My job is taking me back to Central Texas and so my wife and I are finally going to invest in some kayaks. We will probably spend most of the time in the Port Aransas area since my wife's family spent a lot of family vacation time there.

We've rented some kayaks from ACK and I really like the Diablo Amigo the best so far. I'm also interested in possibly doing some fly fishing for reds and trout but I will probably just use rod and reel to begin with. I also have the Kayak and Wade fishing book for the coast.

Do I really need to consider something like the Wilderness Commander/Ride/Tarpon or Native Ultimate/Slayer for fishing on the coast?

I didn't find the Diablo Amigo too slow or hard to paddle and I don't really see going more than 2-3 miles (4-6 miles round trip). I also like the idea of being able to stand and fish. That being said I also want to be prepared and if I need something faster to get to an area and then wade fish out of the kayak I don't mind investing in ray guards and other protective gear.

Honestly everything on your list but the tarpon is designed to stand in and will paddle better than the diablo in my opinion. Go to a demo day and paddle as many as you can before you make your decision you might find another boat that fits you better. My only other advice, don't underestimate your need to paddle farther, once you have some familiarity with the water and have to go a bit farther for fish as the seasons change you will realize the need for a boat that will cover water.