I'm relocating for work down to Houston and want to try my luck at some reds on the flats.

I have a heavy duty 7wt rod and look at putting new line on it. This will be my rod for fishing the coast as I have a 5wt for bass and rainbows.

Would ya'll recommend getting a floating line or sinking line? If a sinking line then what type?

I am looking at buying a new reel with an extra spool so I can have floating and sinking line, but if one will work for all situations then I'll save my money.

Any tips as far as flies and gear needed for the coast would be greatly appreciated as well.
Thanks in advance.

If your fishing the flats, floating line is all you'll need. If I decide to fish deeper water I have a 12ft sink tip I attach to my floating line, but I rarely ever use it. As far as flies, clousers always work. For tailing reds a crab can't be beat, if they are spooky I'll throw a small olive east cut Shrimp in a size 8 and It usually produces well. Spoon flies, sea ducers, dahlbergs, gurglers and poppers are all good for blind casting. If your blind casting in shallow water I like to work the potholes, hit each one you see with multiple casts and if there's a fish hanging there he will usually eat. Follow the bait and you will find fish. I usually use a 10ft tapered leader, I just buy them at bps or cabelas and fish it with a 15lb tippet. That's just personal preference though.

I'd recommend staying away from cast reels in the salt if you do buy a new one; they tend to develop "cancer" under the powdercoat after awhile, no matter how diligently you rinse them off after use. Stay with machined & anodized reels. Your 7 weight is a good all around choice; it's what I use more than anything on the coast. Wind is often a factor though, and at times you'll need a 9 or 10 to fight the wind or throw heavy / bulky flies. I sometimes get to use my 2 weight in the salt, and I sometimes use a 5, but I catch most of my reds & specks on 6, 7, and 8 weights, and occasionally a 10. I probably throw more shrimp imitations than anything else at reds, mostly tied on 4s, 6s, and occasionally 8s in the spring. Clousers are probably my second most-used flies, especially for specks. I throw gurglers sometimes, but they have a lower hookup ratio, and I occasionally throw crab imitations. The crabs work well; I just have a preference for shrimp flies so I tend to throw them more often. I tend to stay in skinny water, so most of my flies have little to no weight added. I keep a few heavy Clousers for deeper guts when the tide's moving through fast. I also keep a few bendbacks (in grey, olive, cream, and sand colors, sizes 4 & 6) to use over shallow oysters and grass.

That's what works for me, but I'm only one person and some do it differently. However you chase them, you'll certainly enjoy catching reds on the fly. Good luck, and maybe I'll see you out there one day.

Thanks for the advice it really helps.

I'll be down there for the next month or so before I move so I'll have to bring the gear and try it out.

Thanks again guys!

So ... how's Houston?

My move got delayed. Trying to sell my house before I move. Should be down there around late June early July.

Okay, let's fish it then. I have plenty of friends there who are completely plugged into the scene.

Just relocated here as well.

Houston is a good place to live and fly fish. Salt? Yes. Freshwater? Yes. You can hit the ground running if you plug into the local fly fishing club - www.texasflyfishers.org.