{"state":{"slug":"texas","abbr":"TX","name":"Texas","region":"Southwest"},"regs":{"slug":"texas","regulationYear":2026,"agencyName":"Texas Parks and Wildlife Department","agencyUrl":"https://tpwd.texas.gov/regulations/outdoor-annual/fishing","emergencyOrderUrl":"https://tpwd.texas.gov/newsmedia/releases/","emergencyOrderEmailUrl":"https://public.govdelivery.com/accounts/TXPWD/subscriber/new","licensePurchaseUrl":"https://tpwd.texas.gov/business/licenses/online_sales/","summary":"Texas runs a single combined fishing licence covering freshwater and saltwater (separate endorsements optional). Year licences run September 1 through August 31; most short-term licences run for the calendar days purchased.","residentFees":[{"label":"Resident annual (freshwater)","priceUsd":30},{"label":"Resident annual (saltwater)","priceUsd":35},{"label":"Resident all-water package","priceUsd":40},{"label":"Resident 1-day all-water","priceUsd":11},{"label":"Resident senior (65+) freshwater","priceUsd":12,"notes":"Senior all-water package $22; senior saltwater $17 (age 65+)"},{"label":"Resident lifetime fishing (all-water)","priceUsd":1000,"notes":"Lifetime combo (hunting + fishing) is $1,800"},{"label":"Disabled veteran","priceUsd":0,"notes":"Free Super Combo — eligibility required"}],"nonResidentFees":[{"label":"Non-resident annual freshwater","priceUsd":58},{"label":"Non-resident annual saltwater","priceUsd":63},{"label":"Non-resident all-water package","priceUsd":68},{"label":"Non-resident 1-day all-water","priceUsd":16,"notes":"Additional consecutive days may be added at the time of sale; there is no separate multi-day non-resident licence"}],"topSpecies":[{"slug":"largemouth-bass","name":"Largemouth bass","season":"Open year-round","bagLimit":"5 / day (most waters)","sizeLimit":"14 in minimum; slot limits on listed lakes"},{"slug":"white-bass","name":"White bass","season":"Open year-round","bagLimit":"25 / day","sizeLimit":"10 in minimum"},{"slug":"channel-catfish","name":"Channel catfish","season":"Open year-round","bagLimit":"25 / day (channel + blue combined)","sizeLimit":"No minimum length; only 10 may be 20 in+"},{"slug":"crappie","name":"Crappie","season":"Open year-round","bagLimit":"25 / day","sizeLimit":"10 in minimum (most waters)"},{"slug":"red-drum","name":"Red drum (saltwater)","season":"Open year-round","bagLimit":"3 / day","sizeLimit":"20–28 in slot; one over 28 in per year with tag"},{"slug":"spotted-seatrout","name":"Spotted seatrout (saltwater)","season":"Open year-round","bagLimit":"3 / day","sizeLimit":"15–20 in slot; one over 28 in/yr with tag"},{"slug":"southern-flounder","name":"Southern flounder (saltwater)","season":"Closed Nov 1 – Dec 14","bagLimit":"5 / day","sizeLimit":"15 in minimum"},{"slug":"striped-bass","name":"Striped bass","season":"Open year-round","bagLimit":"5 / day combined (Lake Texoma 10)","sizeLimit":"18 in minimum (no min at Lake Texoma)"}],"specialWaters":[{"name":"Lake Fork Reservoir","rule":"Largemouth slot 16–24 in; bass 24 in+ for trophy tag"},{"name":"Lake Falcon","rule":"5-bass daily, 14 in minimum statewide rule applies"},{"name":"Sam Rayburn Reservoir","rule":"Standard 14 in / 5-fish; tournament release rule applies"},{"name":"Caddo Lake","rule":"Largemouth bass 14–18 in slot — keep only bass 14 in or shorter or 18 in or longer; 8 black bass combined daily, of which no more than 4 may be 18 in or longer (possession 10). Black and white crappie no minimum length, 25 / day. Channel and blue catfish no minimum, 50 combined daily and in possession (only 5 may be 30 in or longer); flathead catfish 18 in minimum, 10 / day. White bass no minimum, 25 / day. A shared TX/LA cypress lake (Harrison/Marion counties) — TX licence valid on TX waters; LA reciprocity required on the LA side"},{"name":"Lake Texoma","rule":"Self-sustaining striped bass fishery shared with Oklahoma. Striped + hybrid striped bass: no minimum length, 10 / day combined (only 2 may be 20 in or longer), 20 in possession — the one Texas water where striper possession is set off the local 10-fish bag rather than twice the statewide 5. A current Texas or Oklahoma fishing licence, or the dedicated Lake Texoma Licence, is valid lake-wide; culling of striped bass is prohibited"},{"name":"Toledo Bend Reservoir","rule":"Shared TX/LA boundary water; TX licence valid on TX waters, LA reciprocity required for LA waters; tournament release rules apply"},{"name":"Lake Amistad","rule":"International reservoir on Rio Grande (TX/Mexico); TX licence valid on US waters; Mexican fishing permit required to cross into Mexican waters"},{"name":"O.H. Ivie Reservoir","rule":"Largemouth bass: no minimum length, but only two bass under 18 in may be kept per day; 5 black bass combined daily. Texas's hottest trophy-bass and ShareLunker (13 lb+) water in recent winters"},{"name":"Possum Kingdom Lake","rule":"Brazos River reservoir with an established striped bass population; returned to the statewide striper rule in 2012 — 5 / day (striped + hybrid striped bass combined), 18 in minimum. A West Texas striper and white-bass water"},{"name":"Devils River","rule":"Designated state paddling trail; portions inside Devils River State Natural Area require access permit; smallmouth bass catch-and-release encouraged"},{"name":"Galveston Bay system","rule":"Saltwater statewide slot rules apply (redfish 20–28 in, trout, flounder); seasonal oyster reef harvest closures posted by TPWD"},{"name":"Choke Canyon Reservoir","rule":"Blue and channel catfish 14 in minimum length, 15 combined daily — stricter than the statewide no-minimum/25 rule. The statewide alligator gar 1-per-day limit applies. A large South Texas reservoir on the Frio River (Live Oak/McMullen counties)"},{"name":"Lake Travis","rule":"Highland Lakes chain on the Colorado River (Austin metro); LCRA + TPWD joint reservoir; striped bass + white bass + smallmouth bass fishery — statewide rules apply, no Lake Travis exception (striped bass 5/day + 18 in min; white bass 25/day + 10 in min); largemouth + smallmouth + Guadalupe + spotted bass combined 5/day + 14 in min; year-round open season"},{"name":"Matagorda Bay","rule":"Texas Gulf Coast estuary; saltwater statewide slot rules — redfish 20–28 in slot + 3/day (one tag-fish over 28 in permitted per year), spotted seatrout 15–25 in slot + 3/day (Bag-and-Tag rule on trophy over 30 in), southern flounder 14 in min + 5/day; oyster reef seasonal closures posted by TPWD Coastal Fisheries; saltwater stamp + Red Drum tag required"},{"name":"Lake Alan Henry","rule":"Largemouth bass: no minimum length, but only two bass under 18 in may be kept per day; 5 black bass combined daily. A West Texas Brazos River canyon reservoir (Garza County) managed as a trophy-bass fishery"},{"name":"Bois d'Arc Lake","rule":"Largemouth bass 16 in maximum — only bass 16 in or shorter may be kept; 5 black bass combined daily; a bass 24 in or longer may be held briefly for a ShareLunker weigh-in, then released. Texas's newest major reservoir (Fannin County, impounded 2021), managed for trophy growth"},{"name":"Lady Bird Lake","rule":"Largemouth bass 14–21 in slot — keep only bass 14 in or shorter or 21 in or longer, and only one 21 in+ per day; 5 black bass combined daily. Common carp: only one 33 in or longer may be kept daily. Austin's downtown urban lake (formerly Town Lake)"},{"name":"Joe Pool Lake","rule":"Largemouth bass 14–21 in slot — keep only bass 14 in or shorter or 21 in or longer (one 21 in+ max per day); 5 black bass combined daily. A Dallas–Fort Worth metro reservoir"},{"name":"Grapevine Lake","rule":"Largemouth bass: no minimum length, but only two bass under 18 in may be kept per day; 5 black bass combined daily. A Dallas–Fort Worth metro reservoir on Denton Creek"},{"name":"Lake Athens","rule":"Largemouth bass 14–21 in slot — keep only bass 14 in or shorter or 21 in or longer (one 21 in+ max per day); 5 black bass combined daily. An East Texas reservoir in Henderson County"},{"name":"Lake Bastrop","rule":"Largemouth bass 14–21 in slot (only one 21 in+ per day); 5 black bass combined daily. Juglines, throwlines, and trotlines are prohibited. A Central Texas power-plant lake with a warm-water year-round bite"},{"name":"Lake Jacksonville","rule":"Largemouth bass: no minimum length, but only two bass under 18 in may be kept per day; 5 black bass combined daily. An East Texas reservoir in Cherokee County"},{"name":"Lake Casa Blanca","rule":"Largemouth bass 18 in minimum length; 5 black bass combined daily. A South Texas lake at Lake Casa Blanca International State Park in Laredo (Webb County)"},{"name":"Lake Gilmer","rule":"Largemouth bass 18 in minimum length; 5 black bass combined daily. A small East Texas reservoir (Upshur County) managed for quality bass"},{"name":"Fayette County Reservoir","rule":"Largemouth bass 16–24 in slot — keep only bass 16 in or shorter or 24 in or longer (one 24 in+ max per day); 5 black bass combined daily. Blue and channel catfish 14 in minimum, 15 combined daily. Trotlines prohibited. A warm-water power-plant lake (also called Lake Fayette) known for a year-round bass bite"},{"name":"Lake Monticello","rule":"Largemouth bass 16–24 in slot — keep only bass 16 in or shorter or 24 in or longer (one 24 in+ max per day); 5 black bass combined daily. A Northeast Texas power-plant lake (Titus County) famous for an early-warming winter bass bite"},{"name":"Lake Nacogdoches","rule":"Largemouth bass 16 in maximum — only bass 16 in or shorter may be kept; 5 black bass combined daily; a bass 24 in or longer may be held briefly for a ShareLunker weigh-in, then released. An East Texas trophy-managed reservoir"},{"name":"Lake Kurth","rule":"Largemouth bass 16 in maximum — only bass 16 in or shorter may be kept; 5 black bass combined daily; a bass 24 in or longer may be held briefly for a ShareLunker weigh-in, then released. A small East Texas power-plant lake (Angelina County) managed for trophy bass"},{"name":"Houston County Lake","rule":"Largemouth bass 14–21 in slot (only one 21 in+ per day); 5 black bass combined daily. An East Texas reservoir in Houston County"},{"name":"Lake Murvaul","rule":"Largemouth bass 14–21 in slot (only one 21 in+ per day); 5 black bass combined daily. A cypress-lined East Texas reservoir in Panola County"},{"name":"Lake Walter E. Long","rule":"Largemouth bass 14–21 in slot (only one 21 in+ per day); 5 black bass combined daily. An Austin-area power-plant lake also known as Decker Lake"},{"name":"Calaveras Lake","rule":"Red drum 20 in minimum length, 3 per day — a stocked inland redfish fishery. Blue and channel catfish 14 in minimum, 15 combined daily. A San Antonio power-plant lake (Bexar County), one of the few inland Texas waters stocked with red drum"},{"name":"Braunig Lake","rule":"Red drum 20 in minimum length, 3 per day — a stocked inland redfish fishery. Blue and channel catfish 14 in minimum, 15 combined daily. A San Antonio power-plant lake (Victor Braunig Lake) stocked with red drum and catfish"},{"name":"Purtis Creek Lake","rule":"Largemouth bass 16 in maximum — only bass 16 in or shorter may be kept; 5 black bass combined daily; a bass 24 in or longer may be held briefly for a ShareLunker weigh-in, then released. Fishing is by pole and line only. A trophy-bass lake at Purtis Creek State Park"},{"name":"Guadalupe River","rule":"Texas's only year-round trout tailwater, below Canyon Dam (Comal County). From the Canyon Dam release down to the easternmost Hwy 306 bridge: rainbow and brown trout 12–18 in slot, 5 per day with only one 18 in or longer, artificial lures only. From the Hwy 306 bridge down to the second River Road crossing: trout 18 in minimum, 1 per day, artificial lures only"},{"name":"Lake Palestine","rule":"Channel and blue catfish: no minimum length, 25 combined daily, of which only 5 may be 20 in or longer and only 1 of those 30 in or longer. A large East Texas reservoir on the Neches River"},{"name":"Lake Ray Hubbard","rule":"Channel and blue catfish: no minimum length, 25 combined daily, only 5 may be 20 in or longer and only 1 of those 30 in or longer. A major Dallas-metro reservoir on the East Fork of the Trinity River"},{"name":"Richland Chambers Reservoir","rule":"Channel and blue catfish: no minimum length, 25 combined daily, only 5 may be 20 in or longer and only 1 of those 30 in or longer. One of Texas's largest reservoirs (Freestone/Navarro counties), a top trophy blue-catfish water"},{"name":"Lake Waco","rule":"Channel and blue catfish: no minimum length, 25 combined daily, only 5 may be 20 in or longer and only 1 of those 30 in or longer. A Central Texas reservoir on the Bosque River"},{"name":"Belton Lake","rule":"Channel and blue catfish: no minimum length, 25 combined daily, only 5 may be 20 in or longer and only 1 of those 30 in or longer. A Central Texas reservoir on the Leon River"},{"name":"Lavon Lake","rule":"Channel and blue catfish: no minimum length, 25 combined daily, only 5 may be 20 in or longer and only 1 of those 30 in or longer. A Dallas-metro reservoir (Collin County) on the East Fork of the Trinity River"},{"name":"Lake Bob Sandlin","rule":"Channel and blue catfish: no minimum length, 25 combined daily, only 5 may be 20 in or longer and only 1 of those 30 in or longer. A Northeast Texas reservoir popular for bass and catfish"},{"name":"Lake Pinkston","rule":"Largemouth bass 14–21 in slot — keep only bass 14 in or shorter or 21 in or longer (one 21 in+ max per day); 5 black bass combined daily. Trotlines prohibited. A small Shelby County lake with a big-bass reputation"},{"name":"Lake Naconiche","rule":"Largemouth bass 16 in maximum — only bass 16 in or shorter may be kept; 5 black bass combined daily; a bass 24 in or longer may be held briefly for a ShareLunker weigh-in, then released. Juglines, throwlines, and trotlines prohibited. A newer East Texas trophy-bass lake (Nacogdoches County)"},{"name":"Welsh Reservoir","rule":"Largemouth bass 18 in minimum length; 5 black bass combined daily. A Northeast Texas power-plant lake (Titus County)"},{"name":"Marine Creek Reservoir","rule":"Largemouth bass 18 in minimum length; 5 black bass combined daily. A Fort Worth urban reservoir"},{"name":"Lake Pflugerville","rule":"Largemouth bass 18 in minimum length; 5 black bass combined daily. Fishing is by pole and line only. An Austin-metro community reservoir"},{"name":"Lake Raven","rule":"Largemouth bass 16 in maximum — only bass 16 in or shorter may be kept; 5 black bass combined daily; a bass 24 in or longer may be held briefly for a ShareLunker weigh-in, then released. Channel and blue catfish 14 in minimum, 15 combined daily. Fishing by pole and line, no more than two poles. The lake at Huntsville State Park (Walker County)"},{"name":"Wheeler Branch Reservoir","rule":"Largemouth bass 14–21 in slot — keep only bass 14 in or shorter or 21 in or longer (one 21 in+ max per day); 5 black bass combined daily. Fishing is by pole and line only. A small clear-water Somervell County reservoir"},{"name":"Lake Kyle","rule":"Catch-and-release only for largemouth bass, channel catfish, and all sunfish — no harvest of those species. Fishing by pole and line, no more than two poles. A small Central Texas city lake (Hays County)"},{"name":"Hubbard Creek Reservoir","rule":"Channel and blue catfish: no minimum length, 25 combined daily, of which only 5 may be 20 in or longer and only 1 of those 30 in or longer. A large West Texas reservoir on Hubbard Creek near Breckenridge (Stephens County), a top blue-catfish water"},{"name":"Lake Kirby","rule":"Channel and blue catfish: no minimum length, 25 combined daily, of which only 5 may be 20 in or longer and only 1 of those 30 in or longer. A small Abilene municipal lake (Taylor County)"},{"name":"Lake Proctor","rule":"Blue and channel catfish 14 in minimum length, 15 combined daily — stricter than the statewide no-minimum/25 rule. A Central Texas USACE reservoir on the Leon River (Comanche County)"},{"name":"Sheldon Lake","rule":"Blue and channel catfish 14 in minimum length, 15 combined daily. Fishing is by pole and line only, no more than two poles. The lake at Sheldon Lake State Park on the northeast edge of Houston (Harris County)"},{"name":"Abilene State Park Lake","rule":"Blue and channel catfish 14 in minimum length, 15 combined daily. Fishing is by pole and line only, no more than two poles. The lake at Abilene State Park (Taylor County)"},{"name":"Lake Nasworthy","rule":"Black and white crappie: no minimum length, 25 combined daily — the statewide 10 in crappie minimum is lifted here. A San Angelo reservoir on the South Concho River (Tom Green County)"},{"name":"Moss Lake","rule":"Largemouth bass 16 in maximum — only bass 16 in or shorter may be kept; 5 black bass combined daily; a bass 24 in or longer may be held briefly for a ShareLunker weigh-in, then released. A North Texas reservoir near Gainesville (Cooke County), managed for trophy bass"},{"name":"Mill Creek Lake","rule":"Largemouth bass 16 in maximum — only bass 16 in or shorter may be kept; 5 black bass combined daily; a bass 24 in or longer may be held briefly for a ShareLunker weigh-in, then released. An East Texas lake in Van Zandt County, managed for trophy bass"},{"name":"Bellwood Lake","rule":"Largemouth bass 16 in maximum — only bass 16 in or shorter may be kept; 5 black bass combined daily; a bass 24 in or longer may be held briefly for a ShareLunker weigh-in, then released. Juglines, throwlines, and trotlines are prohibited. A Tyler municipal lake (Smith County), managed for trophy bass"},{"name":"Lake Davy Crockett","rule":"Largemouth bass 16 in maximum — only bass 16 in or shorter may be kept; 5 black bass combined daily; a bass 24 in or longer may be held briefly for a ShareLunker weigh-in, then released. Juglines, throwlines, and trotlines are prohibited. A small North Texas lake in Fannin County, managed for trophy bass"},{"name":"Lost Maples State Natural Area","rule":"Catch-and-release only for all five species of black bass (largemouth, smallmouth, spotted, Guadalupe, and Alabama). Fishing is by pole and line only, no more than two poles. The Sabinal River within Lost Maples State Natural Area (Bandera County)"},{"name":"Sabine River (below Toledo Bend Dam)","rule":"Below Toledo Bend Dam, largemouth bass 12 in minimum, 8 black bass combined daily — a more generous bag than the statewide 14 in / 5. From the dam down to the I.H. 10 bridge: striped bass no minimum, 5 / day (only 2 may be 30 in or longer); white bass no minimum, 25 / day; black and white crappie no minimum, 25 / day; channel and blue catfish no minimum, 50 combined daily and in possession (only 5 may be 30 in or longer), plus flathead catfish 18 in minimum, 10 / day. Shared TX/LA boundary water — Texas licence valid on Texas waters, Louisiana reciprocity required on the Louisiana side"}],"species":{"largemouth-bass":{"slug":"largemouth-bass","name":"Largemouth bass","scientificName":"Micropterus salmoides","category":"freshwater","intro":"Largemouth bass are Texas's flagship freshwater game fish, with most public reservoirs managed for trophy-class growth. Statewide rules apply unless a named water body carries a slot or special-regulation overlay (Lake Fork is the most-known example).","seasonSummary":"Open year-round statewide.","seasonWindows":"year-round","dailyBagLimit":"5 / day (combined with smallmouth and spotted bass)","possessionLimit":"10 in possession (combined black bass)","sizeLimit":"14 in minimum on most public reservoirs","slotLimit":"Slot limits on listed reservoirs (e.g. Lake Fork 16–24 in)","trophyRule":"ShareLunker entries 13 lb+ from Oct 1 – Apr 30 are eligible for the breeding program","gearRestrictions":["Pole-and-line only on most public waters","No trotline / jugline / throw line for black bass","Tournament release rules apply on listed reservoirs"],"waterBodyOverrides":[{"waterBody":"Lake Fork Reservoir","rule":"16–24 in slot; bass 24 in+ harvestable only with ShareLunker trophy tag"},{"waterBody":"Lake Falcon","rule":"Statewide 14 in minimum, 5 / day applies"},{"waterBody":"Sam Rayburn Reservoir","rule":"Statewide 14 in / 5 fish; bass tournament organisers must follow live-release rule"},{"waterBody":"Lake Conroe","rule":"Largemouth bass 16 in minimum length — stricter than the statewide 14 in; 5 black bass combined daily"},{"waterBody":"Caddo Lake","rule":"14–18 in slot — keep only bass 14 in or shorter or 18 in or longer; 8 black bass combined daily, no more than 4 of which may be 18 in or longer; shared TX/LA, LA reciprocity required on the LA side"},{"waterBody":"Moss Lake","rule":"16 in maximum — only bass 16 in or shorter may be kept; 5 black bass combined daily; a bass 24 in+ may be held briefly for a ShareLunker weigh-in, then released"},{"waterBody":"Mill Creek Lake","rule":"16 in maximum — only bass 16 in or shorter may be kept; 5 black bass combined daily; a bass 24 in+ may be held briefly for a ShareLunker weigh-in, then released"},{"waterBody":"Bellwood Lake","rule":"16 in maximum — only bass 16 in or shorter may be kept; 5 black bass combined daily; juglines, throwlines, and trotlines prohibited; ShareLunker weigh-in release for bass 24 in+"},{"waterBody":"Lake Davy Crockett","rule":"16 in maximum — only bass 16 in or shorter may be kept; 5 black bass combined daily; juglines, throwlines, and trotlines prohibited; ShareLunker weigh-in release for bass 24 in+"}],"publishedAt":"2026-05-20","updatedAt":"2026-06-08"},"white-bass":{"slug":"white-bass","name":"White bass","scientificName":"Morone chrysops","category":"freshwater","intro":"White bass are a high-volume schooling fish across Texas reservoirs and tributary creeks, peaking on the spring spawning run. The statewide rule is simple: 25 / day, 10 in minimum, open year-round.","seasonSummary":"Open year-round; spring spawning run is the peak.","seasonWindows":"year-round","dailyBagLimit":"25 / day","possessionLimit":"50 in possession","sizeLimit":"10 in minimum","gearRestrictions":["Pole-and-line on public waters","No commercial-style gear for sport take"],"waterBodyOverrides":[{"waterBody":"Lake Texoma","rule":"Striper and white-bass combined limit applies on TX/OK reciprocity zone"},{"waterBody":"Lake Tawakoni","rule":"Statewide 25 / day, 10 in applies; striper rules tracked separately"},{"waterBody":"Lake Buchanan","rule":"Statewide rule; Colorado River tributary spring run popular"}],"publishedAt":"2026-05-20","updatedAt":"2026-05-20"},"channel-catfish":{"slug":"channel-catfish","name":"Channel catfish","scientificName":"Ictalurus punctatus","category":"freshwater","intro":"Channel catfish are the bread-and-butter freshwater target across Texas — every public reservoir, river, and tank holds them. The statewide rule pools channel and blue catfish under one 25 / day combined limit.","seasonSummary":"Open year-round.","seasonWindows":"year-round","dailyBagLimit":"25 / day (channel + blue combined); only 10 may be 20 in or longer","possessionLimit":"50 in possession","sizeLimit":"No minimum length statewide (only 10 of the 25 daily may be 20 in or longer)","gearRestrictions":["Pole-and-line on public waters","Trotlines, juglines, and throwlines permitted with licence endorsement and gear-tag rules","No more than 50 hooks per angler across all passive gear"],"waterBodyOverrides":[{"waterBody":"Lake Tawakoni","rule":"Trophy blue-catfish water; no minimum length, 25 channel + blue combined daily, of which only 5 may be 20 in or longer and only 1 of those 30 in or longer (stricter than the statewide 10-over-20-in allowance)"},{"waterBody":"Lake Texoma","rule":"TX/OK reciprocity zone — on the TX side: no minimum length, 15 channel + blue combined daily with only 1 blue catfish 30 in or longer; flathead no minimum, 5 / day"},{"waterBody":"Lewisville Lake","rule":"Heavily-fished urban reservoir; no minimum length, 25 channel + blue combined daily, of which only 5 may be 20 in or longer and only 1 of those 30 in or longer"},{"waterBody":"Hubbard Creek Reservoir","rule":"No minimum length, 25 channel + blue combined daily, of which only 5 may be 20 in or longer and only 1 of those 30 in or longer — a top West Texas blue-catfish water (Stephens County)"},{"waterBody":"Lake Kirby","rule":"No minimum length, 25 channel + blue combined daily, of which only 5 may be 20 in or longer and only 1 of those 30 in or longer — Abilene municipal lake (Taylor County)"},{"waterBody":"Lake Proctor","rule":"Blue and channel catfish 14 in minimum length, 15 combined daily — stricter than the statewide no-minimum/25 rule (Comanche County USACE reservoir)"},{"waterBody":"Sheldon Lake","rule":"Blue and channel catfish 14 in minimum length, 15 combined daily; pole-and-line only, no more than two poles (Sheldon Lake State Park, Houston)"},{"waterBody":"Abilene State Park Lake","rule":"Blue and channel catfish 14 in minimum length, 15 combined daily; pole-and-line only, no more than two poles (Taylor County)"}],"publishedAt":"2026-05-20","updatedAt":"2026-06-08"},"crappie":{"slug":"crappie","name":"Crappie","scientificName":"Pomoxis annularis / nigromaculatus","category":"freshwater","intro":"Crappie (white and black combined) are managed under a single statewide rule across most public Texas reservoirs: 25 / day, 10 in minimum. Lake Fork and a small handful of overlay lakes adjust the minimum size for limited windows.","seasonSummary":"Open year-round; springtime shallow-cover bite is the peak.","seasonWindows":"year-round","dailyBagLimit":"25 / day (white + black combined)","possessionLimit":"50 in possession","sizeLimit":"10 in minimum (most waters)","gearRestrictions":["Pole-and-line on public waters","Multi-pole rigs allowed; jugline / trotline not permitted for crappie"],"waterBodyOverrides":[{"waterBody":"Lake Fork Reservoir","rule":"Dec 1 – last day of Feb: no length limit, 25 fish daily — winter overlay"},{"waterBody":"Lake O' the Pines","waterBodyShortName":"Lake O'the Pines","rule":"Dec 1 – last day of Feb: no length limit, 25 / day, all crappie caught must be retained (winter overlay). March – November: 10 in minimum. Year-round 25 / day"},{"waterBody":"Lake Nasworthy","rule":"No minimum length, 25 / day — the statewide 10 in crappie minimum is lifted on this San Angelo reservoir (Tom Green County)"},{"waterBody":"Lake Conroe","rule":"Statewide rule applies; community lake exemptions do not apply"}],"publishedAt":"2026-05-20","updatedAt":"2026-06-08"},"red-drum":{"slug":"red-drum","name":"Red drum (saltwater)","scientificName":"Sciaenops ocellatus","category":"saltwater","intro":"Red drum (redfish) are Texas's premier inshore saltwater target. The statewide rule is a 20–28 in slot with one trophy tag per angler per year for fish over 28 in. The species closed-windowed harvest cap is what keeps Texas Gulf redfish populations among the most stable in the Gulf.","seasonSummary":"Open year-round; one over-slot tag per licence year.","seasonWindows":"year-round","dailyBagLimit":"3 / day","possessionLimit":"6 in possession","sizeLimit":"20 in minimum","slotLimit":"20–28 in slot","trophyRule":"One fish over 28 in per licence year with red drum tag (issued with each saltwater licence)","gearRestrictions":["Pole-and-line, gig, or cast net (cast net for bait only)","No snatch-hooking; no commercial-style gear for sport take"],"waterBodyOverrides":[{"waterBody":"Aransas Bay system","rule":"Statewide 20–28 in slot, 3 / day; bay-specific bait-shrimp rules apply"},{"waterBody":"Matagorda Bay","rule":"Statewide rule; commercial reef-harvest zones marked seasonally"},{"waterBody":"Lower Laguna Madre","rule":"Statewide rule plus boat-traffic restrictions in seagrass exclusion zones"},{"waterBody":"Sabine Lake","rule":"Shared TX/LA — TX licence on TX waters; LA reciprocity required on LA side"}],"publishedAt":"2026-05-20","updatedAt":"2026-05-20"},"spotted-seatrout":{"slug":"spotted-seatrout","name":"Spotted seatrout (saltwater)","scientificName":"Cynoscion nebulosus","category":"saltwater","intro":"Spotted seatrout — 'specks', or speckled trout — are Texas's most-targeted inshore saltwater fish alongside red drum, holding over seagrass flats, in the surf, and around bay structure from Sabine Lake to the Lower Laguna Madre. Texas tightened the statewide rule in recent years to a 3-fish daily bag and a 15–20 in slot, with a tagged allowance for an oversized trophy. The slot now applies coastwide rather than varying by bay zone.","seasonSummary":"Open year-round statewide.","seasonWindows":"year-round","dailyBagLimit":"3 / day","possessionLimit":"6 in possession (double the daily bag)","sizeLimit":"15 in minimum","slotLimit":"15–20 in slot","trophyRule":"One spotted seatrout over 28 in per licence year may be retained with a properly completed Spotted Seatrout Tag, plus one more with a Bonus Spotted Seatrout Tag — these tagged fish are kept in addition to the daily bag and possession limits.","gearRestrictions":["Pole-and-line only — spotted seatrout may not be taken by spearing","Cast net for bait only; not a legal method for keeping seatrout","Saltwater stamp required in addition to the fishing licence"],"waterBodyOverrides":[{"waterBody":"Galveston Bay system","rule":"Statewide 3 / day, 15–20 in slot applies; saltwater stamp required"},{"waterBody":"Baffin Bay & Upper Laguna Madre","rule":"Statewide slot applies; Texas's premier trophy-trout water — most over-28 in tag fish come from here"},{"waterBody":"Matagorda Bay","rule":"Statewide 3 / day slot; seasonal oyster-reef closures posted by TPWD Coastal Fisheries"},{"waterBody":"Sabine Lake","rule":"Shared TX/LA — TX rule on TX waters; LA reciprocity required on the LA side"}],"citationSource":"https://tpwd.texas.gov/regulations/outdoor-annual/fishing/saltwater-fishing/bag-length-limits/seatrout-bag-length-limits","publishedAt":"2026-05-29","updatedAt":"2026-05-29"},"southern-flounder":{"slug":"southern-flounder","name":"Southern flounder (saltwater)","scientificName":"Paralichthys lethostigma","category":"saltwater","intro":"Southern flounder are Texas's signature flatfish — ambush feeders that lie on sandy and muddy bay bottoms and stage near the passes and the Gulf each late fall for their spawning migration. That migration is why flounder is the rare Texas saltwater species with a true closed season: all harvest is closed statewide every year from November 1 through December 14. Outside that window the rule is a 5-fish daily bag and a 15 in minimum, and gigging is the classic Texas method.","seasonSummary":"Open most of the year; harvest closed statewide Nov 1 – Dec 14 for the fall spawning migration.","seasonWindows":[{"start":"2025-12-15","end":"2026-10-31","note":"Open season — reopens Dec 15 after the Nov 1 – Dec 14 spawning-migration closure and runs through the following Oct 31."}],"dailyBagLimit":"5 / day","possessionLimit":"5 in possession (equal to the daily bag — not doubled)","sizeLimit":"15 in minimum","gearRestrictions":["Pole-and-line and flounder gig both legal outside the closure","No harvest by any method Nov 1 – Dec 14 (daily bag is zero)","Saltwater stamp required in addition to the fishing licence"],"waterBodyOverrides":[{"waterBody":"Galveston Bay system","rule":"Statewide 5 / day, 15 in minimum and the Nov 1 – Dec 14 closure apply; a marquee fall flounder-run gigging water"},{"waterBody":"Sabine Lake","rule":"Shared TX/LA — TX rule (including the Nov 1 – Dec 14 closure) on TX waters; LA flounder rules differ on the LA side"},{"waterBody":"Lower Laguna Madre","rule":"Statewide rule; flounder stage toward the Gulf passes through October before the closure"}],"citationSource":"https://tpwd.texas.gov/regulations/outdoor-annual/fishing/saltwater-fishing/bag-length-limits/flounder-bag-length-limits","publishedAt":"2026-05-29","updatedAt":"2026-05-29"},"striped-bass":{"slug":"striped-bass","name":"Striped bass","scientificName":"Morone saxatilis","category":"freshwater","intro":"Striped bass have been stocked into Texas reservoirs and tailraces since the 1960s and now anchor open-water fisheries on the Colorado, Brazos, Trinity, and Red river systems. The statewide rule is simple — 5 fish a day (striped and hybrid striped bass combined), 18 in minimum — but Lake Texoma, the celebrated self-sustaining striper fishery shared with Oklahoma, runs its own rule under a joint licence compact. Spring runs below dams and on tributary arms are the peak.","seasonSummary":"Open year-round statewide; spring runs below dams and on tributary arms are the densest window.","seasonWindows":"year-round","dailyBagLimit":"5 / day (striped and hybrid striped bass combined); Lake Texoma 10 / day","possessionLimit":"10 in possession (double the daily bag); Lake Texoma 20 in possession","sizeLimit":"18 in minimum statewide; no minimum length at Lake Texoma (only 2 of the 10 may be 20 in or longer)","trophyRule":"Lake Texoma is one of only two large US inland reservoirs with a self-sustaining, naturally reproducing striped bass population; its 10-fish bag allows only 2 fish 20 in or longer — a strong trophy-protection rule — and culling is prohibited.","gearRestrictions":["Pole-and-line; trolling and live shad permitted","Lake Texoma requires the joint TX/OK compact — a current Texas (or Oklahoma) annual fishing licence, or the dedicated Lake Texoma Licence, is valid lake-wide","Culling of striped and hybrid striped bass is prohibited at Lake Texoma"],"waterBodyOverrides":[{"waterBody":"Lake Texoma","rule":"10 / day combined striped + hybrid striped bass, only 2 may be 20 in or longer, no minimum length; 20 in possession; joint TX/OK licence compact valid lake-wide; culling prohibited"},{"waterBody":"Lake Livingston","rule":"Major Trinity River reservoir striper fishery; statewide 5 / day, 18 in minimum applies"},{"waterBody":"Possum Kingdom Lake","rule":"Brazos River reservoir with an established striped bass population; returned to the statewide 5 / day, 18 in minimum in 2012"}],"citationSource":"https://tpwd.texas.gov/regulations/outdoor-annual/fishing/freshwater-fishing/bag-length-limits","publishedAt":"2026-05-29","updatedAt":"2026-05-29"}},"publishedAt":"2026-05-20","updatedAt":"2026-06-08"},"_meta":{"regulationYear":2026,"agency":"Texas Parks and Wildlife Department","agencyUrl":"https://tpwd.texas.gov/regulations/outdoor-annual/fishing","generatedAt":"2026-09-17T06:16:56.877Z"}}