2026 regulation year
Lake Waco 2026 — Texas Fishing Regulations
Texas statewide rules apply unless overridden below.
Last updated
Lake Waco carries a special-regulation overlay on top of Texas's 2026 fishing rules. Verify the agency booklet before launching: in-season changes are not yet wired to this page.
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State-level special regulation
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
Source: Texas special-water list
Official source
Texas Parks and Wildlife Department publishes the authoritative 2026 Texas fishing regulations. Special-regulation lakes and rivers are listed in the agency booklet — always verify before fishing.
Visit official Texas fishing regulations →
Emergency-order channel
In-season closures, slot-limit changes, and run-count-driven harvest pauses are posted to Texas Parks and Wildlife Department's emergency-order feed — check it before any Texas trip during the active season.
Other special-regulation waters in Texas
Frequently asked questions
- What special fishing regulations apply at Lake Waco?
- Lake Waco carries one special-regulation overlay that overrides Texas' statewide 2026 rules. It reads: "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." Every overlay on this water body is listed in full above.
- Do I need a fishing license to fish Lake Waco?
- Yes. Lake Waco is in Texas, so a valid Texas fishing license is required just as it is anywhere else in the state, issued by Texas Parks and Wildlife Department. The special regulations on this page change the bag, size, slot, or gear rules for Lake Waco; they do not waive the license requirement. Free-fishing days and youth exemptions follow the statewide Texas rules.
- Do Lake Waco's special rules replace Texas' statewide limits?
- Only where they conflict. Texas' statewide 2026 regulations apply on Lake Waco by default; the overlays above replace the matching statewide rule 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.