Captain Bio
I grew up fishing these waters, and I've never really stopped.
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Over 50 years of guiding on South Padre Island has taught me one thing above everything else: the fish are almost always there. You just have to know where to look, what they're eating, and how to get to them before the tide changes.
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I hold a U.S. Coast Guard six-pack captain's license and I run private charters only — which means when you're on my boat, you have my full attention. No crowds, no strangers, no compromises on where we fish.
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I fish the Lower Laguna Madre from South Padre Island all the way down to Port Brownsville and out toward Port Mansfield when conditions call for it. The Ship Channel gives us options most guides don't touch — mangrove snapper, lookdown fish, spadefish at the jetties. I know where they stage and when.
​My techniques run the full range: light tackle spin fishing with 30 lb braided line and a monofilament shock leader, swimbaits, bottom fishing, popping corks over live shrimp, sight casting with plastics, topwater, and occasionally fly fishing for guests who bring their own setup.
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I've guided everyone from kids catching their first fish to experienced tournament anglers looking for a local edge. The approach changes. The commitment to putting fish in the boat doesn't.
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If you want straight talk about what's biting, honest conditions, and a captain who's been on this water longer than most people have been fishing — give me a call.
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— Capt. Cliff Fleming
By the Numbers
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50+ years guiding on South Padre Island
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U.S. Coast Guard Licensed Captain
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Private charters only — up to 6 passengers
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Flats, jetties, Ship Channel, and beyond
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Z-Man Pro Staff
Target Species
Capt. Cliff targets a wide range of species depending on season, tide, and conditions:
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Speckled Trout, Redfish, Flounder, Black Drum, Sheepshead
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Mangrove Snapper, Tarpon, Snook, Ladyfis
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Spanish Mackerel, Kingfish, Cobia, Croaker, Whiting
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Sharks, Mullet, Spadefish
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Ship Channel specialties: Lookdown Fish, Filefish, and more
