{"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","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+)","priceUsd":12},{"label":"Resident lifetime — all-water","priceUsd":1000},{"label":"Disabled veteran (super combo)","priceUsd":0,"notes":"Free — eligibility required"}],"nonResidentFees":[{"label":"Non-resident annual all-water","priceUsd":58},{"label":"Non-resident annual freshwater","priceUsd":58},{"label":"Non-resident 5-day all-water","priceUsd":20},{"label":"Non-resident 1-day all-water","priceUsd":16}],"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":"12 in minimum (most waters)"},{"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"}],"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":"Shared TX/LA — TX licence + LA reciprocity required on LA 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":"Statewide rule; community lake exemptions do not apply"},{"waterBody":"Caddo Lake","rule":"Shared TX/LA: TX licence valid on TX waters; LA reciprocity required on LA side"}],"publishedAt":"2026-05-20","updatedAt":"2026-05-20"},"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)","possessionLimit":"50 in possession","sizeLimit":"12 in minimum (most waters)","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 growing waters; standard 12 in / 25 fish applies"},{"waterBody":"Lake Texoma","rule":"TX/OK reciprocity zone — TX combined catfish limit applies on TX side"},{"waterBody":"Lewisville Lake","rule":"Heavily-fished urban reservoir; standard 12 in / 25 fish applies"}],"publishedAt":"2026-05-20","updatedAt":"2026-05-20"},"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","rule":"Statewide 25 / day, 10 in applies"},{"waterBody":"Lake Conroe","rule":"Statewide rule applies; community lake exemptions do not apply"}],"publishedAt":"2026-05-20","updatedAt":"2026-05-20"},"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"}},"publishedAt":"2026-05-20","updatedAt":"2026-05-20"},"_meta":{"regulationYear":2026,"agency":"Texas Parks and Wildlife Department","agencyUrl":"https://tpwd.texas.gov/regulations/outdoor-annual/fishing","generatedAt":"2026-05-20T20:05:27.497Z"}}