Marlin, sorry I wasn't there to back you up when you were being lambasted by somebody who's never fished the type of waters you are talking about. Looks like some buy in to the idea that all bass fishing in the south must be done with gear heavy enough to pull bucketmouf howgs outta thu hydrillar. I still think the four weight is ideal to get sufficient play out of the fish you're after while having enough oomph to land the bigger ones quickly and safely.

I think a four weight works better for what you're after than does a three. The four weight line will work much better with poppers, hoppers, and the wind, all of which you should expect to be dealing with fishing in Texas. (hoppers should be hot soon!) Since you're pretty convinced a four weight will be your main rod, I'd go ahead and get one you're thrilled with, and maybe spend less on some more specialized rods down the road. (like a TFO 8' 2wt for panfish and a 10' 5wt for nymphing, both under $170)

I think a four weight is the ideal trout rod in most situations. In a drift boat, in Alaska, and in a few other situations, I'd rather have a five, but I'd generally rather have a four. (might as well have a seven in AK) A four weight has enough oomph to move fish away from the faster currents, but enough give to protect 6x.