I want to begin fly fishing.  I have studied the Orvis website and even visited one of the stores.  I also watched a few of their video lessons.  I have more questions than answers.  My area has multiple lakes, a couple of good rivers within a short drive.  So, the opportunity to fly fish is there.  The fish would be small pan fish, small mouth bass, and some trout in the Guadalupe River south of here.

Am I correct in thinking a 9' rod with 6 wt line would be a good place to start?

Either a 5 or 6 weight  is a good all around weight for trout, bass etc.  You might want to get a sink tip, weight forward line.

The rod you might consider is a moderate action, a fast action while able to load and unload line faster and generate more line speed have a larger learning curve.

Thanks.  Does the line you are suggesting work with dry flies?

No, if you're going to use dry flies then weight forward floating fly line would be the choice

ETA  I keep a spool of float and sink tip in my gear

This is what I'd do. Use a floating line for creeks and streams with a floating tip for lakes/rivers where you need to get deeper. As said, the sinking tip won't work for dry flies but is great for larger streamers.

I use a 5-wt for panfish all the time. Fun fishing.

Stopped by a local Fly Fishing store yesterday.  The owner was friendly and knowledgeable.  I asked about a 6 wt  for pan fish and small mouth bass.  He advised me to look at a 5 wt for the small streams and creeks in our area.  Another thing he did was suggest I attend their beginner's class.   Sounds like solid advice, the class is free and should be a nice change of pace for a Saturday.  He did not push me into buying anything, but rather encouraged me to learn the basics and then decide on what will fit my needs.

I was going to mention that Orvis has a free class, but it looks like you found one.  Take the class, and try really hard to pay attention - then take it again :)  5wt should be a good all around rod,  I use a 3wt fiberglass rod for the blue gills, and smaller pond stocked trout.  But I probably wouldn't start with that - make it your second or third rod, and maybe an 8wt too..
It's supposed to snow here on Friday, I'll have to think about that, maybe next week.

I recomend taking a class proly a two day class .
I watched videos read books , I fished for a year and a half and one fish ...by accedent.

But the class put me on to the fish !

This is some really good advice.    Many new fly fishers think it is just a jump in hobby.  Take your time, learn the rights and wrongs and have fun. I have been doing it close to 30 years and I still learn things.   No need to buy expensive rods and reels, YET!  he will probably set you up with some decent equipment.  Enjoy and good luck to you!

Make sure you learn different casts. For example, learning to rollcast is a boon especially if you're stuck on a shoreline without a clear path for a normal cast.

Thanks for all the advice.  I knew ORVIS had a Fly Fishing 101 class.  I mentioned it to my wife and her first comment was, "Go to both."  That is an acceptable variation on the ARFCOM "GET BOTH." I checked with the closest ORVIS store, but they haven't scheduled classes for 2019.  I'm on their email list now.  Just need to wait patiently for January to get here.

At least it is deer season here, so we will head back to the lease this weekend.

Great advice in this thread.  Fly fishing is one of those things that you can learn the basics in a weekend and the rest of it takes the rest of your life.

Pond fishing for pan fish is where I would start.  You don't need to be catching trees- you need to be working on your cast.  Don't get frustrated as casting is very much a learned thing and it is a matter of subtlety and timing.  Frankly my casting is pretty awful in form but I do catch a fair number of fish as I am sneaky and observant.  The advice about a medium action rod is spot on.  Too fast of a rod and you are going to get frustrated as you need to learn to load the rod and that is all the harder when you have the shorter window of reflexes that a faster rod demands.

As you are a hunter then I recommend you hunt the fish.  You know where deer are likely to be at any one time of the day, so use that instinct to learn how to read water.  The best cast in the world isn't going to do squat if you are sending the fly into the fishless spots!  Reading water is an art form, and you need to learn the importance, for instance, of seams in a river and why bubble lines are important.  Hunt for obstructions (especially new ones, like a fallen tree in a river) and get your fly out on that spot.

Dry fly is considered for some reason the "effete" part of fly fishing.  Learn to nymph if you want to catch fish, as most fish don't spend much time feeding on the surface.  There are some great books about bugs out there and don't neglect terrestrial patterns (especially grasshoppers, ants, and beetles).

When I go to a new spot I like to observe the water, then get my waders on.  I like to get out into (a river in this case) and turn over some rocks to see what kind of nymphs and other beasties I can find.  Leeches are, for once, welcome!  Then I like to go to an overhanging branch of a tree or shrub and I shake it like hell.  I notice what flies out and what drops in the water.  I know this sounds nuts but tree shaking produces for me when I want to use dry flies for (particularly) caddis species.  Now, you have shaken your tree and turned over some rocks.  What you have is data that you can make at least a beginning guess on  what fly to use.

Most of this is for trout, of course, but most fish are not realists.  They are impressionists, and what I do is I try to closely match the color, shape and size of the nymph/dry that I find on the site.  Little brown bug? White winged bug?  Close enough!

San Juan worms are great for when you don't know what else to try.  I don't know why they seem to work, other than their wormy shape, but as for color?  Pink and red worms?  I doubt there are any hot pink worms in the rivers up here, but the Rainbows will still go for them.

Streamers are another kettle o'fish.  Once trout reach a certain size (depends on the water) they seem little interested in bugs.  They want meat, and that means little fish.  The biggest trout are often almost exclusively fish eaters and they want a good size meal to make it worth the trouble.  I am not a streamer specialist and perhaps (hmmm) that is why I don't catch the big fish but on a rare occasion.

I could go on for days but the reason fly fishing is addictive is it gets you INTO the river.  I spent most of my life trying to keep my feet dry, but the change of perspective of being in the river is a real revelation.

All fly fishing is fun, and catching perch and bass on a fly rod are a hoot.

Definitely take the classes, and when you travel to your first trout river do the smart thing: get a guide.  We are manly men who do things manfully, but sometimes specialized help is what you need.  Guides WANT you to succeed.  They will get you on fish and shave ages off your learning curve.  Be wise: be a beginner with an open mind.

I hired a guide once here in New Hampshire and within 15 minutes had landed the first landlocked salmon I had ever seen, let alone caught.

I wish you the best in your new fly fishing adventure.  I got my wife and son into it, and it has been loads of fun for all of us.

Another  thing about fly fishing is it's pro active .

If you are kicked back in a lawn chair with your rod in holder you are not doing anything to get the fish to eat your glob of worms at the bottom .

With fly fishing you enticing them to bite ,in a stream the fish only have a moment to eat it or not .Fly placement is critical,  but if you can put a fly onto a paper plate at 25 ft you gtg .

Some more great info. The hunting analogy is spot on. If you aren't hunting for the fish you aren't going to be doing much catching.

I'll say that I do love fishing dries. There's something beautiful and amazing watching your fish take the fly. Even more so if it's something you tied yourself.

I like to go to a park with short grass (soccer fields work great) to practice. Set hula hoops up at like 20, 30, 40, 50 yards. It a bright piece of yarn on the end of a leader so you can watch the line to make corrections as you learn to make a proper cast. Casting is about timing. You may not ever cast at 50 yards but it builds confidence at shorter distances. And if you ever find yourself in the Keys are Bahamas going after spooky fish like bones you might need that distance.

Some dry fly samples.
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I have been in the industry a long time. The shop owner you found is a good one. One of the most common question I used to get was “which rod should I get?” Second most common question was “what rod do you fish?”

Truth is different people do well with different rods. Take the class then cast as many rods as you can. One will speak to you and you will know it.

I am a life long fly fisherman and I can tell you in truth, the journey is the best part. Enjoy!

Going for pan fish is a great way to begin.  That's how I learned when I was teenager.  
they'll take dry flys and wet flys (just below the surface) and they are attracted to a fly that slaps the water some, so you don't have to worry about careful delicate presentation like you might when doing classic trout dry fly fishing.  And the length or type of leader doesn't matter so much.  A 5 or 6 wt floating line rig will work well for these.

Panfish are not so picky about the particular fly.  A fattish dark colored one works well for me like a #12 renagade or a small floating popper.  And there's usually not as much competition fishing for them as there are for the more popular trout.

Smallmouth are great on the fly too, but generally run deeper, which makes flyfishing for them more challenging.  Largemouth would be better, if you can find them, because they feed on the surface more.

I practice casting on my lawn, or in a nearby park, school or church lawn, with a colorful fly with the hook cut off.  Use a cheaper floating line at first, since you're likely to damage it when you snag up.  Try to find one on sale.

Thanks.  These are all really good suggestions.  Please keep them coming.  I'm looking forward to January and February for the classes.  But until then, it is deer season so I will be sitting in our deer stand every chance I get.

SOLID GOLD ADVICE.

OP, if you ever want to try New Mexico or Utah, let me know.  I promised myself I'd learn to angle when I was sweating my ass off in Iraq.

You can’t go wrong with a 5wt. I prefer a slower action for small streams and such. Look into braided leaders by Cutthroat Leaders. They are a little pricey but I swear by them.

UPDATE- Last Saturday was the beginners class at the local fly shop.  My lovely wife helped arrange it so I didn't need to work at our gun shop so I could attend the class.  It was outstanding.  The class started at 09:30 and ended around 15:30.  we had a session where we learned the fundamental of fly casting.  That was followed by a class on the basic equipment needed and how to choose the correct gear for the locale and fish.  There was a lunch break with a class on good fly fishing spots in our area after the lunch break.  I took a lot of notes and really enjoyed the session on learning to fly cast.  I am a very left handed individual and it was really refreshing to find it wasn't difficult to transition the casting procedure over to using my left hand.

As the day progressed I watched some of the other students as they moved through the Fly Shop.  I noticed a couple of them bought a fly rod outfit.  The brand was Temple Fork Outfitters and the model was their NXT.  At one break I asked to see one of the packages to read what was included and what features it had.  I decided that would be the outfit I would go with.  The price was in line with what I was considering at Orvis.  The deciding factor is the TFO outfit carries a lifetime warranty.  The Orvis outfit carried a 25 year warranty.

I went back to the fly shop the following Monday.  While there I picked up the TFO NXT outfit with a 4-5wt 8'6" medium action rod.  The reel has 5 wt weight forward floating fly line and a tapered leader.  I get to pickup the rod outfit this coming Monday.  Also, they setup the reel for right hand retrieve.  My outfit is for a left handed person.

Now to look at some waders, more flies and a couple other small items.

Sounds like you're off to a great start. I love my TFO rods. And their support is great. I snapped one (Mangrove) and did something else to my other (can't remember what, BVK) and they were both repaired quickly. And for $25 each. Very nice rods for the money. I have a very nice Sage but the TFOs see more water.

Looking forward to future reports.

Sounds like a good start.  Wader wise, there are really expensive and not so expensive.   Being your in Texas, not super cold but could probably be chilly I am guessing.

You really do not need to spend a fortune on them.  Might ask the instructor what he thinks.   I have bought these over the years and they work well.

https://www.froggtoggs.com/mens/waders/?p=1

Also hard to beat cabela's/bass pro.

Good for you!! That rod will serve you fine. I’ve not made the investment in waders yet. I just put on my sandals and wade.

Have fun on the journey!

Sounds like things are progressing nicely. Don’t be surprised if you need a new line inside a year. First lines get beat up and dirty fast. Your second line will last a long time.

Remember this one primary rule: your cast does not start until the whole system is moving. That means everything out to your tippet. Self analyze by watching where you are in the cast stroke when everything starts to move.

The main fix is to remove slack before starting your cast stroke.

It may take a while to figure this one out but it will solve many problems when you do.

Enjoy!

I would add this, sounds like you found a god fly shop.

I have found that most owners of small fly shops can be very helpful for a beginner.
They will give solid advice on what to use and where to catch fish.
How to use the equipment and what equipment will work best for you.

Don't forget that the guy running the shop is there to make a living, if he treats you right, help him by patronizing his store even if it means spending a couple of more bucks on an item.

I have a Cabela's and a small local fly shop about the same distance from me.
There is no comparison on the knowledge and help from the small shop compared to the cabelas.
I haven't been in the Cabelas in years.

I fully understand the difficulties of running a brick and mortar independent retail shop.  Often the independent retailer ends up serving as an internet showroom.  I did purchase my fly rod, waders and wading boots there at the same small fly shop that hosted the day long free seminar.  The owner happened to be in the shop on the Monday we went to find out about waders.  He took time to check the fit of the waders and helped pick out the correct size wading boots.  When we finished identifying the correct sizes he asked if we wanted to wait or if we were interested in picking up one or the other.  He really seemed surprised when I told him I wanted to purchase both from him.

I explained to him we understood the difficulty of running a small retail shop.  My wife and I own a gun shop.  We avoid big box stores as much as possible.  I can't remember the last time we set foot in Cabela's or Bass Pro.  Probably won't go there again.

TFO is good stuff, especially when you use the warranty. If you actually fish, you'll end up breaking a rod at some point.

I'd highly recommend this book: Curtis Creek Manifesto

Best $10 you'll spend while learning to fly fish.

Remember:

1. It's supposed to be fun but it will be frustrating as hell at times.
2. It's not always about the catching.
3. Don't leave fish to find fish.
4. The fish (generally) don't care what kind of rod, reel, waders, etc. you're fishing with so no need to break the bank to catch fish. There are exceptions.
5. Watch your shadow. It will scare away more fish than you can imagine.
6. Frequent: https://www.animatedknots.com/indexfishing.php and learn at least the improved clinch, triple surgeons, and a nail knot. All will serve you well.
7. Don't over think it. While there are some very smart fish out there, it ain't rocket surgery.

Get ready for your new addiction...I started with 1 rod (8' 6" 4-piece 5wt) thinking it would be the only one I'd ever need. Now I have 11 rods, multiple pairs of boots and waders, nets, reels, spools, etc. And, if you ever get the idea to tie your own flies, to save money, of course, think long and hard about it because you'll end up with more feathers, fur, beads, tools, spools of thread, and hooks than you can shake a stick at. Ask me how I know.

Good on you.

Very few small fly shops in my area. closest one is an hour away.
More people need to realize that it pays to support small local shops.

Good advice here. I’m moving from rural NM to DFW and will be learning to go after some new species, bass and carp!

Time to upgrade the rods and reels, my 3wt just became obselete I fear.

Fully agree. Back around 2003/2004 when most down here were saying go to Bass Pro or Wallyworld for fishing stuff I priced out a Penn 113H at BPS, Wallyworld and two local shops. The local shops were both between $10-15 cheaper than the big box stores, and this was their sticker prices, not with my fishing club discount. Also cannot beat the ton of information one can get from the local b&m store. I always favor the local retailer when possible, have built many good relationships. Holds true for fishing, shooting, bicycling, golf, etc.

Now that you officially have the bug, wait until you get to the fly tying stage..................

Hope your interest in fly fishing continues to grow