The northeast end of Copano Bay around the Turtle Pen Lake area has an extensive flat that draws good numbers of trout. The best months to fly fish this area are early summer. The fishing picks up again in the fall. The northeast shoreline of Copano Bay has hard sand bottoms and is a prime wadefishing area.

From Redfish Point to Copano Village

The shoreline from Redfish Point south toward the community of Copano Village offers excellent wadefishing for redfish and trout over hard sand bottoms with scattered shell and grass beds in troughs. Waders also should inspect the series of small estuaries that open to the bay through small cuts. Just off this shoreline are shoals that also hold fish. Anchor up near these and wade or drift across them, casting near the edges. Piers along the shoreline around beach homes also hold fish, but wading around them can be difficult because of dredged channels and soft spots. Access Redfish Point shorelines by johnboat or kayak from Copano Bay Bridge Pier.

The Copano Bay shoreline around Rattlesnake Point also offers excellent wadefishing for trout and redfish over hard sand bottoms. A series of small lakes and tidal marshes to the south of Rattlesnake Point including Pete's Bend, James's Bend, and Italian Bend draw good numbers of redfish, black drum, and flounder. This area is rich in shrimp and forage fish, with abundant marshy flats that attract gamefish. Many of these marshes are fronted by private property and in some cases can be accessed only by boat. Some of these areas are open to wadefishing, but flyfishers should avoid crossing any fence lines into private property.

Port Bay, a small estuary on the southern end of Copano Bay, offers access to a number of productive shorelines and estuaries including Italian Bend, Pete's Bend, and James's Bend. Access this area by johnboat, shallow-draft skiff, or kayak from the launch ramp near the bridge that crosses Port Bay on Texas (Farm Road) 881.

Located just north of James's Bend in the back end of Swan Lake are a number of productive marshes that hold redfish. Swan Lake is accessible by johnboat and kayak from launch ramps at Port Bay off Texas (Farm Road) 881 and at Bayside off Texas (Farm Road) 136.

The nearby shorelines and estuaries around the mouth of the Aransas River hold good numbers of redfish on high tides. Also, fish outer shorelines when the tide is falling out. Freshwater inflows into Copano Bay make this a prime shrimp estuary, which in turn draws the redfish to this area.

The Aransas River mouth at Bayside is accessed by johnboat or .sea kayak from Glen's Marina near Egery Island and Egery Flats (Bayside Mud Flats).

Mission Bay

Mission Bay is treacherous for boating because of prolific shell bars, but it can be an excellent choice for fly fishing from kayaks because it holds redfish and does not get much fishing pressure. Kayakers can access the bay from the Mission River launch ramp, off Texas (Farm Road) 136.