a twin fin; the forward volume makes it easy to paddle |
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| Tail | Swallow tail |
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| Design | Thick and floaty through the forward two-thirds of the board, then thinned out aggressively in the tail so it holds in powerful waves |
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| Fins | Twin fin – two boxes. Best template: the Machado Twin Keel fin set, performance-leaning keels Rob designed specifically for the Too Fish (Futures single-tab or FCS II dual-tab). Futures boxes on every board. |
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| Stock sizes | 5’0 to 6’3 (25.9 L to 46.2 L) |
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| Sizing | A fish: ride it shorter and wider than your shortboard with 1–2 liters more volume; most surfers go 3–5 inches shorter than their everyday board |
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| Constructions we stock | Firewire builds the Too Fish in Helium. We have stocked it in Helium and in Helium with Volcanic basalt lamination |
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Too Fish Q&A
What size Too Fish should I get?
Size it like a fish: shorter and wider than your shortboard, with 1–2 liters more volume. Most surfers drop 3–5 inches from their everyday board. A surfer on a 6’0 shortboard around 30 liters would look at the 5’4 Too Fish (20 11/16” x 2 5/16”, 30 L) or the 5’5 (31.6 L). The chart runs from 5’0 (25.9 L) to 6’3 (46.2 L), so there is a size for lighter surfers and for bigger surfers who want a wide, floaty twin.
What fins does the Too Fish use?
It is a true twin fin with two boxes (Futures). Rob Machado designed the Machado Twin Keel fin set with the Too Fish in mind – keels that give you the drive and glide of a traditional keel but are toned down so they are not as trackey, loosening up in the pocket when you want them to. The set is made in a Futures-compatible single-tab version and an FCS II-compatible dual-tab version. On other brands, a performance twin keel is the right template; avoid small upright twin templates, which lose the hold this thinned-out tail is designed around.
What waves is the Too Fish for?
Rob says it is his favorite in small and weak waves because of how thick and floaty it is through the forward two-thirds, but the tail is thinned out aggressively so it holds in powerful waves too. He has ridden it from overhead North Shore waves to perfect reef days at home and the weakest, most disorganized junk at his local beach break – his favorite board for all conditions.
How is the Too Fish different from the Go Fish and the Seaside?
The Too Fish is the twin-fin branch of the family. It evolved from Rob’s 2017 Go Fish (a keel twin) and borrows lessons from the Seaside, but where the Seaside is quad-only and built for ripping, the Too Fish keeps the twin-fin glide and looseness with more foam forward and a thinner tail for hold. If you want a twin with Machado DNA, this is the one; if you want a quad groveler, look at the Seaside.
Who is the Too Fish for?
Surfers who enjoy the speed and freedom of a twin fin and want one board that covers everything from gutless days to solid surf. It paddles like a much bigger board thanks to the forward volume, so it also suits surfers stepping onto a twin for the first time, as long as they are comfortable with a looser feel than a thruster.
What construction does the Too Fish come in?
Firewire builds the Too Fish in Helium – a stringerless EPS core with paulownia and balsa wood rails and aerospace deck skins top and bottom, which is light and lively with controlled flex and rebound through turns. We have also stocked it in Helium with Volcanic lamination, Firewire’s basalt-fiber alternative to carbon and their most durable finish. Each board on this page lists its construction and fin boxes.
Can I custom order a Too Fish?
Firewire builds the Too Fish in set stock sizes rather than true one-off customs, so there is no custom board builder for it. If the size or construction you want is not on this page, we can usually special order it for you from Firewire’s current range – contact the shop and we will check availability and lead time.
