Port Mansfield

Terry Neal of Port Mansfield targets the string of subsurface rocks on reefs between 40 and 70 feet deep, which begins 13 miles from the Mansfield jetties. These offshore reefs, among the closest undersea structures on the coast, are ideal for fly fishing, Neal says. On days when bluewater has moved in close to shore, you can find grouper, tarpon, large snapper, and king mackerel holding on or near these rocks."We can chum up kingfish in that shallow water, and you can catch snapper and sharks on the fly rod," Neal says.

Port Isabel/South Padre Island

Fly-fishing guide Eric Glass targets schools of bonito, jack crevalle, and dorado in the nearshore waters off the South Padre Island jetties.