Depending on wind conditions, fly rods as heavy as 9-weights and as light as 5-weights are effective for taking trout and redfish on the Texas flats. A 9-foot for 8-weight graphite rod matched with weight-forward floating line is probably the most versatile outfit for a day on the water. It can lay down a light leader with a #6 Crazy Charlie pattern or handle bulky crab patterns and poppers in the wind. It also will deliver the weighted Clousers and bendback patterns that work well around channels and dropoffs.

A 9-weight rod will do the job in a stiff wind, but it is a little heavy for casting over an entire day. A good quality 5-weight or 6-weight graphite rod offers the maximum in sport and can whip any redfish on the flats in short order. But in casting these lighter rods and lines, flyfishers sometimes lose accuracy and distance under windy conditions, especially in tricky crosswinds. It is important to have an 8-weight rod rigged and ready on those days that require a long stalk and a long cast to tailing and cruising fish that don't stay put for long.

A two-, three-, or four-piece 9-foot for 8-weight graphite fly rod matched with weight-forward, floating line on a single action fly reel equipped to hold 150 yards of Dacron or Micron backing is a good choice for redfish and trout on the Texas flats. Fly rods and reels vary widely in price depending on the weight and performance requirements of the buyer. The

9-foot for 8-weight St. Croix Legend, for example, retails around $200, whereas the 9-foot for 8-weight G. Loomis GLX is priced around $520. Reel choices include the Pflueger Medalist model 1595 1/2 fly reel with click drag and rim control ($34.50); the 3M Scientific Anglers System 2 fly reel with disc drag ($190); and the Abel 2 Big Game with anti-reverse ($520).