Rick:

I thought about asking you what kind of fishing you were going to be doing with said combo so I could make a recommendation, but then it occurred to me that the best advice in these situations seems to be to make sure and cast the setup, whatever it is, before you buy it. Everybody has different casting habits, and those habits will determine which rods each angler will prefer to cast. The only general trend I have observed is that the high end rods do generally out-perform the low-mid range models, no matter what your style, but the extent to which that is true will vary. If you don't want to spend a fortune, don't even cast the high-end rods, because you will almost certainly want one if you cast it.

I don't know what Cabelas's policy is on testing out merchandise before buying, but they do have plenty of rods to choose from, ranging from low-end to high, so if they will allow you to cast before you buy, that wouldn't be a bad place to go. If they don't want to let you cast them first, go someplace else. Any fly rod is a significant investment these days, so you definitely don't want to get stuck with something that doesn't feel great in your hands.

Something I always look for in a rod is an unconditional, lifetime guarantee. All the high-end rods carry such warranties, as do most of the mid-range models, but there are only a few low-priced options that do. You WILL be glad you have the warranty at some point in your fishing adventures. The pain of breaking a favorite rod is eased considerably by the knowledge that it will be repaired or replaced for the cost of shipping and handling.

If you are looking to spend something in the range you mentioned earlier in the thread, you might want to check out Redington's XPS series. These are "solid" performers by most standards, and they carry a lifetime warranty with an outstanding "no questions asked" policy. Redington also makes very serviceable reels at reasonable prices. A rod and reel combo will cost you something less than $500, I suspect.

One more thing: the fact that you are looking at a 9-wt. outfit tells me you may be bound for saltwater. If that is the case, make sure you spend enough on your reel so that the saltwater won't kill it within the first few trips. If this is for freshwater, just make sure it has a good, steady drag system.

Again, however, make sure and cast before you buy!

Good luck.