Just to the North and West of Rockport sits Copano Bay. Often overlooked by many anglers visiting the area, Copano Bay can provide very good fly fishing for redfish, trout and drum. Yet this bay typically sits as one of our least trafficked in the area.

Unlike many of our other bays, Copano Bay has sizeable amounts of fresh water entering the system. Copano Bay is fed by the Misssion River, the Aransas River, and Copano Creek. This diverse estuary receives its saltwater by way of Aransas Bay located just to the South and East. Due to the larger amounts of fresh water within this bay, the shrimp and crab population is abundant. This makes it a popular spot with good numbers of fish.

Copano Bay provides anglers a number of excellent fly fishing flats. Many are covered with widgeon and shoal grasses, that are very popular with redfish. Tailing fish can be plentiful in these areas while redfish are foraging for food.

But most common are expansive mud and sand flats. Most bordered with oyster shell. These are excellent areas to find cruising redfish. Mud crab are in abundance in these areas. Redfish are commonly seen cruising the edges of the shell in search of the crab gone astray.

While Copano Bay is most known for it’s fishing, it is also popular with those interested in birds and other wildlife in the area. This bay is home to a very diverse ecosystem, including the opportunity to see the endangered Whooping Cranes during our Winter months.

Copano Bay has a larger number of oyster reefs throughout. Most are hidden beneath the surface of the water, even on our lowest winter tides. So its important to take a great deal of care when motoring around this bay.