What special fishing regulations apply at Lake Texoma?

Lake Texoma carries 6 special-regulation overlays that override Oklahoma's statewide 2026 rules, covering Striped bass, Crappie (white + black combined), Blue catfish, Channel catfish, and 1 more. One of them reads: "OK/TX JOINT COMPACT — a single standalone $12 Lake Texoma Licence (residents or non-residents) covers BOTH the OK and TX portions of the lake; a regular single-state OK annual licence covers only the OK half. One of only two large inland reservoirs in the US with SELF-SUSTAINING NATURALLY-REPRODUCING STRIPED BASS — striper + hybrid 10 / day combined (only 2 over 20 in); white bass 25 / day (the only OK water with a white-bass limit); largemouth + smallmouth 6 / day combined (only 1 over 16 in), spotted no limit; crappie 10 in min + 37 / day combined; channel + blue catfish 15 / day combined (1 blue over 30 in); striper + hybrid natural spawning run April – June on the Red River + Washita River arms." Every overlay on this water body is listed in full above.

Do I need a fishing license to fish Lake Texoma?

Yes. Lake Texoma is in Oklahoma, so a valid Oklahoma fishing license is required just as it is anywhere else in the state, issued by Oklahoma Department of Wildlife Conservation (ODWC). The special regulations on this page change the bag, size, slot, or gear rules for Lake Texoma; they do not waive the license requirement. Free-fishing days and youth exemptions follow the statewide Oklahoma rules.

Do Lake Texoma's special rules replace Oklahoma's statewide limits?

Only where they conflict. Oklahoma's statewide 2026 regulations apply on Lake Texoma by default; the overlays above replace the matching statewide rules for the species or gear they name, while everything not specifically overridden still follows the statewide rule. When a water-body rule and the statewide rule disagree, the water-body rule wins.

Which species have special rules on Lake Texoma?

Striped bass, Crappie (white + black combined), Blue catfish, Channel catfish, and Flathead catfish have a water-body-specific rule on Lake Texoma, each linking to its full Oklahoma regulations above. Species not listed here follow the statewide Oklahoma limits.

2026 regulation year

Lake Texoma 2026 — Oklahoma Fishing Regulations

Oklahoma statewide rules apply unless overridden below.

Last updated June 9, 2026

Lake Texoma carries 6 special-regulation overlays on top of Oklahoma's 2026 fishing rules — covering Striped bass, Crappie (white + black combined), Blue catfish, Channel catfish, and 1 more species. Verify the agency booklet before launching: in-season changes are not yet wired to this page.

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State-level special regulation

OK/TX JOINT COMPACT — a single standalone $12 Lake Texoma Licence (residents or non-residents) covers BOTH the OK and TX portions of the lake; a regular single-state OK annual licence covers only the OK half. One of only two large inland reservoirs in the US with SELF-SUSTAINING NATURALLY-REPRODUCING STRIPED BASS — striper + hybrid 10 / day combined (only 2 over 20 in); white bass 25 / day (the only OK water with a white-bass limit); largemouth + smallmouth 6 / day combined (only 1 over 16 in), spotted no limit; crappie 10 in min + 37 / day combined; channel + blue catfish 15 / day combined (1 blue over 30 in); striper + hybrid natural spawning run April – June on the Red River + Washita River arms
Source: Oklahoma special-water list

Per-species rules on Lake Texoma

Striped bass regulations →
10 / day combined striper + hybrid (only 2 over 20 in) + white bass 25 / day; OK/TX joint compact ($12 standalone Lake Texoma Licence covers both states' halves); one of only two large US inland reservoirs with self-sustaining naturally-reproducing striped bass
Crappie (white + black combined) regulations →
10 in min, 37 / day combined (keeps the statewide bag — Texoma is on the 10-in list but NOT the 15-fish list); Red River + Washita River arms premier white crappie tier
Blue catfish regulations →
15 / day combined channel + blue (only 1 over 30 in); OK state-record blue catfish 98 lb Lake Texoma below Denison Dam 2004; one of only inland reaches consistently producing 100+ lb-class blue catfish
Channel catfish regulations →
15 / day combined channel + blue; OK/TX joint compact (single standalone $12 Lake Texoma Licence)
Flathead catfish regulations →
5 / day; OK/TX joint compact (single standalone $12 Lake Texoma Licence)

Official source

Oklahoma Department of Wildlife Conservation (ODWC) publishes the authoritative 2026 Oklahoma fishing regulations. Special-regulation lakes and rivers are listed in the agency booklet — always verify before fishing.

Visit official Oklahoma fishing regulations →

Emergency-order channel

In-season closures, slot-limit changes, and run-count-driven harvest pauses are posted to Oklahoma Department of Wildlife Conservation's emergency-order feed — check it before any Oklahoma trip during the active season.

Other special-regulation waters in Oklahoma

Browse all water bodies →

Frequently asked questions

What special fishing regulations apply at Lake Texoma?: Lake Texoma carries 6 special-regulation overlays that override Oklahoma's statewide 2026 rules, covering Striped bass, Crappie (white + black combined), Blue catfish, Channel catfish, and 1 more. One of them reads: "OK/TX JOINT COMPACT — a single standalone $12 Lake Texoma Licence (residents or non-residents) covers BOTH the OK and TX portions of the lake; a regular single-state OK annual licence covers only the OK half. One of only two large inland reservoirs in the US with SELF-SUSTAINING NATURALLY-REPRODUCING STRIPED BASS — striper + hybrid 10 / day combined (only 2 over 20 in); white bass 25 / day (the only OK water with a white-bass limit); largemouth + smallmouth 6 / day combined (only 1 over 16 in), spotted no limit; crappie 10 in min + 37 / day combined; channel + blue catfish 15 / day combined (1 blue over 30 in); striper + hybrid natural spawning run April – June on the Red River + Washita River arms." Every overlay on this water body is listed in full above.
Do I need a fishing license to fish Lake Texoma?: Yes. Lake Texoma is in Oklahoma, so a valid Oklahoma fishing license is required just as it is anywhere else in the state, issued by Oklahoma Department of Wildlife Conservation (ODWC). The special regulations on this page change the bag, size, slot, or gear rules for Lake Texoma; they do not waive the license requirement. Free-fishing days and youth exemptions follow the statewide Oklahoma rules.
Do Lake Texoma's special rules replace Oklahoma's statewide limits?: Only where they conflict. Oklahoma's statewide 2026 regulations apply on Lake Texoma by default; the overlays above replace the matching statewide rules for the species or gear they name, while everything not specifically overridden still follows the statewide rule. When a water-body rule and the statewide rule disagree, the water-body rule wins.
Which species have special rules on Lake Texoma?: Striped bass, Crappie (white + black combined), Blue catfish, Channel catfish, and Flathead catfish have a water-body-specific rule on Lake Texoma, each linking to its full Oklahoma regulations above. Species not listed here follow the statewide Oklahoma limits.

← Back to Oklahoma regulations overview