There's *plenty* of customization options, and FAR more than GTA IV ever had. The campaign doesn't go into full-blown create-your-own-character mode because these are not your characters. These are pre-made characters with pre-set storylines, just like Lara Croft or Nathan Drake or Soap or Solid Snake, etc.
The full-on customization comes later in GTA Online, where you'll be able to create the character *you* want to play. And I'm sure you'll be able to make them as fat or as thin or as muscular or ugly or pretty as you want, be able to dress them up however you want, be able to play them however you want. Right now, the game is just telling a story, and letting you take it for a ride. Just like practically every other campaign mode in every game out there. Have patience with the Customization Lite for the story characters right now --- you'll be able to fully customize the character *you* care about later on in Online.
As for the size of the map --- ymmv, and I haven't broken out the measuring tape to actually compare and contrast GTA V with similar sandbox games, but lots of bloggers already have and their findings unanimously dispute yours. You seem to be measuring the map by its surface area, and failing to take into consideration that there's entire levels --- underground and underwater --- that aren't even *shown* on the map. Think in three dimensions, not two.
As for how they could expand the game with things like surfing and fishing and the like --- yeah, I agree that there's tantalizing glimpses of more things that can be done. And the plan may very well be to add those features in the expansions. There's plenty of other things I'd like to see, too, including bringing back weightlifting and working out (especially for Muscle Beach), pigging out at the Burger Shot and other fast food joints and restaurants, maybe adding rowing to the game so that we can take kayaks and whitewater rafts and canoes onto the rivers, lakes and ocean.
I fail to understand the complaint (and you're not the only one who's voiced it) about not being able to skin animals, though. Selling furs and pelts makes sense in games like Red Dead Redemption and AC III, because that was a vital part of the economy of the era. In 2013? Not so much. Not even in Blaine County. Hunting should be expanded (and probably will) to include *something* to make it more worthwhile than just randomly killing wildlife (such as some kind of Cabela-like scoring system, or maybe offering a taxidermy option so that you can hang trophy antlers on your wall and puma rugs in your den), but I just don't see poaching for cash as a viable option in this day and age.
hehe
, but I have seen far worse in video games.
t:
Glad to know Max's clothing style made it into this.
I tried to create Walter White for Michael. It looked cool, but it just didn't feel right. And of course Trevor would take a selfie with a dead shark in the middle of the street. 
