Ideal Rod Action Flats wading vs Boat Casting?

[Pescador]

Between fast and medium-fast action fly rods, which type is better suited for casting from a boat/panaga vs wading flats for bones and baby tarpon?

In general is it better to have a fast action fly rod casting from a boat?

Do the majority of casts at fish tend to be further distances from a boat vs wading?

[Darian]

Pescador,.... Very subjective topic. My experience involves casting from Bass boats and pangas; not casting/wading on tropical flats. :) With a few exceptions, I don't see any difference between casting from a boat or a panga. :-| I use fast and medium-fast action rods for Stripers while wading in the american (if that's comparable to flats casting :confused: ) and salt water casting from pangas in Baja. :cool:

If casting from a panga is your priority, most of the time you won't need to cast more than 70' (less than that, normally). :nod: If casting from the flats wiil be the major usage, maybe a good distance set-up is best. :cool: From everything I've read, distance isn't as important as accuracy in flats fishing. :confused:

Since the chances of getting into a very large pelagic is always a possibility in salt water, I'd pick a rod with some backbone for handling the action after the hook-up. :-k

[mems]

Where will you be fishing? It sounds like you will be doing both flats wading and fishing from a skiff. I would think the same rod would work well in both conditions. It depends on your casting style and preference, but I find a fast action rod is better for quick accurate casts either form a boat or while wading. You won't get the opportunity for a number of false casts, plus you are more likely to spook the fish. So a quick loading rod is the advantage. Most guys overline by one or use a flyline that has a bullet type head, like a Bruce Chard Permit line, I love that one. You will see a fish and when you are in striking distance you will fire out a cast a couple of feet in front of the fish in the direction they are swimming. For me in most conditions the best rod is a 9 foot 8wt rod. Windy 9 or 10wt. From the skiff you could switch rods depending on the species, tarpon and permit would be better with a 10wt. That being said I love getting big bones on a 5wt or 6wt saltwater rod. Yesterday I got three on a 6wt.
When fishing from a boat for pelagics I would use a 10-12wt rod with better lifiting power. My new favorite boat rod is the TFO mini magnum because it is only 8ft and is a wonderful 10wt rod. But I am a TFO rep and a little biased. I hope this helps and didn't confuse the issue for you. Mems.

[Bill Kiene semi-retired]

Wading shallow water (12" to 20") for Bonefish is usually short casting so a rod with a softer tip is nice for that kind of casting. You can just over-line a faster rod one size to slow it down too.

Baby Tarpon in mangroves and on open shallow flat is pretty short casting too so we over line 1 or 2 sizes to load the rod in short.

Casting for big Bonefish and big Tarpon from a boat in Florida is usually longer casting so a faster rod is good there.

http://www.anglingonthefly.com/IslaDelSabalo.html

Let this video clip load and watch it. I will be there again in July.

[Pescador]

Thanks for the replies! :)